Heirloom Tomatoes

Tasmanian Chocolate

This year I decided to branch out with the tomato varieties I grow.  My usual crop includes: cherry tomatoes, lemon boys, giant clusters, romas, and usually a brandywine heirloom that is available at my local nursery.

The timing worked out, and I was actually free the weekend Tree & Twig had their annual plant sale.  So my Aunt and I made the trek out to Port Colborne to try some new varieties!

Not yet ripe Green Zebras & Aunt Ruby's yellow cherries

I think we may have been a little unprepared for the sheer number of varieties that were available.  They were separated into groups by colour, which was helpful, but only had hand written tags with names.  No pictures or descriptions to tell us what the fruit would look like.  There wasn't really anyone around when we were there to ask what the different kinds were, just a couple of young girls manning the cash box - so we were on our own.  Next year I will go prepared with Hubby's smart phone so I can google what is what on the spot!

I had it in my head that I wanted a striped variety (a zebra) because of the tomato salads that are a staple for us during the summer months.  I also wanted a yellow grape tomato as well, and anything else that sounded interesting.  (Mind you, at this point I already had 4 varieties at home!)

I ended up choosing based on names (since I had nothing else to go on).  My first pick was Green Zebra, which has turned out to be a beautiful tomato, although its not my favorite taste wise.

Ripe Lemon Boys, green zebras, and a Tasmanian chocolate

Tasmanian Chocolate was my next pick, based solely on the fact that is had chocolate in the name.  It has turned out to be my new favorite tomato!  These don't look like anything special, but the taste is absolutely amazing and I cannot get enough of them!

My last pick was Aunt Ruby's Yellow Cherry's (since I had no idea which varieties were grape tomatoes).  They are okay- I have grown yellow cherry tomatoes in the past, and I think taste wise I preferred other varieties.  But this plant is probably the best producing cherry tomato plant I have ever grown!  It has actually taken over and is tangled in with my other tomatoes (I know I should try to steak them better, but it never seems to work out).  Still on the fence about this for next year, but we will see since I can save the seeds.

Next year I will definitely do a bit of research and try a couple of new varieties!  Do you have a favorite heirloom that you grow?  Let me know in the comments!