Vegetable Gardening (17 page)

Tomato varieties also can be classified as hybrids or open-pollinated plants (see Chapter 3 for more information):

Open-pollinated
refers to varieties that have the ability to cross-pollinate among themselves naturally and produce plants that resemble the parents. All heirlooms are open-pollinated and are generally considered varieties that were grown prior to the 1940s.

Hybrid
varieties are the products of crosses between two varieties that wouldn't necessarily naturally cross. Hybrids are an invention of post-World War II plant breeders to make varieties more productive, uniform, and disease resistant.

One more way to classify tomatoes is by their color, shape, and use:

Color:
What was once exclusively a red fruit now comes in orange, yellow, green, black (really dark brown), white, and striped colors. The only color not represented is blue; however, give breeders a little time, and it may show up someday!

Shape:
Tomatoes have been traditionally available as a round fruit, but new shapes pop up all the time. Some shapes that are available today include oblong, egg, cherry, grape, pear, and flattened.

Use:
While I mostly like to eat tomatoes fresh off the vine, some varieties are better suited to sauces, canning, and drying. (Check out the later section "Studying some saucy tomatoes" for more on varieties that are great for processing.)

With so many distinctions, how do you decide which varieties to plant? In this section, I help you decide by listing some of my favorites.

Enjoying classic red, round tomatoes

When you say the word "tomato," most people think of red, round tomatoes. They're the classic, bright red, juicy, meaty tomatoes that we all want to grow. You have hundreds of varieties to choose from, so deciding can be difficult. But, don't worry! The following list includes some of my favorites that you may want to try:

‘Better Boy':
This hybrid indeterminate produces smooth 8- to 12-ounce fruits 72 days after transplanting that are great for slicing. This variety has good disease resistance.

‘Big Beef':
This All-America-Selections-winning, indeterminate hybrid is loaded with disease resistance, producing blemish-free 8- to 10-ounce fruits. This variety matures 70 days from transplant.

‘Bush Big Boy':
This hybrid dwarf-indeterminate variety produces 10-ounce fruits on a 4-foot-tall plant 71 days after transplanting.

‘Cold Set':
If you're trying to grow tomatoes in a cold climate, try this open-pollinated variety. The 4- to 6-ounce fruits set 65 days after transplanting on determinate plants that can tolerate a light frost.

‘Costoluto Genovese':
This Italian indeterminate heirloom is close to my heart and taste buds. The 8-ounce fruits are deeply ribbed, juicy, and have a strong tomato flavor. The plants love the heat and produce fruits 80 days after transplanting.