How to Select Tomato Varieties

A variety of tomatoes.

The tomato has a long perplexed gardeners and chefs. Is it a fruit or a vegetable? Why are their so many different kinds of tomatoes?
To answer, first tomatoes a fruit but treated as a vegetable. Second, tomatoes come in a wide range of sizes, shapes and color because they are all hybrids of the species. Each type of tomato has its own unique taste and use.

Things You'll Need

• Tomatoes

Instructions

1. Define tomatoes by size. There are four basic types of Tomatoes available, distinguished according to their size: cherry, medium, plum and beefsteak. Cherry tomatoes are small, round fruits, perfect for tossing whole into salads. Plums are rather oblong and good for sauces, while medium and beefsteak are quite meaty, large and good for slicing.

2. 

   Decide which type of cherry tomato. There are three basic types of cherry tomatoes all taking within 65 to 70 days for maturation. The Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes grow in large clusters on a vigorous vine growth needing cage or stake it produces a very sweet, 1 inch fruit. The Gardener's Delight cherry tomatoes are bright red, bite-sized and produce clusters of very sweet 1-inch fruits. The Small Fry cherry tomatoes have a strong taste and are disease-resistant. They are good for growing in 5-gallon containers.

3. 

   Decide which type of medium tomato. There are four basic types of medium tomatoes. The maturation time on medium tomatoes varies greatly with Early Girl tomatoes taking around 52 day, Better and Golden boy varieties taking around 70, and Sunray tomatoes taking the longest with 80 days. Early Girl tomatoes are smooth, meaty and firm disease-producing 4 to 6-ounce fruits. Better Boy tomatoes are semi-firm and very tasty making them excellent for slicing. They produce 8 to 16-ounce fruits. Sunray tomatoes are yellow and firm with only a mild flavor. They are often grown more for appearance than taste producing around a 6-ounce fruit. The Golden Boy is a yellow and firm tomato with a low-acid fruit that has a mild flavor and produces around a 6-ounce fruit.

4. 

   Decide which type of plum tomato. There are two basic types of plume Tomatoes. Plum tomatoes are much prized by chefs and take around 76 day to mature. Roma tomatoes are thick-walled tomatoes with few seeds they have a bland taste which is good for sauces. They produce 3 to 4-ounce fruits. The Chico III tomato is a curvaceous, firm, and tasty. They are excellent for juice or slicing and produce 3 to 4-ounce fruits.

5. 

   Decide which type of Beefsteak. Beefsteak are the largest of the tomato varieties and there are three basic types. The Bush Beefsteak is the quickest maturing of the Beefsteak tomatoes maturing just under 62 day while the Burpee's Supersteak and the Beef master both need around 80 days. Burpee's Supersteak are meaty and firm tomatoes; with an oblong shape and are ideal for slicing they can grow fruits weighing up to 2 pounds. The Beefmaster tomato is a large, thick-walled, juicy and fairly resistant wilt. It also produces 2-pound fruits. The Bush Beefsteak is a firm, deep red tomato that grows well under even adverse conditions. It produces an 8-ounce fruit.

Tips & Warnings

• Skin imperfections are a normal sign of changes in temperature. They do not affect the taste.