The sun is shining, the garden is growing, and the temperatures are rising. It is summer time again. This is a great time of year.
But not just because of all of the canning and preserving that goes on during this time.
For me, it is because of all of the fresh tomatoes that hang on the vine waiting to be preserved, eaten, or turned into the best tomato sandwich (which is a personal favorite of mine.)
However, in order to grow enough tomatoes to fulfill everything you want to do with them, you need to be aware of the best varieties to grow.
So that is where this post comes in. I’m going to share with you some of the best tomato varieties that will hopefully help you to boost your tomato harvest this year.
The Best Tomato Varieties
1. Celebrities
We started growing Celebrities a couple of years ago. My husband is a technician so he gets to meet a lot of people through his job.
Well, he was at a gentleman’s house, and they began talking about his garden. The guy kept telling him how well his tomatoes were doing, and we were actually struggling with our tomatoes a little that year.
So the gentleman told him the only variety he planted were Celebrities. After looking at them, my husband said that was going to be the main variety we plant from that point forward.
And that is what we’ve done. If you are unfamiliar with a Celebrity tomato, they are a red tomato that is very round and full. They usually weigh about a half pound a piece.
Needless to say, they make some wonderful tomato sandwiches.
2. Black Cherry Tomato
This is a unique tomato if I’ve ever seen one. It is a cherry tomato that is black in color.
Now, I’ll tell you upfront, I’ve always had great luck with cherry tomatoes. It seems that very little can take these guys down.
Actually, I have to be careful when I plant them because each year I’ll have a bunch of volunteers that come back to my garden and produce very heavily.
Which means I end up with a lot of tomatoes!
So if you are looking for a smaller tomato that would be good to can whole or add to your salad, then you might want to consider this variety.
3. Brandywine
Brandywine tomatoes are another personal favorite variety of mine. If you’ve eaten a tomato, then you’ve probably tasted a Brandywine.
But if not, they are a large tomato. They grow to be large and round and are kind of meaty for a tomato. They have a unique pink tone to them as well.
Yet, they are said to be some of the best-tasting tomatoes in popular opinion.
Because of their large size, they are another tomato that goes well on any sandwich from a BLT to a fresh cheeseburger.
4. Chocolate Stripes
A Chocolate Stripes Tomato is one that will definitely get your garden visitors talking. It is a reddish colored tomato with brown stripes on its skin.
But it grows to be almost a pound in size so you get a lot out of each tomato.
Yet, even though this tomato is large in size, it is still known for its sweet flavor.
So if you are looking for a tomato that has a good flavor, a good size, and is interesting to look at, then you should consider growing the Chocolate Stripes Tomato.
5. Beef Steak
Beef Steak is probably one of the most common types of tomatoes. It is the large red variety that grows to be about a pound each.
So obviously this tomato can be used for anything from salads to sandwiches, to canning. It is definitely a flexible variety.
But if you are unfamiliar with a beef steak tomato, it is usually one of the largest tomatoes you can find. It just looks like a large traditional red tomato.
Though, they do sometimes split at the top because of their large size.
6. Blondkopfchen
This tomato variety may be hard to pronounce, but it is a great variety to choose from.
So if you hadn’t already guessed, the name is German. It means little blonde girl. The reason for that is this tomato is actually a cherry tomato variety.
But unlike other cherry tomatoes, this variety is a yellow cherry tomato. I am a huge fan of yellow tomatoes because they have a milder flavor that is more palatable in my opinion.
So if you love yellow tomatoes, then you’ll want to give this smaller variety a try.
7. Black Krim
A lot of people really love these tomatoes because of how interesting they are to look at. I mean, by most accounts, when we think of tomato we think of a round red fruit.
Well, this variety will blow that stereotype right out of the park.
So this is a medium sized heirloom tomato variety. The fruit grows to be about a half pound each, and the tomatoes are actually a blackish purple color.
Which would not only taste delicious but be very interesting in any dish you used it for.
8. Azoychka
This is another yellow tomato variety. It is very bright in color.
So if you see a tomato that looks like a lemon (in color) from the outside, then you’ve probably come across the Azoychka tomato.
But it also has a citrus flavor to it as well, and they usually weight around a half pound.
So if you’d like a bright, beautiful, and tasty yellow tomato variety to add to your garden, then this could be a good fit for you.
9. Amana Orange
This is another colorful variety of a tomato. It is also quite large as well.
So if you like a beef steak variety tomato, then you’ll definitely want to tune into this tomato. They are an heirloom variety and grow to be around two pounds. That is a lot of tomato!
But they also are a beautiful orange color and have a great flavor to them as well. It is very sweet and almost fruity.
So this variety of tomato would be good for those that like color, a larger tomato, and a milder flavor.
10. Delicious
When you go to the grocery store this is probably the tomato variety you see a lot of. Delicious tomatoes are red and round.
Plus, they grow to be anywhere from a pound to two pounds.
But they are great slicing tomatoes and pack a lot of flavor with them as well. Their delicious flavor plays a huge role in their name.
11. Dixie Golden Giant
This is one amazing tomato. It is an heirloom variety that my research tells me originated in the Amish community.
But the tomatoes are very sweet and fruity flavored.
Yet, they are a beefsteak variety which means they’ll grow to be a pound or more in size.
Plus, they have a very meaty texture as well.
12. Cherokee Purple
I’ve spent a few years growing Cherokee Purple tomatoes in my own garden. I found that they grow to be the size of most average tomatoes.
So you should expect them to be around a half pound or maybe a little less.
But what is so eye catching is that Cherokee Purple tomatoes are just that, purple. They are a darker variety that makes canning and cooking fun. It is amazing to can a purple tomato or eat a salad with a purple tomato on it.
That is partially why I love the colored tomatoes so much because they offer a little variety to the typical tomato.
13. Better Boy
We are actually growing some Better Boy tomatoes in our garden this year. It is a tried and true tomato.
So this type of tomato has been around for around 50 years or so. It is actually a variety of tomato that has won a Guinness World Record too.
It was actually won because this type of tomato has produced the most fruit ever known to any other tomato plant.
So if you are looking for a traditional, beautiful, red tomato that yields high amounts of fruit, then you might want to choose this variety.
14. Green Zebra
The Green Zebra is another really fun tomato. It is a larger green tomato that has yellow stripes running down it like a Zebra has stripes.
But this tomato is known for having a more tart flavor.
However, if you are someone (like me) that loves making different dishes with fried green tomatoes, then this could be a great tomato variety to grow.
Yet, these tomatoes aren’t super large in size. They grow to be a little under a half pound each. Which, in my opinion, is a great size to work with in the kitchen.
15. Early Girl
Early Girl tomatoes are one of my favorite tomato varieties. It is a popular variety with those of us that like to grow a garden in the backyard.
But the reason is that the fruit grows to be around a half pound each which makes it a good sized tomato to work with in the kitchen.
These tomatoes are a great variety for canning, cooking with, or even using on sandwiches or in salads.
Yet, they are so popular because they are a round shaped red tomato that produces earlier in the year than most other tomatoes.
So if you’d like to get your tomato harvest off the ground a little earlier in the year, then you might want to plant a variety of tomatoes, but definitely include Early Girl tomatoes in there so you can have tomatoes much sooner than the rest.
Well, you now have 15 tomato varieties to choose from. Hopefully, you’ll find the perfect fit for yourself and your garden.
In my experience, I’ve found you have to grow a few different varieties to find what you really like. There is a balance that has to be met. You want to love the flavor of the tomato and also the growing process of the tomato as well.
But I want your opinion. What is your favorite tomato variety to grow? Do you have any tips on how you grow that variety so well? Why do you prefer that variety?
We love hearing from you so leave us your comments in the space provided below.
