Credit: Eva Kolenko
Whether you’re flipping through a seed catalog or walking through your local nursery, the huge variety of tomato types you can grow can be overwhelming. For help whittling down the field, we checked in with self-described “tomato obsessive” Kyle Hagerty. He grows upwards of 20 varieties every summer in his Sacramento, California, garden. Here are his top 5 picks for flavor and reliability.
Meet Our Expert
Kyle Hagerty is a gardener with more than 20 years of experience in edible gardening who shares his tips on his popular account @urbanfarmstead.
01 of 05
‘Sungreen’
Credit: Eva Kolenko
This is Hagerty’s favorite cherry tomato, hands down. “It’s green when ripe with a sweetness almost as intense as ‘Sungold,’ but a bit of acid to balance it out. It’s the most flavorful green-when-ripe tomato I’ve ever tasted.” Plus, the plants are resistant to both tomato and tobacco mosaic virus.
Plant type: Indeterminate, reaching 6–8 feet tall
Days to maturity: 58
02 of 05
‘Striped German’
Credit: Eva Kolenko
An heirloom tomato that has stood the test of time, ‘Striped German’ is a large golden beefsteak streaked with red. Fruits can reach about 12 ounces and have a smooth texture and complex fruity flavor. “It’s my favorite for tomato sandwiches,” says Hagerty.
Plant type: Indeterminate, reaching 5–7 feet tall
Days to maturity: 78
03 of 05
‘Italian Red Pear’
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As the name suggests, this Italian heirloom beefsteak tomato has an unusual pear shape. Between its thin skin and wonderfully sweet flavor, Hagerty says it’s “excellent for both sauce and slicing.” The meaty fruits reach between 6 and 12 ounces.
Plant type: Indeterminate, reaching 4–8 feet tall
Days to maturity: 80
Related: 10 Great Tips for Growing Tomato Seedlings to Add to Your Garden
04 of 05
‘Harvest Moon’
Credit: Kyle Hagerty
“This highly prolific hybrid could easily trick you into thinking it’s an heirloom with its appearance and flavor,” says Hagerty. He loves its “heavy yields of large yellow and orange striped fruits, without the drawbacks we often see with more challenging heirlooms.” The plant is relatively compact and resistant to late blight, too.
Plant type: Indeterminate, reaching 3–5 feet tall
Days to maturity: 75
05 of 05
‘New Girl’
Credit: Kyle Hagerty
“The reliable workhorse tomato for any garden,” declares Hagerty of this prolific plant, a more disease-resistant relative of the well-known ‘Early Girl’ tomato. In his garden, the medium-size red tomatoes “set early in the season, fruit through the summer heat, and ripen into fall.”
Plant type: Indeterminate, reaching 3–5 feet tall
Days to maturity: 62
Related: How to Get More Veggies Out of Your Summer Garden, According to Someone Who’s Been Harvesting for 20+ Years
Now’s the time to order seeds and get a jumpstart on tomato season. One of our favorite sources for these varieties and more is Johnny’s Selected Seeds (johnnyseeds.com).
Read the original article on Better Homes & Gardens
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