TOMATO VARIETIES, DEMYSTIFIED
Tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetables to grow in a veggie garden—and for a good reason! They give you the most bang for your buck in terms of yield since seedlings are cheap to buy and produce pounds of produce, and they are ideal for container gardening, which is wonderful for those restricted to a small outdoor space like a balcony.
Our complete guide to growing tomatoes will include how to select the perfect type of tomato based on your preferences and space available, their ideal growing conditions, and some tasty recipe suggestions you can try during harvest season.
Determinate vs. Indeterminate Tomatoes
Determinate and indeterminate are fancy terms that refer to the growth habits of different types of tomato plants. Understanding these terms will help you select the ideal tomato variety for you based on your available space and what you plan to do with your harvest.
Determinate Tomatoes
Have a set limit on how much they grow and how many tomatoes they produce per season. They tend to be smaller, need less support, and grow well in a cage, making them ideal for container gardening. If you have a smaller space for growing veggies, you want to select a determinate variety.
The fruit of determinate tomato plants ripen simultaneously, making them perfect for canning and freezing. If canning is not your jam (pun intended), be sure that you have a plan for what you want to do with all those tomatoes at harvest time.
Indeterminate Tomatoes
Indeterminate tomatoes seem like they grow and produce forever. They can grow anywhere from six to 20 feet tall, depending on the variety. They start producing a little later in the season and continue to produce tomatoes for the remainder of the growing season until the first hard frost; this makes them ideal for those who love to have fresh tomatoes on hand for slicing or to add to salads. However, they spread out a lot more than determinate tomatoes and require more support for their vines, so they are not ideal for gardening in small spaces.
Heirloom Vs. Hybrid Tomatoes
You’ve likely heard the terms’ heirloom’ and ‘hybrid’ thrown around a little if you’re looking into growing tomatoes. We’ll break down the differences so that you can feel confident in selecting your tomato plants.
Heirloom tomatoes include varieties that have been around for many years with a pure breeding line, free of crossbreeding with any other tomato variety. The seeds of an heirloom tomato will produce the same kind of tomato, whereas a hybrid tomato’s seeds will not. Heirlooms are said to be more flavorful and have thinner skin. However, they tend to take a little longer to produce, are less resistant to pests and disease, and don’t always produce as many tomatoes as hybrid varieties.
Hybrid tomatoes are produced from two different tomato plants to gain the best qualities of each variety. Their offspring (seeds) are likely to produce something different than their parent plant, and they are said to be not as tasty as heirloom tomatoes. But, they do handle stressful growing conditions better and are more resistant to disease and pests.
10 Tasty Ways to Use Up Your Tomato Harvest
The options are endless when it comes to ways you can utilize your tomato harvest! We base our suggestions on the growing habits of the tomato types, but don’t let that stop you from using a determinate tomato for slicing purposes or an indeterminate tomato for tomato soup! Here are some of our recipe ideas you can look up to use your harvest.
With determinate tomatoes, try making:
Your own tomato sauce
Homemade bruschetta
Homemade salsa
Gazpacho
Classic tomato soup—great for canning!
With indeterminate tomatoes, try making;
Stuffed tomatoes
Tomato & cucumber salad
BLTs with a fried egg…yum!
Creamy tuscan chicken
Caprese salad
Stop by the garden center if you need some help selecting tomato varieties for your particular growing space and preferences. We’ll get you all stocked up with everything you need and answer any burning tomato questions you might have!