We are quickly sneaking up on May already, and my tomatoes are still safely tucked away from the weather since it is still dipping down below freezing on occasion. I am hoping that by next week I will be able to start bringing them to the nursery, as my poor little greenhouse is bursting at the seams!! Here are six more tomato varieties that you will find at the nursery – hopefully soon!! 🙂
Brandywine
Brandywine is the standard by which other heirloom beefsteak tomato varieties are usually measured. It dates all the way back to 1885 and has been cherished for many years for its large, perfectly flavored fruit. It does require a little extra care, and I found a good article with lots of information on growing them here.
Yellow Brandywine
A big, beautiful yellow/orange heirloom tomato with a rich, creamy texture and the perfect balance of sweet and tart. The fruits can get up to two pounds on potato leafed vines that are heavy producers. They are perfect in salads, appetizers, and make a great slicing tomato – many of the reviews I read said that it even had a better flavor than the pink brandywine variety!
Cherokee Purple
Another lovely heirloom tomato, Cherokee purple is renowned for its delicious balanced flavor that is sweet, acidic, and savory with a hint of smoke. It is a beefsteak style tomato with dusky purplish pink color on the outside and beautiful dark red flesh that is rumored to have been passed down by the Cherokee tribe. I found a good video on the Cherokee purple tomato here. It is definitely a tomato worth planting!
Black Beauty
An abundant beefsteak heirloom style tomato, black beauty is the world’s darkest tomato. The antioxidant anthocyanin is what gives it the dark coloring and is the same antioxidant found in blackberries and blueberries. It is a striking fruit whose flesh is a nice red color with an earthy, somewhat sweet and tangy flavor that from what I read in one article, deepens deliciously if you let them sit on your counter for a few days before eating.
Dr. Wyche’s Yellow
Another gorgeous yellow heirloom beefsteak tomato, Dr. Whyche’s yellow is a large tomato – often up to a pound in size, with a slightly flattened globe shape. The flavor is sweet and tropical – perfect for slicing and eating right out of the garden.
White Beauty (Snowball)
An heirloom variety that reportedly dates all the way back to 1850, these tomatoes are one of the prettiest tomatoes you can grow and their flavor is sweet, juicy, balanced and delicious. The prolific plants produce large tomatoes that average 8 to 12 ounces and blush slightly pink as they ripen.