The Wonderful World of Heirloom Tomatoes

When people ask us about heirlooms, their first questions is usually about tomatoes.  There is something magical about the deliciousness of heirloom tomatoes.  The flavor of a vine-ripened, homegrown, heirloom tomato is unforgettable.

With so many varieties of tomatoes to choose from, you might be left wondering “what’s the difference?" and what's best for my garden?  We've gathered info on different types and varieties to help you decide.

First, we have the broad characterization of Indeterminate and Determinate.

Determinate tomatoes produce the fruit all at once. These are typically bush tomatoes, and make the best tomatoes for container gardening. Since all the tomatoes are ripe within a short period of time, these are great plant choices if you plan to can or have a short tomato growing season.

Indeterminate tomatoes grow on a vine.  If properly cared for, will produce all season until frost.

From here, you have a more specific classification of Tomato including

Beefsteak

Plum, also called a Paste Tomato

Cherry

Pear

Brandywine

 Green Zebra Tomato

We can't leave out the colors!  There are green, yellow, white, PURPLE, bi-color, pink and of course red.

In this article, I'd like to discuss the different varieties available at Mary's Heirloom Seeds.

BEEFSTEAK

Beefsteak tomatoes are some of the largest cultivated tomatoes around, with a meaty texture and intense, classic-tomato flavor. Thanks to their thick consistency and compact seed cavities, beefsteak tomatoes hold up well when sliced, making them perfect for sandwiches. They're typically red or pink, certain varieties of beefsteak tomatoes come in a rainbow of colors including Pink, red, purple, black, or yellow fruit.

A few of the heirloom beefsteak varieties we carry at Mary's Heirloom Seeds includes

Cherokee Purple (Mary's favorite), Amana's Orange, Aunt Ruby's Green, Black Krim, German Pink, Hillbilly Flame, Emerald Evergreen, Mortgage Lifter and Watermelon Beefsteak.

Hillbilly Flame Tomato

PLUM, also called a Paste Tomato

Plum tomatoes have an almost cylindrical shape and few seeds, making them perfect for preserving.  If you are looking for heirloom tomatoes to make your own sauce, the San Marzano tomato is arguably "the" tomato. Roma is a paste tomato and one of the most widely grown tomato. Smaller plum tomatoes are often called "grape" tomatoes so we are combining them in our list.

A few heirloom Plum varieties we carry at Mary's Heirloom Seeds includes

San Marzano Tall Vine (indeterminate), San Marzano Paste (determinate), Black Plum Paste, Roma, Amish Paste, Cream Sausage, Jersey Devil, Martino's Roma and Ukrainian Purple

CHERRY

Cherry tomatoes pack a major burst of flavor for such a small fruit. Cherry tomatoes also come in a few colors such as red, yellow, black, purple and even green.

A few heirloom cherry tomatoes we carry at Mary's Heirloom Seeds includes

Black Cherry, Red Cherry, Matt's Wild Cherry and Chadwick Cherry

PEAR

Pear tomatoes are an heirloom variety known for their small, pear-shaped fruit. They’re sweet and make a delicious snack (especially while working in the garden).

A few heirloom Pear tomatoes we carry at Mary's Heirloom Seeds includes

Yellow Pear (Mary's favorite), Red Pear, Thai Pink Pear and Chocolate Pear

BRANDYWINE

Brandywine tomatoes are a variety of beefsteak tomatoes with large fruit and amazing flavor.

A few heirloom Brandywine tomatoes we carry at Mary's Heirloom Seeds include

Pink Brandywine, Yellow Brandywine and Sudduth Strain

Oxheart holds a special place in my heart.  My grandmother's husband Jim used to grow our Pink Oxheart tomatoes every year before he passed.  They would harvest buckets full of tomatoes every year in Utah.

About Pink Oxheart

Indeterminate.  Vigorous vines produce large bunches of huge pink tomatoes in the shape of an oxheart.  Tomatoes are very meaty and flavorful.

Popular with old timers, a good all-purpose variety.  Great for processing or sliced for a sandwich.