1) Of the 3 main kinds of tomatoes – cherry, slicers and paste/sauce, do i want all 3? Just 1 or 2?
2) If I want sauce tomatoes, which grow best *in my area*? Sauce tomatoes are almost all determinate so you get one harvest. Plan one variety of that
3) for cherries and slicers, how many am I likely to really eat per week? Of the ones I’m thinking about, do t hey all have the same time to harvest? Or can I stagger them (some with a time to harvest of 60 days, some with 80, etc).
4) Is my season long enough to succession plant?
And finally – what sounds cool!? If there’s a variety you’ve always wanted to try, grow at least one of those just to try it.
CiaoCiao0102
Hi, where are you from? I’m interested in 3 or 5 seeds of each variety:
Jersey Davil – Black Cherry – Cherokee Purole – Brandywine Sudduth’s Strain
Daphnelouise2
Cherokee purple and black krim are in similar taste profiles so you could eliminate one of them fairly easily. If I were you’d I’d eliminate Cherokee purple unless it particularly appeals to your taste as black krim wins out texture wise in my book as Cherokee purple cam get grainy.
VeganMinx
Why can’t you grow them all? We grow tomatoes in 5 gallon buckets from Firehouse Subs. They grow very well, tbh.
tomatocrazzie
Where will you be growing them? Several of these varieties can be challenging to grow on some places. That might help narrow the list.
Also, what do you primarily want the tomatoes for? Fresh eating in salads, BLTs, sauce, juice, canning?
kutmulc
I can give you my personal favorites from your list, if that helps:
1. Brandywine Sudduth’s
2. Kellogg’s (or KBX)
3. Green Zebra
4. Cherokee Purple / Black Krim
5. Black Cherry
I will say that Black Cherry is similar in taste profile to the Cherokee / Krim, so for some variety, maybe go with another cherry like Sungold or SS100.
Tjoseph415
I only have varieties to add not subtract
horsethiefjack
Paste tomatoes (San Marzano) are overrated and fickle plants. Very prone to BER. I would skip them and just use your heirlooms for canning / processing. They taste better anyways.
thetangible
GROW THEM ALLLLLLL
dosefacekillah1348
IDK why hut my Kelloggs sucked this year.
I’m not trying threm again next season lol
Conspiracy_realist76
Next year I am only planting the first two. Especially, with how last year went. I usually put out 78 plants. Cherokee Purples and Romas will be the only two types I do.
GrotusMaximus
Where do you live? Check if any of these are incompatible with your climate. I can’t grow Brandywines for the life of me, as my Spring / Early Summer is way too humid. The blight destroys them every time.
No-Proof7839
Black cherries are great producers but if you don’t like a thick-skinned, more savory tomato don’t do it. I mean it. Until you get cooler night time temps the sweetness is a minimum. I’m a fan, but many folks who tried weren’t.
russiablows
Helps to know where u are.
tanukihimself13
Green zebras are top tier tomatoes for me and I grew them exclusively for several years, don’t eliminate those.
Autumn_Ridge
Agreed about KBX being better than Kellogg’s Breakfast.
I dont know what Beefsteak you have, but if it is a Ferry Morse packet you bought at a big box store, I would scratch those. Big Beef is 10x better if you want to grow a big red slicer.
GrowingFarmFounder
If you want to try to grow a record-breaker, try Cuore di Bue, but it’s not easy)
feldoneq2wire
If I had to lose one, San Marzano. It LOVES to get blossom end rot. And I wouldn’t grow Green Zebra unless you like REALLY zippy tomatoes. Green Zebra is a parent of many delicious varieties but on its own it’s very very tart.
BeltaneBi
I find Green Zebra to be low producers and where I am black cherry is prone to wilt. Funnily enough I have both this year but I don’t think I will do either again.
LunarGiantNeil
As someone else said, you need to first think about use, flavor profile, and area.
**Use:** How do you eat your ‘maters? How many can you eat? Do you preserve them, can them, or just eat them fresh? Do you like fresh tomato sandwiches, or do you only add them to soups?
**Flavor Profile**: Some of these have a lot of overlap in terms of flavor, so you may want to narrow it down that way, so you can pick the ones with the most variety.
**Area**: Tomatoes can be lousy producers if there’s a climate or pest they’re not equipped to handle. Pick the right types for your area.
For me, I love beefsteaks and will eat a big one fresh in slices with salt or as a sandwich, so I grow a lot, and in my area (North Illinois) these would be my pick:
1. Kellog’s Breakfast (or my preferred alternative, Dr. Wyche) for slicing/sandwiches
2. Jersey Devil (I grow a lot of pastes, but I grow really niche ones by now, JD’s are fine to start with)
3. Cuore di Bue (they look cool, I’d love to try them myself this year)
4. Cherokee Purple (similar to Black Krim, but grows better here IMO)
I grew Black Cherry last year and recommend them if you like cherry tomatoes, but I just can’t be bothered.
I have never grown green tomatoes, but I do eat heirloom ones unripe, especially fried up a bit, and they’re excellent.
I say no to the San Marz’s because they’re so finicky and prone to diseases. They are the gold standard for flavor, but if you’re growing them in your backyard and you’re not living in San Marzano, then you will actually get a tastier tomato growing one that thrives in YOUR climate. It’s about matching the tomato to conditions.
jojohohanon
Green zebra is divine if perfectly ripe. But if not perfect it is unremarkable. Very small target. I would drop it in favor of something more forgiving.
I feel the opposite about black Krim. It’s always quite good. But never great.
My 0.02 obvs
3RaccoonsInAManSuit
add chef’s choice. All colors
KelDanelle
I’m a green zebra girl. I think it’s a fun one you need to try at least once!
My suggestion would be picking them based on type and intention (like if you want fresh for salad, want to make sun-dried tomatoes, sauces, or freeze for future sauce use, salsa, etc)
Or pick one of each type and see how much you use/ what you enjoy!
26 Comments
Yes you can, I believe in you.
Here’s my thought process…
1) Of the 3 main kinds of tomatoes – cherry, slicers and paste/sauce, do i want all 3? Just 1 or 2?
2) If I want sauce tomatoes, which grow best *in my area*? Sauce tomatoes are almost all determinate so you get one harvest. Plan one variety of that
3) for cherries and slicers, how many am I likely to really eat per week? Of the ones I’m thinking about, do t hey all have the same time to harvest? Or can I stagger them (some with a time to harvest of 60 days, some with 80, etc).
4) Is my season long enough to succession plant?
And finally – what sounds cool!? If there’s a variety you’ve always wanted to try, grow at least one of those just to try it.
Hi, where are you from? I’m interested in 3 or 5 seeds of each variety:
Jersey Davil – Black Cherry – Cherokee Purole – Brandywine Sudduth’s Strain
Cherokee purple and black krim are in similar taste profiles so you could eliminate one of them fairly easily. If I were you’d I’d eliminate Cherokee purple unless it particularly appeals to your taste as black krim wins out texture wise in my book as Cherokee purple cam get grainy.
Why can’t you grow them all? We grow tomatoes in 5 gallon buckets from Firehouse Subs. They grow very well, tbh.
Where will you be growing them? Several of these varieties can be challenging to grow on some places. That might help narrow the list.
Also, what do you primarily want the tomatoes for? Fresh eating in salads, BLTs, sauce, juice, canning?
I can give you my personal favorites from your list, if that helps:
1. Brandywine Sudduth’s
2. Kellogg’s (or KBX)
3. Green Zebra
4. Cherokee Purple / Black Krim
5. Black Cherry
I will say that Black Cherry is similar in taste profile to the Cherokee / Krim, so for some variety, maybe go with another cherry like Sungold or SS100.
I only have varieties to add not subtract
Paste tomatoes (San Marzano) are overrated and fickle plants. Very prone to BER. I would skip them and just use your heirlooms for canning / processing. They taste better anyways.
GROW THEM ALLLLLLL
IDK why hut my Kelloggs sucked this year.
I’m not trying threm again next season lol
Next year I am only planting the first two. Especially, with how last year went. I usually put out 78 plants. Cherokee Purples and Romas will be the only two types I do.
Where do you live? Check if any of these are incompatible with your climate. I can’t grow Brandywines for the life of me, as my Spring / Early Summer is way too humid. The blight destroys them every time.
Black cherries are great producers but if you don’t like a thick-skinned, more savory tomato don’t do it. I mean it. Until you get cooler night time temps the sweetness is a minimum. I’m a fan, but many folks who tried weren’t.
Helps to know where u are.
Green zebras are top tier tomatoes for me and I grew them exclusively for several years, don’t eliminate those.
Agreed about KBX being better than Kellogg’s Breakfast.
I dont know what Beefsteak you have, but if it is a Ferry Morse packet you bought at a big box store, I would scratch those. Big Beef is 10x better if you want to grow a big red slicer.
If you want to try to grow a record-breaker, try Cuore di Bue, but it’s not easy)
If I had to lose one, San Marzano. It LOVES to get blossom end rot. And I wouldn’t grow Green Zebra unless you like REALLY zippy tomatoes. Green Zebra is a parent of many delicious varieties but on its own it’s very very tart.
I find Green Zebra to be low producers and where I am black cherry is prone to wilt. Funnily enough I have both this year but I don’t think I will do either again.
As someone else said, you need to first think about use, flavor profile, and area.
**Use:** How do you eat your ‘maters? How many can you eat? Do you preserve them, can them, or just eat them fresh? Do you like fresh tomato sandwiches, or do you only add them to soups?
**Flavor Profile**: Some of these have a lot of overlap in terms of flavor, so you may want to narrow it down that way, so you can pick the ones with the most variety.
**Area**: Tomatoes can be lousy producers if there’s a climate or pest they’re not equipped to handle. Pick the right types for your area.
For me, I love beefsteaks and will eat a big one fresh in slices with salt or as a sandwich, so I grow a lot, and in my area (North Illinois) these would be my pick:
1. Kellog’s Breakfast (or my preferred alternative, Dr. Wyche) for slicing/sandwiches
2. Jersey Devil (I grow a lot of pastes, but I grow really niche ones by now, JD’s are fine to start with)
3. Cuore di Bue (they look cool, I’d love to try them myself this year)
4. Cherokee Purple (similar to Black Krim, but grows better here IMO)
I grew Black Cherry last year and recommend them if you like cherry tomatoes, but I just can’t be bothered.
I have never grown green tomatoes, but I do eat heirloom ones unripe, especially fried up a bit, and they’re excellent.
I say no to the San Marz’s because they’re so finicky and prone to diseases. They are the gold standard for flavor, but if you’re growing them in your backyard and you’re not living in San Marzano, then you will actually get a tastier tomato growing one that thrives in YOUR climate. It’s about matching the tomato to conditions.
Green zebra is divine if perfectly ripe. But if not perfect it is unremarkable. Very small target. I would drop it in favor of something more forgiving.
I feel the opposite about black Krim. It’s always quite good. But never great.
My 0.02 obvs
add chef’s choice. All colors
I’m a green zebra girl. I think it’s a fun one you need to try at least once!
My suggestion would be picking them based on type and intention (like if you want fresh for salad, want to make sun-dried tomatoes, sauces, or freeze for future sauce use, salsa, etc)
Or pick one of each type and see how much you use/ what you enjoy!
Keep San Marzano!!
Sounds like you need to expand your garden 🙂