Spring Garden Market - Tomato List 2012

Listed below are the tomatoes offered at the Spring Garden Market in 2011. List for 2012 coming soon. Abbreviation key and definitions can be found at the bottom of the page.

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Classic

Variety Name Description and comments Color Type Days
Ananas Noire (Black Pineapple) Multi-colored fruit is green, yellow, & red outside and green with pink & red streaks inside. Juicy & sweet, great acid balance. Not a black tomato, despite the name. Taste test winner! Bi-Color Semi 85
Black from Tula Rose brown with green shoulders, this very beautiful and very delicious Russian heirloom is highly productive. One of our favorites. Black Indet 80
Black Pear Beautiful dark brown pear-shaped medium-sized tomatoes with excellent, rich taste, great acid-sugar balance. Healthy potato-leafed plants produce abundantly. Black Semi 80
Black Sea Man Good producer of beautiful, med-size, reddish brown flattened fruit w/ green shoulders & exquisite flavor. Short shelf life due to tender skin. Blossom end zippered. Taste test winner! Black Det 80
Black Zebra Stunningly beautiful bi-colored tomato, rich mahogany brown with green stripes. 1 1/2" diameter fruits have a sweet, complex flavor with hints of smoke. Bi-Color Indet 85
Box Car Willie High yielding, reliable producer of medium large round, juicy red fruit, with very good tomato flavor. Red Indet 80
Carbon Smooth, 8-12 oz tomatoes are a deep reddish purple with greenish shoulders, free from cracking and blemishes. Exceptionally complex, sweet, full flavor. Great producer and beautiful too. Black Indet 80
Carmello (Hybrid) Consistently productive French hybrid of medium to large round red juicy tomatoes with tender skin and excellent flavor. Good disease resistance. Red Semi 70-75
Cherokee Purple Beautiful rose-purple fruit has sweet, rich, complex flavor. Consistently productive. Often found at farmers markets. Cherokee Indian origin Purple Indet 75-85
Copia Med-size yellow fruit with striking “hand-painted” red stripes, firm & juicy, sweet & fruity. A natural cross between Green Zebra and Marvel Stripe. Bi-Color Indet 80-90
Costoluto Genovese Large, flattened red fruit w/fluted profile, deeply ridged and heavily lobed of Italian origin, good disease resistance, meaty, full flavored w/good acidity, great for sauces & gorgeous sliced. Red Indet 80-85
Dagma’s Perfection Vigorous, abundant producer of yellow, medium-sized, slightly flattened tomatoes. Flavor is sweet and fruity, with a hint of lime and tropical fruit overtones. Firm and juicy. Yellow Indet 73
Dona French variety, prolific producer, excellent flavor, small to medium size fruit, meaty with few seeds. A winner! Red Semi 80
Glory of Moldova Gorgeous golden globes grow in clusters of 4-6. Flesh is a deep golden orange and flavor is fruity & sweet. Highly rated in taste tests. Early and consistently productive throughout the season. Gold Semi 80
Gold Medal Large, golden yellow fruit, streaked red; firm and smooth. Very little acid. The sweetest tomato you ever tasted. Taste test winner! Bi-Color Indet 90
Green Zebra Sweet sprightly flavor. Beautiful, yellow-green with dark green stripes. Small fruit (1 3/4" – 2"). Very unusual & ornamental on plate. Wow your dinner guests. Green Indet 78
Holly Large, bright red, one-pound or larger fruits with balanced acid to sweet flavor. Vigorous, productive plants. Found tomato plant, now grown in honor of Holly Hayes, MG 2003. Red Indet 85
Japanese Black Trifele Medium-sized pear-shaped tomatoes are a deep mahogany brown with rich, intense flavor, very productive. A taste test winner. "Trifele" is Russian for "truffle". Black Indet 90
Kootenai Stocky plant with dark-green leaves. Fruits are 2-3" across, thin-skinned and tasty. Abundant yields all summer. Red Det 70-75
Lime Green Salad Delicious, tangy, small fruit, chartreuse inside, excellent for a container. Beautiful compact plant, only 1 to 1 1/2' tall (but a small cage or stake is still recommended). Green Det 58
Mary Robinson’s German Bi-Color Large, meaty, golden fruits have even more red streaking than most bi-colors. Delicious, productive and beautiful. Bi-Color Indet 80
Orange Blossom F1 (Hybrid) Medium-sized orange fruits are sweet, balanced with a little acidity. Productive plants are 2 1/2' tall, suitable for a small cage. Orange Det 60
Orange Russian 117 Beautiful bicolor oxheart has smooth golden flesh with streaks of red. Delicious, sweet, & fruity, meaty with very few seeds. Best in a narrow cage as plant is not an aggressive grower. Bi-Color Indet 85
Orange Strawberry Beautiful bright orange, strawberry-shaped fruit with rich, very sweet, fruity flavor & succulent texture. Great sliced, excellent for sauces. Almost no seeds. A favorite. Orange Indet 80
Palo Alto Extremely large, vigorous vine giving a heavy crop (to 70 lbs from one plant) of large, meaty (small seed cavities), full-flavored red tomatoes from mid-season into November. Red Indet 70 - 80
Santa Clara Canner Delicious, large fruit, very prolific. Juicy yet solid. Big robust healthy plant. Historically used in CA canning industry. Red Indet 80
Southern Night Russian heirloom. Delicious pinkish–purple fruit with vertical green striping and rich, complex flavor. Tender flesh. Use narrow (18) diameter cage as plant is not aggressive. Purple Semi 84
Spear’s Tennessee Green Large smooth green tomatoes have a sweet tart taste, a great addition to salads. Ready to pick when bottom gets slightly yellow. An excellent producer of round, 8-10 oz tomatoes. Green Indet 75-85
Stupice Czech origin, very early, cold tolerant, highly productive, small very flavorful fruit. Holds well. Red Indet 52

Beefsteak

Variety Name Description and comments Color Type Days
Aker’s West Virginia Vigorous plants produce big harvests of delicious 1 lb tomatoes with sweet, rich flavor and very little cracking or other blemishes. Family heirloom from West Virginia. Taste test winner! Red Indet 80
Aunt Ginny’s Purple Large, delicious, dense flesh, w/ deep pink smooth skin & green shoulders. Flavor equals Brandywine. Potato leaf. Magnificent variety every year. Pink Indet 75-85
Aunt Ruby’s German Green Beautiful, large juicy light bright green fruit with pink blush, tender skin. Deliciously sweet & slightly spicy taste. Keeps on bearing and bearing. One of our favorites every year. Green Indet 80
Aussie Huge red tomatoes, 1-2 lbs. Borne abundantly on large, vigorous plants. Full old-fashioned tomato taste. Heirloom variety from Australia. Red Indet 85
Big Rainbow Beautiful, very large bi-color fruit, golden yellow with pinkish red swirl inside & out. Mild sweet flavor, juicy, and productive. Gorgeous when cut into slices on a plate. Bi-Color Indet 90-100
Brandywine from Croatia Productive, large, meaty pink tomato with delicious, complex flavor. Very tender skin. Regular leaf. Rare, only available from Santa Clara Master Gardeners. Pink Indet 85
Brandywine OTV Vigorous, sturdy, highly productive plant with huge potato leaves, huge thick stems. Rich complex flavor, huge tomatoes. A favorite! Red Indet 85
Brandywine Sudduth Large, vigorous, healthy & productive plants over 7' tall. Huge pink fruit up to 2 lbs. with delicious flavor. Potato leaf. Pink Indet 90
Caspian Pink Very heavy producer of large, flattened sweet pink delicious fruit. Curly leaves, healthy plants. Must clip fruit as does not detach. Taste test winner! Pink Indet 80
Cuostralee Very large 1-2 lbs. 4" across, blemish free, deliciously intense & balanced flavor. Taste test winner! Red Indet 85
Dr. Neal Rose-pink, 1-2 lbs. Solid meat with few seeds, outstanding flavor, sweet yet rich and complex. Very tall vines produce heavy crops of this wonderful heirloom variety. Pink Indet 80
Ed’s Millennium Highly productive Brandywine-type that is a top taste winner. One of our very favorites. Saved by Master Gardener Ed Lo. Red Indet 85
Ernie’s Round Big round delicious pinkish-red meaty fruit, highly productive. A favorite! Only available from Santa Clara Master Gardeners. Pink Indet 80
Green Giant A pure green when ripe tomato, with no pink or yellow blush. Great flavor, firm, succulent flesh, and good sweet-acid balance. A taste test winner. Green Indet 80
Hillbilly Huge fruit, 1-2 lb, sweet, delicious, very productive. Gorgeous yellow with red streaking throughout flesh. Slicing reveals its striking beauty. Bi-Color Indet 85
Kellogg’s Breakfast Vibrant orange 1 lb beefsteaks, very good flavor. Quite meaty with few seeds. Juice has the same bright color as orange juice and is delicious. Orange Indet 80
Kentucky Beefsteak Tasty and beautiful heirloom from Kentucky. Large orange beefsteak, sweet and delicious, not acidic, with dense, meaty flesh. Orange Indet 100
Magnum Superbly flavored 1+ lb beefsteak with outstanding production. The result of several years of selection of a volunteer. Disease resistance is super. Red Indet 80
Marianna’s Peace Large dark pink beefsteaks have full tomato flavor with good acid-sweet balance. Potato-leaved plant is vigorous and healthy. Pink Indet 80
Marvel Striped Medium to large-sized fruits are streaked with beautiful orange, yellow and rose swirls. Sweet and juicy with few seeds. Bi-Color Indet 90-110
Paul Robeson Large fruits with beautiful mahogany color. Wonderful, complex flavor. Taste test winner! Black Indet 80
Pomodoro Red Pear Selezione Huge red, pear-shaped fruits. Old North Italian variety specially selected by Franchi Sementi. Very tasty. (This is a totally different tomato from the small red pear cherry.) Red Indet 80
Quali T 23 VFFNTSt (Hybrid) Huge, 5-6 inch, deep red fruit with excellent quality, uniformity, and flavor. Widely adapted, vigorous, determinate variety. High yield. Red Det 83
Stump of the World Dark pink 1 lb beefsteaks, outstandingly rich, complex flavor, healthy potato-leafed plants. From the Ben Quisinberry Collection, which also contributed Brandywine. Taste test winner! Pink Indet 80
Tidwell German Big producer of 1-3 lb pink, meaty beefsteaks with wonderful, sweet, tomatoey flavors. Heirloom from Tennessee. Pink Indet 80
True Black Brandywine Dense, richly colored tomatoes weighing up to a pound. Flavor is sweet and deep with a good acid balance. Gorgeous sliced for a salad. Medium-sized plants are productive. Potato leaf. Black Indet 80-90
Yellow Brandywine Platfoot Strain Large yellow fruit, smooth, creamy texture, delicious flavor, excellent acid-sugar balance. Tall robust vines with healthy, potato-leafed foliage. Yellow Indet 90

Cherry

Variety Name Description and comments Color Type Days
Beam’s Yellow Pear Produces an abundance of cherry-sized, pear-shaped, brilliant yellow tomatoes. Sweet, mild and fresh flavor. Yellow Indet 80
Black Cherry The first truly black cherry with classic black tomato flavor; sweet & complex. Heavy producer of large cherry tomatoes on tall vigorous vines. A hit for everyone who grew it! Black Indet 65
Chadwick Heavy producer of delicious, red 1-1 1/2" fruits. Highly rated. Red Indet 65
Chocolate Cherry Delicious mahogany-colored cherry tomatoes have that wonderful complex black tomato flavor. Round, 1" fruits are borne in trusses on healthy, vigorous vines Black Indet 70
Elfin Same wonderful sweet flavor, size, and shape as the original Grape tomato, with the advantage of shorter plants. Red Det 55
Fox Cherry Delicious large red heirloom cherry tomatoes. Sweet and juicy, firm texture, perfect for salads. May be wilt resistant. Red Indet 80
Galinas Flavor is delicious, complex, and sweet with good acid balance. Fruit size is 1/2-1" & a beautiful yellow. A favorite of many. Yellow Indet 75
Gardener’s Delight Tasty red cherry tomato of German origin. Grow in grape-like clusters on a vigorous, attractive plant. Good acidity. Red Semi 72
Green Grape Large (1 3/4") plum-shaped, golden green fruit with delicious flavor. Beautiful served with other color cherry tomatoes. Back by popular demand. Green Semi 70
Isis Candy 3/4" cherry with orange-yellow marbled coloration and translucent skin. Winner at Carmel TomatoFest. Bi-Color Indet 67
Koralik Heavy yields of 1" sweet red cherry tomatoes. An early heirloom variety from Russia. Foliage is sparse but healthy. Production is heavy and consistent. Red Det 61
Sugary Very sweet and delicious, reddish pink oval-shaped cherry tomatoes in clusters on high yielding, compact plants that produce over a long season. Reddish pink Semi 60
Sun Sugar (Hybrid) Incredibly sweet golden cherry size tomatoes, high in Vitamin A. Vigorous vines produce hundreds of fruit. Crack resistant. Gold Indet 62
Sweet Chelsea VFFNT (Hybrid) Medium-large cherry tomato with excellent sweet flavor. Displays high crack-resistance, as well as drought tolerance. Low in acid. Red Indet 67

Paste

Variety Name Description and comments Color Type Days
Amish Gold Beautiful brilliant golden color 1 1/2-2" long, oblong with pointy end fruit. Flavor and color of Sungold, but denser meatier flesh good for sauces. A favorite. Gold Semi 80
Amish Paste Sweet flavor is great for canning, sauce/paste, or slicing fresh. Paste tomatoes are excellent for salads and salsas because they're firm and flavorful, and won't leak a lot of juice. Red Indet 75
Heidi Prolific 2-1/2-inch, pear-shaped, bright-red fruit with rich tomato flavor. Delicious fruit are solid with few seeds. Tender skin is easy to remove. Great for salads as well as canning. Red Indet 75
Jersey Devil 4-5" long, bright red fruits are shaped like banana peppers. Prolific, very meaty & sweet, few seeds. Excellent for canning as well as eating fresh. Taste test winner! Red Indet 80
Mom’s Paste Large red paste tomato with great tomato flavor and good acid-sweet balance. Excellent for cooking, nice texture and no watery separation. Red Indet 80
Opalka Large sausage/chile pepper shaped tomato has few seeds, and a very meaty, delicious, rich flavor. Polish origin. Red Indet 85
Principe Borghese Excellent for drying, little juice, good acidic old-fashioned tomato flavor with few seeds. Prolific producer. Red Det 70
Speckled Roman Gorgeous 3" wide by 5" long fruits w/ jagged orange and yellow stripes, red inside. Meaty, great taste, especially cooked. Very productive, few seeds. Cross of Antique Roman & Banana Legs. Bi-Color Indet 85
Tomato Types

Classic–Generally round & smooth, ranging from medium-small to medium-large in size. Sometimes called main crop or slicing tomatoes.
Beefsteak–Generally large to very large, usually somewhat irregular in shape, often later to mature.
Paste–Generally elongated shapes and often meatier with less seed gel, hence good for processing as sauce & paste.
Cherry–Small, bite-size tomatoes.

Growth Habits

Det–Determinate. The plant grows to a certain point, then stops and sets fruit which ripen in a short, concentrated harvest. Height is often 4' or less.
Indet–Indeterminate. Also called vining tomatoes, the plant grows continuously until it dies, continuing to flower & set tomatoes until the end. Can get quite large, at least 5', often more.
Semi–Semi-indeterminate. Larger than determinate but not as large as indeterminate. About 4'.

Seed Types

OP–Open-pollinated. Seeds from open-pollinated varieties can be saved because they will produce plants and fruit that are identical to their parent. All heirlooms are OP.
Hybrid–Seeds cannot be saved because they will not come true. Hybrid seeds can only be bought from a seed company who produces it by crossing particular parent plants.
Heirloom–Always open-pollinated, therefore seeds can be saved. Heirlooms have generally been saved and passed on by generation after generation in some family or community who would select the best plants to save seeds from.

Key to disease resistance and/or tolerance

V–Verticillium wilt tolerance
F1–Fusarium wilt (race 1) tolerance
F2–Fusarium wilt (race 2) tolerance
FF–Fusarium wilt (race 1& 2) tolerance
N–Nematodes tolerance
St–Stemphillium tolerance
A–Alternaria stem canker tolerance
T–Tobacco mosaic virus tolerance

Note: Only hybrids list disease resistance because seed companies pay to have the seed tested and certified. Heirlooms may well be resistant also.

Seed Sources:

Some seed sources for these varieties include the following. Inclusion of a seed company does not imply endorsement.

Baker Creek
Franchi Sementi
Johnny's
Marianna's Seeds
Natural Gardening Co.
TomatoFest
Master Gardener saved seed
Seed Savers
Seed Trust
Territorial
Tomato Growers Supply
Totally Tomatoes
West Coast Seeds

 

High Density Tomato Growing

Too many tomatoes to choose from? Can't make up your mind? Consider High Density Tomato Growing, a great technique for anyone who wants to try lots and lots of varieties. The idea is to plant two different tomato plants together in a single cage. In our research gardens we have tried several different combinations. The results? They worked beautifully. The plants were healthy, dense, lush, and productive. We got fewer tomatoes off of each individual plant, of course, but about the same total production per cage.

We suggest choosing plants of similar size and vigor. If one of them seems to be outgrowing the other, you can prune off a few branches of the vigorous one to give the weaker plant a chance to catch up. Choosing tomatoes of different sizes, shapes, and colors will make it easy to distinguish them. This can give decorative effect as well, such as combining red and yellow cherry tomatoes.

If you give High Density Tomato Growing a try, let us know how it works for you. We'd love to hear about your experiences.