In a world that worships the new,
sometimes older is better. For me, that's true with tomatoes.
While modern hybrid tomatoes look great and are very productive, the
old heirloom varieties have the taste and look of "real" tomatoes.
What's an Heirloom?
Heirloom tomatoes are those varieties
grown prior to World War II. They often are regional varieties from
around the world that have been passed down within families.
Heirloom tomatoes differ from the
modern hybrids on a number of counts. Heirlooms tend to have a wider
variety of fruit colors and shapes. The fruits are softer, so they
are more difficult to ship long distances. That's why they
aren't as available commercially as modern hybrids.
The fruits have a good blend of
sweetness and tomato flavor. On the downside, some heirlooms have
more disease problems and are so regionally adapted they may not grow
well in all parts of the country. To help guide you, I've
described five of my favorites.
Five Favorite Heirloom Tomatoes
All of the varieties listed are
indeterminate (they keep growing and producing fruit all summer until
frost). The days to maturity are calculated from transplanting to
first harvest.
Big Rainbow (90 days). This
attractive, bicolored, beefsteak type features 2-lb. golden orange
fruits, with light yellow shoulders and red streaks throughout the
flesh.
 Heirloom tomatoes. Photo courtesy of the National Gardening Association. Black Cherry (65 days). This
large, round cherry tomato features chocolate-black fruits. The
fruits are produced in abundance and have a rich, earthy, complex
flavor.
Brandywine (85 days). Originally
from the Brandywine Valley of Pennsylvania, this is probably the most
widely known heirloom variety. One-pound fruits are pink, red or
yellow, depending on the strain, and have a perfect blend of sugars
and acids. The plants feature unusual potato-shaped leaves.
Consoluto Genovese (78 days).
This Italian heirloom is known for deep red, juicy, heavily ribbed
fruits that produce well in hot weather.
Stupice (52 days). This Czech
Republic heirloom is very cold-tolerant. Plants produce very early,
2-ounce red fruits.
Growing Heirloom Tomatoes
You can grow heirloom tomatoes from
seed or transplants. Heirloom tomato transplants are easier to grow
and are becoming more readily available at local nurseries and
online.
If you use seed, sow them indoors six
to eight weeks before your last frost date in 2-inch-diameter pots
filled with sterilized seed-starting soil. Thin the seedlings to one
per pot after germination, and keep them under grow lights for 14
hours a day. Keep the lights within inches of the seedling tops.
Water and feed the transplants lightly.
Once they are 6 inches tall, transplant into a 4-inch-diameter pot.
One week before setting them into the garden, harden off the
transplants by setting them outdoors for a few hours each day.
For container growing, plant in a
12-inch-diameter pot filled with potting soil. In the garden, amend
the soil with compost, and stake or cage these varieties to keep them
upright.
For more information on growing
heirloom tomatoes and other edibles, sign up for my free Edible
Landscaping newsletter.
Charlie Nardozzi, a
nationally recognized garden writer, book author, speaker, and radio
and television personality, has appeared on HGTV, PBS and Discovery
Channel television networks. He is the senior horticulturist and
spokesperson for the National
Gardening Association and chief gardening officer
for the Hilton Garden Inn.
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