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Official 2010 Tomato List

May 6th, 2010

I’ve finally planted my tomatoes and have a final list for the 2010 growing season. I was hoping to grow around 10 different types, but the wonderful selection got the best of me again. My final list includes 15 varieties (10 fewer than last year).

I’m growing some of the ones I grew last year and a few new varieties as well. Here’s the official list. New Varieties for 2010 are:

Goldman’s Italian American – Unique, beautiful and large tomatoes that have a squat, pear shape, being ribbed and pleated. These have a bloody, intense red color when ripe. Thick, red flesh is perfect for delicious sauces and preserves. Found at a Roadside stand in Italy, by Amy Goldman and named after her father’s grocery store in Brooklyn. This variety has good flavor, fresh or canned.

Winterkeeper – 10 oz. fruits, solid green until storage then turn a pale yellow outside and red inside.

Lemon Boy – A popular hybrid tomato, particularly with commercial growers, known for its uniform, lemon-yellow colored fruit which generally grow to about eight ounces. Borne in clusters, the fruits are a treat to the eyes and have a nice mild, sweet, tomato flavor. The plants are vigorous and are resistant to several common tomato pests so they are quite easy to grow. The vines also tend to be quite productive. Maturity: 72-75 Days, Determinate

Chianti Rose – Big, beautiful heirloom beefsteak with fabulous flavor: a cross of traditional pink Brandywine and an unnamed Italian variety. More tolerant of cool summers; crack-resistant. (from Renee’s Garden)

Super Bush Container Tomato – This scrumptious hybrid is specially bred for high yields of heavy fruits with juicy-sweet, rich tomato flavor on space-saving 3 foot plants. Perfect for pots and patio containers. (from Renee’s Garden)

Italian Pompeii – Tall and productive Italian hybrid vining variety, loads up early with heavy harvests of meaty, rich-flavored plum tomatoes for fresh eating or sauce. (from Renee’s Garden)

Amish Paste – This large, meaty heirloom was discovered in Wisconsin although it hails from the Pennsylvania Amish. It has a superior taste, brilliant with a nice balance of sweet and acid. Excellent fresh or in sauces.

Varieties that are the same as last year:

Principe Borghese – The Italian heirloom that is famous for sun drying. Small 1-2 oz. grape-shaped fruit are very dry and have few seeds. They have a rich tomato taste that is wonderful for sauces. Determinate vines yield clusters of fruit in abundance, perfect for selling in fresh markets and making specialty products. Determinate, 70-75 days.

Zapotec Pleated Tomatoes – (Lycopersicon esculentum) Rare/Traditional. Named for its creators, the Zapotec people of Oaxaca, the pink fruits are large, with ruffles like a pleated dress. They can be stuffed and baked like a bell pepper, or served raw. Sow seed in flats indoors and plant out in garden in 6-8 weeks when all danger of frost has passed. Plant in rows 24-36 inches apart. Needs trellising. Harvesting tips. Pick individual fruits as they ripen. When frost threatens, entire plant can be lifted, including roots, and hung upside down indoors to ripen remaining fruits. (Soil Temp. for Germ.: 70-85°F, Days to Germ.: 10-14, Plant Spacing: 2′-3′, Days to Maturity: 80-85, Full Sun/Moderate Water)

San Marzano Tomato – For canning, paste, and a killer spaghetti sauce, it’s hard to beat ‘San Marzano’, a sought-after heirloom from the Campania region of southern Italy. A highly prized Italian heirloom tomato for its fruit with firm pulp and thick skin, used in the concentrate industry as well as for canning ‘peeled’ tomatoes. This is truly the Italian standard for sauce and paste and a heavy producer. The fruit are long, often mistaken for large peppers from a distance. Fleshy with few seeds, often with ‘dry’ seed cavities, and with an authentic flavor that will take you back to Italy. A vigorous grower (we couldn’t believe the size of the harvests even in zone 5), vines start bearing later in the summer but then come on fast and furiously, producing heavy, 3½-inch-long tapered fruits in clusters of five or six. ‘San Marzano’ is low in sugar and acid, which gives it superior flavor when cooked. The vigorous plants are extremely prolific and produce until the first hard frost. Indeterminate, 80 days.

Cherokee Purple – Given to heirloom tomato collector Craig LeHoullier by J. D. Green of Tennessee, it is at least 100 years old and was reported as originally grown by the Cherokee Indians. The fruits are large (twelve to sixteen ounces), dark pink with darker purple shoulders. Excellent complex flavor, slight sweet aftertaste, perfect slicer for tomato sandwiches! Try this one for real old-time tomato flavor. Indeterminate, 80 days.

Costoluto Genovese – The Costoluto Genovese tomato is an old Italian preserving tomato variety. It’s heavily lobed and often convoluted shape is indicative of early nineteenth century tomato varieties, but makes an oddity in today’s vegetable garden. The Costoluto Genovese’s stellar flavor is intense and acidic. Because of its odd shape, this tomato is best for sauces and pastes where the skin is removed. This indeterminate variety should be started indoors six to eight weeks before the last spring frost. Sow one-quarter inch deep in flats or pots, keeping the soil mix moist, not soggy. When several leaves have developed, harden off seedlings and transplant eighteen to thirty-six inches apart in the garden. Full sun. Has ribbed fruits, about 5 – 7 ounces, Indeterminate, 90 days.

Brandywine Tomato – 80-100 days, indeterminate – It is by far one of the best known heirloom tomato varieties. There is a lot of lore surrounding the ‘Brandywine’ category of tomatoes. Reportedly it is an old Amish heirloom, dating back to 1885 and named after Brandywine Creek in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The disease tolerant, regular leaf plants yield fruits that are red, globe shaped, and full of flavor.

White Beauty – Plant produces good yields of 8 oz creamy white tomatoes. Tomatoes are very sweet and meaty. It is creamy white inside and outside, with few seeds! Add color to gourmet dishes, or make a white spaghetti sauce! Creamy white, meaty and delicious, most about a half pound. Indeterminate, 85 days.

Sub-Arctic Plenty or World’s Earliest – One of the very earliest tomatoes, the compact plants produce lots of 2 oz red fruit. It one of the best for cool conditions and will set fruit in lower temperatures than most. It has even been grown in the Southern Yukon. Developed by Dr. Harris, Beaverlodge Research Station, Alberta, Canada. 49-59 days.

I started my tomatoes a few weeks ago and earlier this week I repotted them into larger containers. They’ve been living on the front porch and are thriving. It looks like the temps will get down into the 40’s one night later this week which means I’ll be carrying them all into the garage overnight. I might move my cold frame and put them in it so I don’t have to carry them in and out again.

What’s your 2010 tomato list look like?

29 Comments to “Official 2010 Tomato List”
  1. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by mark mile, Susy Morris. Susy Morris said: Official 2010 #Tomato List http://goo.gl/fb/ZCww1 #2010ediblegarden #tomatovarieties […]

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  2. Jennifer (Baklava Queen) on May 6, 2010 at 7:15 am

    My list is short: Rutgers (my dad’s favorite), Amish Paste (my usual sauce-maker), Black Cherry (the one my mom says tastes most like the tomatoes she grew up eating), and Peacevine. At the farm, the most unusual one we’re growing is German Pink, one of my boss’s signature heirlooms — the leaves are more rounded, which confused me when they started coming up in the flats!

    I did grow Costoluto Genovese a few years back and loved it — the shape, the flavor! Would love to try San Marzano and Principe Borghese sometime as I’ve heard so much about them.

    Reply to Jennifer (Baklava Queen)'s comment

    • Susy on May 6, 2010 at 8:51 am

      If you like dried tomatoes you’ll LOVE Principe Borghese, it’s my favorite. Our pantry stores of them were depleted in January, so I can’t wait for them to come ripe. I love that they’re so easy to process, simply slice in half and dry.

      Reply to Susy's comment

      • Jennifer (Baklava Queen) on May 8, 2010 at 7:23 am

        I’ll have to check them out next year. In the meantime — oooh, ooh! — I found a San Marzano plant at Local Roots for $1. Mineminemineminemine!!!
        .-= Jennifer (Baklava Queen)´s last blog ..Independence Days #48 =-.

        to Jennifer (Baklava Queen)'s comment

  3. Dave on May 6, 2010 at 8:29 am

    Your post has me thinking of tomatoes and getting quite hungry for that first taste of garden fresh tomatoes! We’re trying the San Marzano for the first time this year. With 15 varieties planted how many of each do you plant? I always tend to plant more than I need just in case one or two plants fail and end up with too many.
    .-= Dave´s last blog ..The Irises of May =-.

    Reply to Dave's comment

    • Susy on May 6, 2010 at 8:50 am

      I start a minimum of 5 for each beefsteak/eating variety and the ones I want to use for canning and drying (San Marzano, Amish Paste, Pompeii) I start at least 10 of each or 15 (in the case of San Marzano). Then I have extra in case of low germination, seedling problems. Ideally I want one plant of each variety of beefsteak for summer eating (I usually give away extra plants if I can’t find room to tuck them in the gardens, or if I hear of someone wanting to get into gardening I give them a few tomatoes).

      Since I have a shady garden I have to grow a few more plants because of reduced yield. So where many people would only need a few plants, I have to plant almost twice as much because the yield is much lower without as much sun and because I grow so many in containers.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  4. marcyincny on May 6, 2010 at 8:49 am

    By “planted” do you mean set out in the garden? I’m just getting ready to transplant mine to individual pots. I still get heady from the smell of the leaves when I transplant and can almost taste ’em…

    Brandywine
    Black Krim
    Pineapple (back by popular demand)
    Carmello
    Paragon Livingston (first time, a nod to my Ohio roots)
    Jaune Flammé
    Costoluto Fiorentino
    San Marzano 3
    Golden Mama
    cherry tomato: Sugar Sweetie, Mirabell, Isis Candy,
    Super Snow White, Green Grape, Chocolate Cherry
    .-= marcyincny´s last blog ..At Least Three =-.

    Reply to marcyincny's comment

    • Susy on May 6, 2010 at 8:52 am

      Those sound interesting! I’d love to try the Paragon Livingston and Juane Flammé. I don’t grow many cherries, I should they come right so much quicker than beefsteaks and I really want to try some currant tomatoes as well.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  5. kristin @ going country on May 6, 2010 at 9:15 am

    Jet Star, Primetime, Black Krim, Stupice, Baby Cakes, Roma, and San Marzano. Assuming I don’t kill them all before actually putting them in the ground in a couple of weeks. I don’t take anything for granted.
    .-= kristin @ going country´s last blog ..No Corona–Bummer =-.

    Reply to kristin @ going country's comment

  6. Sense of Home on May 6, 2010 at 9:55 am

    Not nearly as impressive as yours. The weather has turned cooler so it will be another week or two before tomatoes go into my garden and I need to get to the nursery to see what they have, I didn’t start my own. One of the tomatoes I grew last year was Brandywine and I plan to plant that again.
    .-= Sense of Home´s last blog ..Murgh Dahi with Samosas =-.

    Reply to Sense of Home's comment

  7. Bonnie on May 6, 2010 at 10:15 am

    I’ve got seedlings growing for:
    Stupice
    Yellow Pear (grape)
    Jaune Flamme
    Roma
    Elfin/Sprite (cross)

    My first attempt at Dr Carolyn failed to germinate – so I’ve got a second batch going…no success yet. Bummed too, I got the seeds in an exchange and was really looking forward to trying them!

    Last year I only had 2 varieties (generic grape and roma/plum from WalMart) so I’m looking forward to comparing and actually learing about how tomatoes taste different. If I can get the rest of the daylillies out from around my garage, I’d like to turn it into another garden – which would lead to more tomatoes and peppers…if I can figure out if they’ll get enough sun. I think it’s going to have to be trial and error!

    I think I might experiment with saving seeds this year too – any experience with that? Also, do you have a resource you’d recommend for learning about tomato varieties and preserving (ie drying, canning, etc)?
    .-= Bonnie´s last blog ..Ginger Ale =-.

    Reply to Bonnie's comment

  8. MAYBELLINE on May 6, 2010 at 10:38 am

    Wow that’s quite a list. I have several heirloom varieties that I’m trying for the 1st time.
    Al Kuffa
    Arkansas Traveler
    Henderson’s Pondersoa Pink
    Mule Team
    Carbon

    I’ll follow their progress and your critic in planning for 2011.

    http://maybellinesgarden.blogspot.com/2010/04/tomatoes-gone-wild.html
    .-= MAYBELLINE´s last blog ..Summer Crops – Part III =-.

    Reply to MAYBELLINE's comment

    • MAYBELLINE on May 6, 2010 at 11:39 am

      My comment was so jumbled. Sorry. I meant to comment: I’ll follow the progress of your tomatoes with your critique to help me plan for 2011.
      sheesh!
      .-= MAYBELLINE´s last blog ..Summer Crops – Part III =-.

      Reply to MAYBELLINE's comment

  9. Miranda on May 6, 2010 at 11:58 am

    Those all sound neat. I’m trying a new one this year: japanese black trifele. it has leaves like a brandywine, but is growing super slowly: don’t think it has enough sun due to a rapidly growing crepe myrtle tree. Last year i tried san marzanos and was so excited: but the plant died: massive blossum end rot then wilting all over. Last year was a hard year here in austin and we were out of town for 3 weeks in June: peak tomato season.
    My winner last year was an Early Girl, but i wanted to try some new varieties this year (last year did all heirlooms except that early girl and they all struggled) so i put in a Rutgers which is doing great, a Porter Improved which seems happy enough, and recently transplanted a Homestead. I may go all hybrids suited for intense heat next year if this year doesn’t pan out. Wish me luck! and Same to you!
    .-= Miranda´s last blog ..Critters around the gardens =-.

    Reply to Miranda's comment

  10. Chandra on May 6, 2010 at 12:01 pm

    Stupice
    Cherokee purple
    Black Krim
    Paul Robeson (I’m really exceited about this one)
    Sungold (my favorite for snacking)
    Yellow Pear (my daughter’s favorite for snacking)
    Snow White
    Pineapple
    Aunt Ruby’s German Green
    Mortgage Lifter

    I have had 6 plants out for 4 weeks already, each in a wall o’ water. They are looking good. I’ll definitely be buying more of those next year.

    Reply to Chandra's comment

  11. Blake @ Salt, Teak & Fog on May 6, 2010 at 12:39 pm

    Living in San Francisco, with unreliable (but sometimes OK) summer sun, we stick with small (cherry/pear) tomatoes… occasionally venturing into medium size. It’s painful to not be able to grow larger varieties, as the fluted types are just so beautiful. I also have dreams of growing the San Marzanos, and may try next year, up on our hot back deck, as I really want to put up some sauce. But, you asked about this year: I’m growing Renee’s cherry and pear tomato assortments, in yellow, red and orange. Plus, the ‘Violet Jasper’ from Bakercreek, a Chinese variety also called ‘Tzi Bi U’ (anyone grown it before?). I have a few plants of each going — heck, if I’m going to be limited to the small guys, I’m going to grow a ton :) A slight problem with my tomato greed is that I started them a bit too early and the night weather here has been in the low 40s for a while. Each morning, I carry 15 container plants outside to bask in the sun, and then bring ’em in at night. Good workout –and lesson learned :)
    .-= Blake @ Salt, Teak & Fog´s last blog ..happy #12 mister pabs =-.

    Reply to Blake @ Salt, Teak & Fog's comment

    • Susy on May 6, 2010 at 2:01 pm

      I do the same thing. Last year I had so many to carry in and out.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  12. sarah on May 6, 2010 at 2:18 pm

    I love this post! (and blog :) I am so ready for tomatoes and ours are planted too. I did not however get to ordering the Principe :( and would love to know where you order your seeds for them. Principe is my mother’s maiden name and I love the fact that they are good for drying. I am growing this year..
    by seed:
    Brandywine (1st time) x2
    San Marzano (1st time) x7
    Purple Cherokee (1st time) x2
    Giant Belgium (2nd time) x1
    purchased:
    Abe Lincoln (1st time) x1
    Green Zebra (2nd time) x1
    Currant Cherry (1st time) x1
    beefsteak x 2
    super steak x 2
    sweet 100 x1
    ace x1
    celebrity x1
    .-= sarah´s last blog ..Happy May Day =-.

    Reply to sarah's comment

  13. Iñaki Aguirre on May 6, 2010 at 6:05 pm

    Heart of Compassion
    Brandywine (pink & black)

    Reply to Iñaki Aguirre's comment

  14. Tee on May 6, 2010 at 8:40 pm

    I too have tomatoes on the brain! This is my first year gardening and I am growing: Brandywine, Riestraube, Green Zebra, and Royal Chico. They are growing really well, but need support. I haven’t decided which route to go. I am growing 2 of each variety and just don’t know if I should go with stakes, cages, Florida weave system, etc. Any suggestions?

    Reply to Tee's comment

    • Susy on May 7, 2010 at 12:03 am

      I use several different methods. I have stakes and like them. I also use stakes with horizontal bamboo poles between them and weave the plants between those, to create a wall of tomatoes. I also use bamboo tepees for my potted plants with a main stake up the center, that seems to work well for pots. I don’t prune potted tomatoes, but I often prune the staked ones.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  15. Ashley on May 6, 2010 at 9:04 pm

    I ordered a sampler from seed savers exchange and I was pleased to get Cherokee Purple, Amish Paste, Velvet Red, German Pink, Gold Medal (the one I’m the most excited about), and Hungarian Heart. This is my first year doing any heirloom and I ended up doing all heirloom!

    Reply to Ashley's comment

  16. mamaraby on May 6, 2010 at 10:11 pm

    I actually didn’t make a list of all the varieties we’re growing. I got a number of small packets of seed from Winter Sown this year. This is probably a really good thing given the fact that I have a hard time narrowing down my list when it comes to heirloom tomatoes. If I had enough space I think I’d probably grow one of each. Who can pass up on all the wonderful names and descriptions?

    Reply to mamaraby's comment

  17. Lynn on May 7, 2010 at 11:42 am

    I’m growing the San Marzanos and would love to grow the Amish Paste. Where do most of you buy your seeds from other than the obvious half dozen seed suppliers?

    Reply to Lynn's comment

    • Susy on May 7, 2010 at 9:39 pm

      I really love places like: Baker Creek, Seed Savers, Renee’s Garden, Sand Hill Preservation, Fedco, Southern Exposure.

      I’ve been working on a resource list for great heirloom/small seed companies. I think I’ll publish along with the seed starting 101 series next week.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  18. Lynn on May 8, 2010 at 12:15 pm

    Awesome Susy, Thank you. Actually I have heard of Baker Creek. I live in the S.F. Bay Area and they have opened the Seed Bank in an old bank in Petaluma. I think I will take a field trip.

    Reply to Lynn's comment

  19. Aubrey on May 9, 2010 at 2:58 am

    Hi, new reader here… you came highly recommended by friends Jen and Greg Campbell. :-)

    My husband who is a die hard “I hate tomatoes” kind of a guy… fell in love with lemon boys and Mr stripy last summer… we grow at least 6 verity every year, these will be a mainstay from now on since he will slice them up and eat them.

    Love your photos, so nice to see someone who loves the soil!
    .-= Aubrey ´s last blog ..how to have ‘quality’ time… =-.

    Reply to Aubrey's comment

    • Susy on May 9, 2010 at 8:32 am

      That’s too funny. That’s exactly why I grow Lemon Boy tomatoes. It was the first tomato Mr Chiots would eat sliced up. He’s now moving up and will eat any tomato sliced, but I still grow a few yellow varieties just for him since he really likes them.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  20. Beegirl on May 9, 2010 at 12:53 pm

    Only three so far.. Roma, Cherokee Purple, and Grape.
    Exciting eh? Didn’t have luck with our winter keepers. Love the Amish Paste.. Can’t wait to see how they come out!!
    .-= Beegirl´s last blog ..Library Love =-.

    Reply to Beegirl's comment

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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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