9 Heirloom Tomato Varieties: Heirloom Tomato Plant Care Tips

Heirloom tomatoes grow from seeds from the previous season’s harvest. This differentiates them from hybrid tomato plants, which rely more heavily on manmade cultivars than open-pollinated and organic seeds.

While some heirloom tomatoes still look like the red tomatoes common to supermarkets, heirloom plants can also boast a more complex flavor, shape, and color. For example, some are solid-colored all the way through (i.e., red beefsteak types), whereas others have more variegated skin (i.e., the colorful ‘Mr. Stripey’).

Growing heirloom tomatoes requires the same care as any other plant. Keep these four tips in mind when raising your own tomatoes to reap the best yield possible:

1. 1. Check the general type of tomato. There are numerous varieties of heirloom tomatoes; being aware of these differences will help you cater to these plants in the distinct ways they deserve. For instance, there are both determinate and indeterminate plants—the former producing fruit in a short burst and the latter doing so for a longer duration of time.
2. 2. Feed and water the plants regularly. As heirloom tomatoes grow in your garden, feed and water them well throughout the growing season. This generally means keeping the soil moist and adding fertilizer at the start of the season—but seek out additional advice for any specific variety, too. Consider staking the plants to help them grow upright.
3. 3. Keep an eye out for pests. Although many types of heirloom tomatoes are naturally pest-resistant and disease-resistant, you should still take care to keep them healthy. If you notice a bug infestation, wipe the fruits and leaves down with a neem oil or pesticide as soon as possible. The best way to prevent disease is to keep your plants well-fed and watered.
4. 4. Try different-colored tomatoes. When finding an heirloom tomato taste you like, keep an eye on the color. These open-pollinated plants come in all shapes and sizes, but brighter colors generally have a low acidity to them and darker colors tend to be tangier. Still, darker colors also might have more of a sweet flavor to balance out the tartness—brighter colors are generally a little lower in both types of flavor.

To pick the best heirloom tomato for you, familiarize yourself with as many varieties of heirloom tomatoes as possible. Keep these nine in mind when you start to shop around for these fruits:

1. 1. ‘Amish Paste’: These indeterminate tomatoes derive their name from the Wisconsin Amish communities from which they originally hail. ‘Amish Paste’ tomatoes are bright red and especially suitable for sauces. You can also can them up easily for future use in a recipe of your choosing.
2. 2. ‘Aunt Ruby’s German Green’: These bright green tomatoes look more like ‘Granny Smith’ apples than the usual tomatoes you might find at a supermarket. Try out the green zebra heirloom variety—whose skin might remind you of a watermelon—for another similarly shaded and tasty treat.
3. 3. Beefsteak: As the name would suggest, the beefsteak type of tomato has plenty of meaty flesh, making it a suitable slicer for sandwiches. Some beefsteak tomatoes are hybrids, while others are heirlooms—for the safest bet, get your own heirloom tomato seeds to grow these red fruits authentically yourself.
4. 4. ‘Black Krim’: Originally from Russia, these so-called “black tomatoes'' are more of a very dark red and green combination. Russian tomato growers have passed down the seeds for so long it’s become an honorary heirloom in its own right, although it was initially a hybrid cultivar. The same goes for black cherry tomatoes, which are smaller and more suitable for snacking.
5. 5. ‘Brandywine’: Best suited to a warm climate, ‘Brandywine’ tomatoes can be pink, yellow, red, or orange tomatoes. Check with your seed provider to see if they can let you know which color might sprout—this can have a slight effect on their final taste.
6. 6. ‘Cherokee Purple’: True to their name, these are purple tomatoes and almost plum-like on the outside. Still, all it takes is one bite to get to the recognizably rich flavor of sweet tomatoes. These fruits grow from seed in under a hundred days.
7. 7. ‘German Johnson’: Known for their disease resistance, ‘German Johnson’ tomatoes are also crack-resistant (i.e., their skin is unlikely to split). These dark pink fruits have a rich tomato taste.
8. 8. ‘Great White’: This slicing tomato is as white as a cauliflower. Technically a beefsteak tomato, this uniquely colored tomato type has a meaty, juicy, and sweet texture that brightens up recipes.
9. 9. Yellow pear: Try these yellow tomatoes if you like fruits with a sweet taste. Other names include pear tomato and teardrop tomato. For a similar yellow heirloom type, try ‘Hillbilly’ tomatoes.

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