Best 27 Varieties of Tomatoes to Grow

Best 27 Varieties of Tomatoes to Grow

There are thousands of different tomato varieties grown around the world. They differ in color, size, shape, flavor, and preferred growing conditions. From tiny cherry tomatoes known for their sweetness to giant beefsteak tomatoes suitable for slicing, there’s a tomato for every taste.

With so many varieties to choose from, how do you select the best tomatoes to grow in your own garden at home? Start by considering how you plan to use them. From there, you can narrow down the options according to your climate and growing conditions. Even then you may still have plenty of options.

To help you decide which tomatoes are the right fit for your garden, we’ve put together a list of the top 27 varieties for specific uses and growing conditions. Check it out below!

1. Globe Tomatoes

When you’re browsing the produce section at the grocery store, the tomatoes you find will likely be globe tomatoes. These are the round, medium-sized tomatoes that can be eaten fresh, cooked, or canned. The kind you get in the grocery store typically has a thick skin and mild flavor, but growing globe tomatoes at home will open up a whole new world of flavor.

Here are some of the globe tomato varieties we recommend:

  1. Park Seed Legacy Tomato - The perfect main season tomato, this hardy, disease-resistant variety produces fruit weighing 10–12 ounces. 
  2. MoneyMaker Organic Tomato - This heavy-yielding tomato variety thrives in hot climates and produces deep red fruit weighing 7–8 ounces each.
  3. Celebrity Hybrid Tomato - A robust hybrid variety, this plant produces smooth, round tomatoes that are bright red and weigh about 8 ounces each.

2. Beefsteak Tomatoes

If you love eating tomatoes raw on sandwiches or burgers, beefsteak tomatoes are a great option. They’re large and full, known for their meaty texture and juicy flavor. Some beefsteak tomato varieties produce fruit that weighs over one pound. As such, these tomato plants tend to grow bigger than other varieties, so they need plenty of sun and staking will help support the plant as the fruit grows and ripens.

Here are some of the beefsteak tomato varieties we recommend:

  1. Brandywine Tomato - Also an heirloom tomato, this beefsteak variety produces sweet, purple-red fruits that weigh up to 2 pounds.
  2. Black Krim Tomato - These tomatoes are distinct for their dark, rich color and meaty tang. They generally grow to a size of 8–12 ounces.
  3. Pineapple Tomato - Named for their yellow-gold color, pineapple tomatoes are an heirloom beefsteak variety with a high flesh ratio that gives the fruit a satisfying bite.

3. Cherry Tomatoes

Looking for the perfect tomato for salads? Cherry tomatoes are small enough to enjoy in a single bite but can easily be halved or chopped for use in your favorite recipes. They’re known for their sweet flavor and come in a wide range of colors. Cherry tomatoes are a great choice for container gardening and some varieties can be grown in a pot indoors.

Here are some of the cherry tomato varieties we recommend:

  1. Sakura Organic Cherry Tomato - This picture-perfect cherry tomato variety produces a high volume of small, bright red fruit perfect for snacking.
  2. Nectar Hybrid Cherry Tomato - Another high-producing variety, these cherry tomatoes are super-sweet and have a mouthwatering crunch to them.
  3. Chocolate Cherry Tomato - Known for their rich color ranging from lavender to mahogany, these cherry tomatoes are fragrant and full of fresh-grown flavor.

3. Cherry Tomatoes

Looking for the perfect tomato for salads? Cherry tomatoes are small enough to enjoy in a single bite but can easily be halved or chopped for use in your favorite recipes. They’re known for their sweet flavor and come in a wide range of colors. Cherry tomatoes are a great choice for container gardening and some varieties can be grown in a pot indoors.

Here are some of the cherry tomato varieties we recommend:

  1. Sakura Organic Cherry Tomato - This picture-perfect cherry tomato variety produces a high volume of small, bright red fruit perfect for snacking.
  2. Nectar Hybrid Cherry Tomato - Another high-producing variety, these cherry tomatoes are super-sweet and have a mouthwatering crunch to them.
  3. Chocolate Cherry Tomato - Known for their rich color ranging from lavender to mahogany, these cherry tomatoes are fragrant and full of fresh-grown flavor.

4. Plum Tomatoes

If you’re looking for a tomato variety to use for cooking (especially homemade sauces), plum tomatoes may be your best bet. They’re oblong or cylindrical in shape instead of round and they have a higher ratio of flesh than other varieties. This means less juice but a meatier texture. With their low water content, plum tomatoes also work well for canning and sun-drying.

Here are some of the plum tomato varieties we recommend:

  1. San Marzano Organic Tomato - This variety captures that classic Italian tomato taste and texture with plump, meaty fruits weighing 4–5 ounces.
  2. Organic Roma Tomato - Known for their meaty tang, these roma tomatoes are bright red and pear-shaped, weighing 2–3 ounces each.
  3. Supremo Hybrid Tomato - This early-maturing roma tomato variety does well in hot weather and produces fruit with a firm, meaty texture.

5. Heirloom Tomatoes

Passed down through generations, heirloom tomatoes are self-fertile and open pollinating, so they produce “true” seeds which means the offspring will be identical to the parent plant. If you want to enjoy consistent taste and texture year after year, heirloom tomatoes could be the way to go. Another benefit of heirloom tomatoes is that many varieties retain similarities to native plants. Choose a variety suited to your climate to maximize your harvest.

Here are some of the heirloom tomato varieties we recommend:

  1. Cherokee Purple Tomato - A legacy beefsteak variety, this heirloom tomato produces rich, violet-purple fruit weighing up to a pound each.
  2. Rainbow Blend Heirloom Tomato - Bring some color to your garden with this collection of six heirloom varieties.
  3. Kellogg’s Breakfast Tomato - Known for its golden orange color, this large and juicy tomato variety produces fruit ranging from 16 to 32 ounces.

6. Hybrid Tomatoes

Want to grow tomatoes that are perfectly suited to your particular climate and soil? A hybrid tomato variety might be the ideal choice. Hybrid tomatoes are created by cross-pollinating two different varieties to combine the desired traits of each. This often leads to enhanced disease resistance, a higher yield, or even a unique flavor profile. There are plenty of hybrid tomato varieties to choose from, ranging from small cherry and grape tomatoes to large beefsteak varieties.

Here are some of the hybrid tomato varieties we recommend:

  1. Park’s Whopper CR Improved Hybrid - An American classic, this robust hybrid variety produces juicy, crack-resistant fruits that grow 4 inches or more in diameter.
  2. Supersweet 100 Hybrid Cherry Tomato - On the opposite end of the spectrum, this hybrid variety produces small, super-sweet cherry tomatoes.
  3. Better Boy Plus Hybrid - One of the highest-yielding varieties on record, this hybrid beefsteak tomato produces sweet fruit with good uniformity.

7. Container Tomatoes

If you don’t have a lot of garden space to work with, don’t worry. Many tomato varieties work  well in containers. The key is to find a nice, sunny spot where your plants will get 6–8 hours of direct sunlight each day (ideally both morning and afternoon sun). There are even dwarf and miniature varieties that can be grown in pots right in your kitchen. 

Here are some of the container tomato varieties we recommend:

  1. Patio Choice Yellow Hybrid Cherry Tomato - Perfect for bringing color to your patio, this hybrid cherry tomato grows to just 18 inches tall at maturity.
  2. Red Robin Tomato - This dwarf tomato variety is compact enough to grow in a 6-inch pot and it produces plenty of small, bright red cherry tomatoes.
  3. Kitchen Minis Siam Edible Potted Tomato Seed - Growing just 9 inches tall at maturity, this cherry tomato variety produces bright red fruits ½ to 1-inch in diameter.

8. Early Season Tomatoes

Want to enjoy your tomato harvest as soon as possible? Starting your seeds indoors can help but what really makes a difference is choosing an early season variety. These tomato plants are known for their quick-ripening fruit which enables you to harvest in the late spring or early summer. Try growing a blend of early season and late season tomatoes to ensure you have fresh tomatoes to enjoy throughout the entire growing season.

Here are some of the early season tomato varieties we recommend:

  1. Early Girl Hybrid - This hybrid variety reaches maturity after 57 days and produces plump, round fruits that are perfect for slicing.
  2. Juliet Hybrid Tomato - Ready to harvest around 60 days after transplanting, this tomato variety produces small, meaty fruits sized between a grape and roma tomato.
  3. Braveheart Hybrid Cherry Tomato - On the smaller side, this tomato variety produces thin-skinned, 1-ounce fruits that take just 60 days to mature.

9. Late Season Tomatoes

In contrast to early season tomatoes, late season tomatoes are varieties that take a little longer to mature. They’re generally ready to harvest in the late summer to early fall. If you live in an area that stays warm into the fall, late season tomatoes could be the perfect pick. Again, you can also combine them with early season tomatoes to maximize your harvest season.

Here are some of the late season tomato varieties we recommend:

  1. Costoluto Genovese Tomato - This late season variety takes 78 days to mature and produces small, irregular fruit with rich flavors perfect for canning.
  2. Pink Girl Hybrid Tomato - Named for their rosy-pink color, the fruit of this variety weighs 6–8 ounces and it’s sweet enough for snacking.
  3. Midnight Snack Cherry Tomato - Known for their glossy violet to black coloring and crisp texture, this cherry tomato variety takes about 68 days to mature.

Whether you’re growing your tomatoes in a garden or in containers on the patio, starting your seeds indoors can give you a head start on the growing season. Shop our collection of tomato seeds to find the perfect fit for your garden and don’t forget to stock up on seed starting supplies while you’re at it!

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