Growing Heirloom Tomatoes

One of our Favorite sources for heirloom tomato seeds. Click on the graphic to be taken to a tomato lovers paradise!

Far from the round red tennis balls that are found in most grocery stores, Heirloom tomatoes come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, textures and flavors.

Green Grape, Golden Grape varieties have small oval shaped fruits

Green, red and black Zebra, all ripen with striped skins with contrasting colors

Brandywine tomatoes date from the mid to late 19th century. They are generally pink fleshed and produce fruits averaging 1 pound.

Mortgage Lifter, Developed by M.C. Byles of Logan, WV in the 1930's. Mr Byles, a radiator repairman with no formal plant breeding education developed this cultivar by cross breeding four other cultivars. He continued the breeding by choosing the best seedlings each year until the cultivar was stable. He sold seedlings each year for $1.00 each and by doing so was able to pay off his $6,000.00 mortgage in six years.

Red and Yellow Pear tomatoes date back to the 1700's. Their interesting shape and great taste make them a fun addition to your garden.

Plum tomatoes like Roma or San Marzano are great for making tomato paste, but they are also great for eating fresh

Cherokee Purple tomatoes date from the late 19th century and legend has it were cultivated by native Cherokee Indians in Tennessee.

White tomatoes have cream to light yellow colored flesh.

Black Krim. An heirloom variety from the Black Sea area of the Ukraine. These are dark red to maroon colored beefsteak tomatoes.

Read our article on saving seeds on Ezine Articles.