Earthly Garden

Michael talked earlier last month about how a tomato plant saved his sanity during a heavy move he made. Tomatoes have always been a welcome fruit in my garden and I always tend to have so many that I am eating tomatoes constantly during the summer months and into the fall. This is the first year that I have actually strayed from my normal “whatever tomato plant” is available at the local seller and branched into the actual varieties and I have some wonderful tomatoes to enjoy and share with everyone that asks or sees the tomato varieties I am growing. Here is a simple list of some of the best varieties you can grow next summer in order to enjoy tomatoes all season.

• Big Rainbow: Matures in 102 days (huge fruit 1-2 lbs.)

• Burpee’s VF Hybrid: Matures in 72 days (fruit is very meaty)

• Celebrity Hybrid: Matures in 70 days (deep red fruit)

• Del Oro: Matures in 72 days (medium-sized fruit)

• Earlirouge: Matures in 65 days (medium size fruit)

• Early Girl Hybrid: Matures in 54 to about 62 days (common fruit, good for slicing)

• Evergreen: Matures in 72 days (amber green fruit)

• German Johnson: Matures in 76 days (heirloom, pink fruit)

• Giant Belgium: Matures in 54 days (small fruit 2-3 oz.)

• Golden Jubilee: Matures in 80 days (medium size, yellow orange fruit)

• Golden Queen: Matures in 80 days (yellow with mild flavor)

• Gold Nugget: Matures in 70 days (golden yellow cherry fruit)

• Green Grape: Matures in 80 days (yellow-green colored cherry tomatoes)

• Heat Wave Hybrid: Matures in 70 days (round fruit)

• Lemon Boy: Matures in 72 days (yellow medium-sized fruits)

• Oregon Spring: Matures in 63 days (very red and medium-sized fruit)

• Pixie II: Matures in 52 days (small cherry tomatoes)

• Rocket: Matures in 53 days (small fruit)

• Roma VF: Matures in 75 days (plum-shaped)

• San Marzano: Matures in 80 days (deep red in color)

• Santiam: Matures in 58 days (red medium-sized fruit)

• Sasha’s Altai: Matures in 59 days (medium-sized, delicious flavor)

• Siberia: Matures in 50 days (7 oz. fruit, low temp. tolerant)

• Solar Set: Matures in 70 days (Big fruit can withstand heat)

• Stupice: Matures in 52 days. (very good flavor)

• Sub-Arctic Plenty: Matures in 50 days (small fruit)

• Surefire: Matures ion 64 days (good fall tomatoes in hotter climates)

• Sweet 100 Hybrid: Matures 65 days (cherry tomato that grows very tall)

• Tanana: Matures in 60 days (resists the cold very well)

• Yellow Pear: Matures in 75 days (small fruit with a sweet flavor)