Perhaps it would be easier if I grew the same kinds every year. Instead, I end up choosing tomatoes to grow each winter.
Winter? Yes. That’s when the seed catalogs arrive. Those seeds must arrive at my mailbox before the end of February so I can start my little transplants the beginning of March.
What’s the Difference?
All those pictures look so appealing. How do I choose which ones to grow? The first thing is determinant and indeterminant.
Determinant tomatoes grow to a certain height, put out all their blossoms, develop all their fruit and quit. This is great if you want all your tomatoes at one time for making sauce or salsa. It’s not great if you want fresh tomatoes all summer.
Indeterminant plants send up branches that keep on growing all season. Although these are called vines, they really aren’t as they don’t twine or have tendrils to hold them in place.
These plants blossom continuously over the season. Their fruit ripens a few at a time. I like this best, so I choose indeterminant plants.
Aren’t Tomatoes Red?
If you believe that, you’ve only seen them in grocery stores. Catalogs have them in red, pink, yellow, striped, blue, white and green.
My preference is for a red or pink, a yellow or striped and a paste tomato. This last is usually a long fruit with small seed sections inside reducing the amount of moisture and increasing the amount of flesh which is great for cooking.
A piece of tomato trivia: A regular tomato is 95% water, more than a watermelon at 92%.
The full flavor is found in the red and pink varieties. Yellow and striped tend to be less acidic and sweeter.
How Big?
Those huge tomatoes may be good bragging material, but they may not be the best choice. Cherry tomatoes make great snacks needing daily picking.
Bigger tomatoes can vary considerably. I prefer those with a mature weight of about a pound. These make nice slices or are enough for two salads.
Time to Maturity
Even a light frost decimates tomato vines. My season runs from May (to miss last frosts) to the end of September. That’s roughly 120 days.
If, when choosing tomatoes to grow, I pick one taking 95 days from putting in a transplant to first fruit, I’m not going to get many tomatoes. I try to stay around 80 days.
There’s a lot to consider when choosing tomatoes to grow. Those delicious fruit are worth all the trouble.