5 Best Heirloom Tomato Varieties
Heirloom tomatoes offer an enticing array of unique flavors, colors, shapes and textures not found in hybrid varieties. Their open-pollinated seeds produce fruit true to the parent plant when saved and replanted. Here are 7 of the best heirloom tomatoes to grow for full old-fashioned flavor. 1. Green Zebra As the name suggests, Green Zebra tomatoes ripen to a vivid yellow-green color with darker green stripes. They are small to medium-sized fruits weighing 3-5 ounces. The flavor is bright and tangy with a good sugar-acid balance. Green Zebra adds wonderful color and zest to salads, salsas, and garnishes. It tolerates cooler conditions well. 2. Brandywine The Brandywine tomato is one of the most popular heirlooms prized by home gardeners. Originally from Amish country, this variety bears large, deep pink beefsteak fruits averaging 1-2 pounds. Brandywine delivers a vibrant, complex, sweet tomatoey taste. The large plants require staking and produce later in the season. 3. Cherokee Purple