So I just spent the last few minutes, relaying to some of the other tomato lovers at myFolia as to why I picked the (33) varieties to grow this year that I did.

I thought it’d be interesting to place that list here as well. I’ve included links to pages with descriptions (and pictures) for anybody who might be interested in learning about these varieties. A lot of these (no, a lot) of them are new to me this year, so this is as much about me not knowing about what to expect from these varieties as anybody else. But gardening is all about experimentation and just seeing what the hell it is you can do. Or at least, that’s what it is to me.

Aunt Ruby’s German Green – This I choose simply because somebody gave me seeds and I haven’t grown it before. As you can see, sometimes my selection process isn’t very rigorous.

Azoychka – This one was described as having a “hint of citrus”. I love citrus, I love tomatoes. Seemed like an obvious choice!

Black From Tula – I’ve been wanting to grow this one for several years, and finally just got around to it this year. I have a gut feeling it will do well in my area (although it’s simply a feeling, I could be very wrong).

Black Krim – This tomato reportedly has one of the best flavours, ever. So I thought I’d give it a try!

Black Sea Man – Previously grown before, I loved the taste, I love how it’s a smaller determinate variety, making it a prime candidate to be grown in pots, leaving room in the ground for some of the larger indeterminates I’m growing this year.

Bramki – Seed sent to me from another tomato lover in my general area. Polish heirloom, it’s supposed to tolerate heat, which is great because it can get REALLY hot here in the summer. So hot I spend all winter bitching about the cold, only then to retreat into my house once it hits 35C here.

Chocolate Stripes – Red and dark olive green striped tomato, I’ve never grown anything quite like it, and nothing looked like it in my garden this year so I thought I’d give it a try, even if it does reportedly have a tendency to split. However, I’m not too picky about tomatoes that are split. A tomato is a tomato, and you can bet I’ll eat it.

Dr. Wynche’s Yellow – I LOVE the story of this tomato, it reportedly comes from a carny who used to fertilize these very tomatoes with tiger poo. Everything I ever read said it was one of the best tasting yellows there ever was to boot.

Eva Purple Ball – Wanted to try it, but I didn’t want to go all out for getting seeds. A fellow myFolia chum sent me some seeds, so I thought it must be a sign that I have to try it. Anybody who’s ever tried this variety that I’ve spoken to makes it a staple in their garden. It must be good.

Fantome Du Laos – this one I was REALLY excited about. Very rare (some sources say extinct, which obviously is not the case), white tomato, with very good flavour. Has a fun myth that follows it around (reportedly it glows in the dark if ghosts are afoot, queue spooky music), AND to boot, reportedly it can keep as long as February in a cold cellar or similar location. Having been spoilt by homegrown tomatoes and can no longer to enjoy store bought, I knew this tomato was one I had to try.

Ferris Wheel – endangered heirloom variety (if it says endangered I’m a sucker for it, I really am!) but an old standard. Has reportedly really good flavour. Thought I’d give it a try.

German Cascade – Heirloom which I’d never heard of, and apparently neither has anybody else because I can’t find any information on it anywhere.

Great White – Seed started for a friend, but I thought I’d give this one a try this year too (there’s that rigorous selection process again…).

Green Zebra – A standard in my garden, and a favourite in the house. I grow one every year. Really good acidity, which I love.

Orange Jubilee – Different than ‘Jubilee’ – this is another orange, bushy and determinate, so another good candidate for container culture.

Orange Strawberry – Always described has having a really good rich taste, and one of the best tasting oranges there is, so now I’m trying it.

Oxheart – This one was just labelled “oxheart” so I’m not sure exactly what kind of oxheart, but it was grown by the same lady from her saved seed for a very, very long time. Not having any other oxhearts this year, I went with it.

Purple Calabash – this is commonly referred to as “The World’s Ugliest Tomato”. I’m a HUGE fan of heavily ribbed and pleated tomatoes, and it’s purple. The description and the reported excellent flavour clinched the deal.

Purple Prince – Once again, somebody gave me the seed. I don’t know much about it, other than everybody says it’s really productive. So I thought “let’s see how productive it is!”.

Reisetomate – Now this is one freaky looking tomato, and that’s my sole purpose for really wanting to grow it. Described as looking like “brains”. Excellent. Visitors to my garden already think I grow the weirdest tomatoes, just wait until they see this one.

Rhodes Heirloom – This is a family heirloom from, obviously, the Rhodes family, but I don’t know anymore history than that. It’s a bi-coloured beefsteak type fruit, very pretty looking, and it does well with people who live in the same climate as me.

Russian Persimmon – This is another one I’m planning for container culture for sure. Reportedly really productive, and with a sweet flavour. Generally I’m not a fan of tomatoes with more sweetness then acidity (I love the acidity in tomatoes) but I thought I’d give it a shot anyway.

Silvery Fir Tree – Grown before, great for container culture, beautiful foliage (worth growing just for that) good flavour. An all around great tomato.

Sophie’s Choice – A family heirloom from my home town, it’s endangered, and I’d hate to see this tomato get more and more rare since it’s such a great one. Shorter season, does well in cool temperatures as well, likes to be a little more wet then most tomatoes, good production, great for containers, an all around good tomato. I’ve grown this one before too.

Stupice – now this is the standard in my garden. I love Stupice. Very early, but produces all summer long right up until the hard frost kills the plant. Delicious flavour, good acidity/sweet balance, a great all around tomato. Good for cooking and eating fresh (we literally just pick them off and eat them like apples in my house). This is a tomato either you love or you hate. Funny how some tomatoes create that kind of dichotomous reaction.

Sylvan Guame – This is another Canadian heirloom, and one I had my eye on for quite a while. Originally from Russia, also endangered, big meaty tomato that I’ve been dying to try for years. The same myFolia chum who sent me Eva Purple Ball generously sent me some seeds this year so I was finally able to give this one a shot.

Tlacolula Pink – Remember how I said I was a fan of heavily pleated tomatoes? Especially a fan if they’re heirlooms from Latin America and this one fits the bill on both those areas. A great sister tomato I thought for my Zapotec Pleated, which is a favourite of mine.

Tsygan – OP commercial from Russia, possible Russian commercial heirloom. Black tomato said to have a smoky flavour, with more acidity than sweet, and supposedly a great one for sauces. Since I wasn’t really growing any other sauce tomatoes, thought this one would be a great choice.

Japanese Black Trifele – ever since I saw a picture of this one I was dying to try it. I managed to finagle a swap with somebody who had the seeds, and voila, I have the seeds and am now growing for this year.

Yellow Pear – Just about the only cherry that I really love (not a huge cherry tomato fan). Not a typical cherry, you either love this one or hate it (like Stupice). Good acidity, I eat them like candy.

Yellow Ruffled – there’s that love of pleated tomatoes again! Now I have two pinks, and a yellow ruffled tomato in the garden. Not to mention the stylings of the heavily pleated Purple Calabash, and the crazy brain-type look of the Reisetomate.

Zapotec Pleated – Ah, the Zapotec Pleated. Grew this one last year for the first time and completely fell in love. A hollow tomato, with a mild, yet unique flavour. Would be great for stuffing, although these have never lasted long enough to be used for such, we always eat them too fast. Lower acidity than one would expect, but that certainly doesn’t detract from it. Another heirloom from Oaxaca, Mexico.

Zomu – Not much of the history seems to be known of this tomato. But a good little compact determinate for the containers again. The only rugose leafed plant I’m growing this year.

Whew, I kind of went crazy with the tomatoes this year, it’s true. But, for the first time I can really go all out, and I fully plan to do that. Isn’t it great having a yard that you can completely convert into actual useful areas? I’m sure there’ll be some people on my block who might not approve of me ripping out the vast majority of my lawn (especially the front lawn), but as far as I’m concerned, if anybody has a problem, they can stuff it.

(PS – Did I mention I was taking a shot of the ‘Japanese Black Trifele’ tomato every day from germination to death? We’re currently on day 18. Check it out here).

This entry was posted on Saturday, March 7th, 2009 at 11:37 am and is filed under Garden Plans, Gardening, Green Thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.