If there's one plant that stands out as the iconic symbol of home gardening, it's the tomato.
While there are hundreds of tomato cultivars and types of tomatoes to choose from, these nine are my tried-and-true favourites that work in my suburban backyard garden.
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As a backyard gardener, there's nothing more satisfying than growing tomatoes. They're the first crop that I ever grew myself, and every year I discover a new cultivated variety of tomato that I haven't tried before.
Once you learn how to grow tomatoes, you'll want to grow them every year. They're a fun and colourful crop gardeners dream about all winter.
If you want to explore the vast world of tomatoes, you're going to need to grow them from seed. Don't worry - starting tomatoes from seed is easier than you might think.
While most garden centres carry the same few standard tomato varieties as seedlings, there are hundreds more that you can grow from seed!
Each type of tomato has its own shape, colour and distinct flavour that can range from sweet and tangy to salty and rich.
(And if you're like me, you'll want to try them all!)
If you're just getting started with gardening, the limitless number of options might feel a bit overwhelming. So, I thought I'd share nine varieties that I personally enjoy growing.
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Mountain Magic
I have to start with Mountain Magic tomatoes, because they're probably the easiest and tastiest tomatoes that you can grow.
While the seeds are not cheap (at about a dollar per seed), they are worth the money in my opinion.
Mountain Magic tomatoes have a sweet, deep-tomato flavour that works well served raw in salads. Note that the skin is a bit thicker on these tomatoes than on other cherry varieties, but it is not unpleasant.
These Campari-type cherry tomatoes have a perfectly round shape, a beautiful bright red colour, and have been developed so they rarely crack. They are also resistant to certain diseases, like early blight and late blight.
Indeterminate. Matures in 66 days. Best grown in-ground, in raised beds or very large containers with supports.
Buy Mountain Magic seeds from West Coast Seeds (affiliate link).
Black Krim
Another favourite of mine is the Black Krim tomato.
This classic heirloom variety is juicier than most and boasts a unique, complex sweet and smoky flavour, with a hint of salt.
Black Krim tomatoes are delicious raw, either in a stacked tomato salad or just on their own with a touch of olive oil.
Like most heirloom varieties, these tomatoes have an interesting shape. They're brownish red with a hint of green on top, and have natural disease resistance.
Indeterminate. Matures in 80 days. Best grown in-ground, in raised beds or very large containers with sturdy supports. It will need to be well-supported as the fruits are very large. The fruit is prone to cracking with inconsistent watering.
Buy Black Krim tomato seeds from West Coast Seeds (affiliate link).
Red Robin
If you're growing on a patio or a balcony, then Red Robin tomatoes are for you!
These compact dwarf plants grow to be only about 20-30 cm (8-12") tall, making them well-suited to small containers.
This plant delivers lots of perfectly red, round cherry tomatoes, with classic sweet cherry tomato flavour. And the plant is very easy to grow and maintain.
Compact Determinate. Matures in 50-55 days. Best grown in small containers (minimum 20 cm/8 inches). Does not require pruning (although you can clean up the under canopy for air flow). This tomato plant should not need staking.
Buy Red Robin tomatoes from West Coast Seeds (affiliate link).
Cherry Falls
If you like the look of tomato vines flowing over the sides of a hanging basket or a pretty container, these tomatoes are for you.
Cherry Falls sets long cascading vines of cherry tomatoes, with bright red, sweet, juicy cherry tomatoes. Although they are a determinate variety, they will produce fruit all summer. Since they don't need to be staked, pinched or pruned, they're an excellent option for beginners.
Determinate. Matures in 55 days. Best grown in hanging baskets or small-to-medium containers. Does not require pruning or staking (although you can clean up the under canopy for air flow).
Buy Cherry Falls tomato seeds from Veseys.
Thornburn's Terra Cotta
These might not be the prettiest tomatoes, but they sure are delicious! I'm not even sure how to describe the flavour to you... It's simultaneously sweet but tangy, with an earthy, slightly salty flavour.
Thornburn's Terra Cotta has really interesting colour, too. The skin is a warm brown tone, but the flesh inside is pink, and the seeds are green!
These can be enjoyed cooked (I like to roast them) or eaten raw.
Semi-determinate. Matures in 75 days. Cold weather affects yields. Best grown in-ground, in raised beds or large containers with sturdy supports.
Black Strawberry
These beautiful, jewel-like cherry tomatoes are one of the prettiest that I've grown!
When ripe, they turn a deep scarlet colour with hints of orange, gold and a touch of bluish-purple. They also have a really cute shape!
These gorgeous tomatoes have a sweet and fruity flavour, which is distinctly different from your typical "tomato" flavour. They almost taste more like a plum than a tomato.
I enjoy these best raw as a snack, but they are tasty cooked as well.
Indeterminate. Matures in 60 days. Best grown in-ground, in raised beds or very large containers with supports.
Brad's Atomic
If you follow gardening content creators on Instagram, you've probably seen a few photos of Brad's Atomic grape tomatoes.
(Although I can tell you, some of those have been heavily photoshopped...)
They are beautiful tomatoes, though, even if their colours aren't as cosmic as people try to make them seem. They start green, then shades of purple begin to emerge. You'll know they're ripe when you start to see orange and red tones on them.
Brad's Atomic tomatoes have a candy-sweet flavour, with hints of citrus, that makes them perfectly snackable.
Indeterminate. Matures in 70-85 days. Best grown in-ground, in raised beds or very large containers with supports.
Buy Brad's Atomic tomato seeds from Kitchen Table Seed House.
Sungold
These beautiful golden-orange tomatoes are a favourite among the gardening community.
Sungold can be a little bit tricky because you need to wait for them to be fully ripe on the vine before harvesting them. If they're underripe, the flavour is a bit sour, and it will not improve indoors.
When picked at full ripeness, they are super-sweet with a unique tropical flavour that I can't quite describe. Wait for the fruits to turn a tangerine-orange colour before removing them from the vines.
Indeterminate. Matures in 65 days (longer if you're having cool weather). Best grown in-ground, in raised beds or very large containers with supports.
Buy Sungold tomato seeds from West Coast Seeds.
Pink Brandywine
These heirloom tomatoes are very popular in the gardening world, and for good reason.
These plants produce large beefsteak tomatoes, and a lot of them! Some plants can produce up to 20 fruits each.
Pink Brandywine tomatoes are tart and juicy, with just enough sweetness. These are your perfect tomatoes for sandwiches, or enjoying as-is with a little salt, pepper and olive oil.
As you would expect from an heirloom variety, these tomatoes have beautiful, unique shapes that you almost won't want to cut into.
Indeterminate. Matures in 90 days. Best grown in-ground, in raised beds or very large containers with very sturdy supports. The fruits are huge and heavy (about 1 lb each!).
Buy Pink Brandywine tomato seeds from West Coast Seeds (affiliate link).
Tip: All of these varieties will benefit from nutrient-rich soil and additional fertilizer. I use Pro-Mix organic potting soil, Gaia Green worm castings and Gaia Green all-purpose fertilizer for all of my tomato plants.
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ella says
I just decided only today that it's about time gardeners began referencing tomatoes as fruits and not vegetables. Please don't take it personally. You are the first, but won't be the last to be corrected by me. Let's make this a grass-roots movement and get it right. Thanks for hearing me out!
Shareba Abdul says
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I understand that tomatoes are fruits botanically, but in cooking, they’re often treated like vegetables, which is why I referred to them that way. That said, I’ve removed the word 'vegetable' from the article and will keep your feedback in mind moving forward.
Lu Ann Pannunzio says
Wow! Super cool information. One of my jobs in college was at a tomato packing plant and I didn't even know about half of the tomatoes on this list! Haha.
Shareba Abdul says
Oh wow, that sounds like an interesting job. Honestly, I didn't know there were so many tomato varieties until I started gardening! Apparently, there are around 10,000 different tomatoes in the world!
Ahmed says
Omg 😳 it’s my first time seeing most of these! Pink Brandywines and cherry falls are my favorite.
Shareba says
Those two are very tasty! I'm endlessly fascinated by the different varieties of tomatoes that are out there.