Tomato varieties will typically grow to 3-5 feet tall and then stop. Although they do not grow as tall as their indeterminate counterparts, they still benefit from staking or caging. This helps to increase air flow, prevent disease, and support heavy fruit. Determinate varieties flower and fruit during a determinate amount of time, about 3-4 weeks. Because of the heavy onset of fruit, this makes determinate tomatoes a great choice for canning and preserving. If you’re short on space, determinate varieties are the best choice for container gardening.

Indeterminate tomato varieties produce tall plants with rambling vines and will need to be supported with a tomato cage or stake to hold the plant off the ground. They flower and produce fruit gradually and over a longer period during the season.

Hybrid tomatoes are created when a plant breeder or home gardener intentionally cross-pollinates two different tomato varieties. The resulting offspring is a hybrid plant which is selected for the best traits of each parent plant. Hybrid tomatoes are often very hardy, disease resistant, and have a consistent shape and size.

Heirloom tomato plants are passed down through generations of gardeners and are at least 50 years old (number of years is highly debated). Heirlooms have been selectively grown based on certain characteristics or traits that are best suited for their growing region, taste, habit, size, and form. They are not intentionally crossed with other tomatoes to attain these traits. Heirloom varieties generally have more flavor, interesting colors, and shapes, but are less disease resistant.

For seeds started indoors and transplanted into the garden, days to harvest is calculated from the date transplanted to the day(s) the variety should mature and can be harvested.

Now on to the good part! With 24 varieties to choose, how can you pick just one?

Everything we love about heirlooms but hybridized with improved fruit quality & disease resistance in a manageable size. Reduced cracking and scarring. Introduced in 2020. Mild. balanced, slightly sweet. Fresh, salads, canning.

This mouth-watering giant red tomato is not only huge but very heavy-bearing, yielding large quantities of tomatoes up to 2lbs. each. Perfect for salads, sandwiches, hot dishes, soups, and sauces.

An old time favorite with large globe-shaped fruit. Dark, scarlet-red fruit with thick walls and great flavor. Perfect base for many cooked dishes and superb on sandwiches. Also used for salads, soups, and pickling.

Selected in the late 1920's, this potato leaf heirloom is extra large in size and full of deep, earthy, smoky, and sweet flavors. Amazing in salsa or gazpacho. Due to its fleshy, juicy nature, this tomato cooks down excellently for tomato sauce, jam, and is great for stewing. Also a great slicing tomato for salads, sandwiches, and burgers. Holds up to canning and freezing, but does not have a long shelf life - so eat them or process soon after harvest.

A unique cherry tomato with deep purples and reds. Sweet, rich, and slightly smoky flavor - one of the best-tasting specialty cherries. Snack straight off the vine, or elevate salads with bold color and flavor.

A total showstopper. Elongated cherry tomatoes with wild stripes of purple, green, red, and gold. Flavor is complex - sweet, tangy, and a little earthy. Super productive and a conversation piece in any garden.

A favorite potato-leaved heirloom tomato variety. Incredibly rich, delightfully intense tomato flavor. One of the most popular home garden cultivars in the United States. Eat fresh, on sandwiches, or in salads.

A vigorous, high-yielding tomato with firm, flavorful fruit. An all-purpose variety with crack resistance. AAS Winner. Ideal for soups, canning, and salsa.

An old Cherokee Indian heirloom variety, pre-1890. Beautiful, deep, dusky, purple-pink color. Superb, sweet flavor, and very large-sized fruit. Try this one for real old-time tomato flavor. Use for cooking, sandwiches, and soups.

One of the earliest tomatoes available! These are a medium, globe-type tomato popular for its ease of growth. Just a tasty tomato - in salads, hot dish, and pasta.

First developed in the 1980s, the Green Zebra tomato is a striking cross of four different heirloom tomatoes, giving this modern heirloom qualities of both hybrid and heirloom tomatoes: the strength and disease-resistance of a hybrid, and the unique flavor and appearance of an heirloom. The fruits are bright green or chartreuse when ripe and have green, zebra-like stripes. Their flavor is somewhat tart, tangy, and complex. Use for salad, gazpacho, or fried.

Bright yellow cherry tomato with a mild, sweet flavor and low acidity. Great for snacking straight off the vine and perfect for gardenders who want a less “tomato-y” tomato.

Deep purple cherry tomato that ripens to a rich red interior. Packed with antioxidants and bold tomato flavor - sweet with a slightly savory edge. A fun, nutrient-rich snacker.

Beautiful, green-when-ripe cherry tomato with subtle striping. Sweet, citrusy, and refreshing flavor. Adds a fresh, unexpected flavor to salads and grazing boards.

Large, slightly flattened, pink-red fruits. Very meaty, extremely flavorful, and has few seeds. Typically crack-free. Use in cooking, sandwiches, and salads.

Large, bi-color heirloom with stunning yellow and red marbling. Sweet, fruity, and low acidity. Stunning for caprese, platters, and fresh summer dishes.

An intriguing cherry-type tomato. Sweet and juicy without being sugary, notes of citrus and pineapple. Eat fresh, in salads, or in a veggie tray.

Classic grape tomato—reliable, productive, and sweet. Perfect for snacking, lunchboxes, and easy success in the garden.

This tomato is a meaty plum type with few seeds. While Roma is an open-pollinated variety, it is generally not considered an heirloom tomato. A top choice for salsa and tomato sauce.

The ultimate paste tomato! Grows 3½ inch long tapered fruits in clusters of five or six. Gives superior flavors when cooked. Prolific and will produce until the first hard frost. The go-to for pastes, sauces, and Italian cooking.

These flat, medium to large, variably ribbed-shoulder tomatoes are shaded yellow and red. The marbled interior looks beautiful when sliced. Complex, fruity flavor and smooth texture. Use in sandwiches, cooking, and salads.

Bright tangerine-orange cherry tomatoes that produce an exceptionally sweet, almost tropical flavor. Vigorous plants start yielding early and produce right through the season. Works well in salads, veggie trays, pasta, and snacking.

A large, early to mature variety that will be the star of the show on sandwiches and salads. Great for canning, grilling, and sauce. The perfect combination of sweetness and acidity.

Small, sweet cherry-like fruit are produced in large clusters. Delightful when eaten straight from the vine. Use in salads, veggie trays, and soups.