CHERRY
Yellow Perfection (avail 4-15)
A heavy producing yellow cherry that is nearly perfectly round- very bright color and a great addition to any salad. Like many yellow Tomatos, the flavor tends to be on the mild side- not to sweet, not to tart. Pretty and productive!
Principe Borghese (avail. 4-15)
This Cherry is most notable for the fact that it is a good choice for making your own sun dried Tomatos! Low in juice and high in flavor, this would make a fun project to try. Cut the fruit in half, place it on a screen and put in full Sun for a few days. Lots of directions on the internet. You can expect heavy production!
Cinnamon Pear (avail 4-15)
Red-brown pear shaped fruit is a fun addition to the pear class. Like all pear tomatos, you can assume you will have a great harvest of tasty little garden snacks!
Negro Azteca (avail 4-15)
Very rare black cherry tomato that will make you look twice! Mauvish-black fruit has a very complex and rich flavor- a trait that seems to be very typical in the "black" class of Tomatos. I did notice when grown down in the Victoria, Tx. area (I grow some down there too) it was somewhat more pinkish. Temperature often alters color of Tomatos.
Spoon (avail. 4-15)
A tiny, red Currant Tomato that was touted as the smallest ever. When grown against our collection of Currant Tomatos, it was no smaller than the others (though often touted as the smallest fruit) and tasted like sawdust with a drop of bat urine. I was going to discontinue it but, after a few years, my customers have asked me to continue with this one. Want to chance it?
Fargo Yellow Pear
This is a cross between ordinary yucky Yellow pear with Bison- a red, full flavored canning Tomato done back in 1934. This created Fargo- much larger, totally better flavored Yellow Pear. At about 1 oz, it is nearly twice as big as the detestable Yellow Pear we find for sale everywhere. Give this one a shot if you have always grown the one that tastes like dog fur(yellow Pear). I think you will like it better!
Ivory Pear (avail. 4-15)
Rare, pale, almost translucent ivory colored pear shaped tomatos. Expect heavy crops. Such a good, reliable producer of little gems. Strong plant too. This one always gets overlooked. Too bad- it is truly a nice variety and so hard to find.
Mexico Midget
One of my favorite reds- small and jewel like, you will be stunned with the production. Very sweet, almost candy like to me! My Daughter Karyn, who lives in Illinois, trialed this one (along with many others) and loved it. I believe this is mostly a wild strain. Seems everyone who visits the gardens here taste it and think it is amazing.
Yellow Plum (avail. 4-15)
Old heirloom with yellow somewhat pear shape fruit. 1-1/2" size in large clusters. Bright beautiful and sweet. This is a work horse in the garden. It just seemed to produce and produce on a rather small sized plant.
Bing Cherry (avail 4-15)
Beautiful marbled blue-red fruits that almost glow! Ripen to deep red with blue shadowed shoulders. Flavor and production are great.
Pink Snow (avail 4-15)
Pretty pink tinted grape style fruits- pink is rare in grape shaped tomatos. Nice, sweet flavor, borne in clusters. This is a remarkably strong growing plant. It just reeks of health all season in our garden.
Tess's Land Race (avail 4-15)
Tess is actually a close cousin of the typical garden tomato. In the class of Currant Tomatos, expect tons of tiny, super sweet little fruit. The plant looks slightly different too, softer and very rampant growing, almost like a vine. Usually the fruit will be red but occasionally, you will see yellow and pinks pop up. Fruit is produced on long, loose clusters. Be aware that this fruit is very delicate and prone to cracking after a rain storm. Big-time Chefs in fancy restaurants demand these for garnishes. Fun to grow, give one a try.
Purple Bumble Bee
This little cherry is unique. Overall, the color is dark- up close you will see swirls green and bronzish purple. It's flavor is kind of unique too, sweet but complex. Very pretty and fun to grow. Like most cherry types, you will have superb production. This one is popular at the market for us. Also one of my garden-snaking favorites! Seems no matter what, Purple Bumblebee always does a great job in the garden.
Hartmans Yellow Gooseberry
Holy cow, this thing can get huge! I had one a couple years ago that trailed 14 foot along the ground. If you want bucket loads of mid size yellow cherry tomatos, this one is for you. No cracking, strong plant, huge yield, pretty fruit, what's not to love? The flavor is mild and sweet. My customers are beginning to notice Hartmans for good reasons.
Yellow Submarine (avail. 4-15)
I haven't a clue where the "submarine" part comes into play BUT certainly if you want a yellow grape shaped cherry with outstanding flavor, you will want Yellow Submarine. A full flavored little firecracker. This is an excellent replacement for the horrid "Yellow Pear". Nearly impossible to find anymore, you should give this a try.
Pink Bumblebee
The name is as cute as the fruit! Truly stunning little fruit- bright pink with golden orange striping. When we grew this one for market, people ALWAYS went for it first! High, sweet flavor make this new variety a winner. Be sure to add at least one of the Bumblebees to your garden this year, you will be glad you did.
Chocolate Cherry
Deep rosy purple, sweet and juicy but with the old fashioned flavor many seek. Very elegant little cherry! This one always gets a lot of praise.
Frosted Green Doctors (avail 4-15)
hugely productive, green when fully ripe. The skin is translucent giving it a "frosted" appearance. For me, it took some trial and error to learn to pick at perfect ripeness but once you know, your in for a treat. The frosted form of this variety is near impossible to find.
Bumblebee Sunrise
Another great cherry in the Bumblebee series. Orangish yellow with light red striping and pinkish flesh. Like the other Bumblebees, it has been hugely productive and fun to grow. We totally love this one!
Cherry Roma
Cherry sized Romas!! I have seen these pop up in the grocery stores lately . Just the coolest little tomato I think. Heavy clusters of these little fruit will keep you well supplied.
Centiflor Orange (avail 4-15)
The centiflor trait, when you see it, really makes you do a double-take. What I am referring to is the cluster of flowers. We all know what the normal cluster looks like- perhaps 6 or so blossoms per stem. Picture a total bouquet of flowers per stem! Often a hundred or more- it is kind of amazing to see, at least to those of us who grow tomatos. Not every flower will set (the plant might crash to the ground with the weight of all those fruit!) but you will still get a huge cluster. This is a cross of the great Sungold and Centiflor Red. Vigor and a ton of tasty orange bite sized little cherries. What more can you ask for? BTW...there are a couple other Cherry types we grow that have the centiflor trait. I always forget which ones until I see them blooming each year. Arresting to see!
Toad Suck Toad (GREEN) (avail 4-15)
Ok, the name alone ought to make you want to put this in your garden! Developed by Double Helix Farms up in Conroe, Arkansas, this one was a surprise for us. A truly ugly color green, suiting its name well! What was interesting was that it is actually very good! The trick is to learn when to pick it. I was growing it down in Victoria while Lenny was growing it up in Elysian Fields. I picked mine, bit into it and I spit it right out with a couple curse words. I figured cool name or not, I will not offer this to my customers. When I got back home to Elysian Fields, Lenny had hers ready for a taste test. I made a face and said "No Thanks!". She could not believe that because she had been eating hers and loved them. So, I took a small bite and...WOW! It was very good! True, classic Tomato flavor leaning a bit on the sweet side. Turns out I had picked mine to early and I suspect I had been growing mine too dry (soil in Victoria is pure sand, like a kids sandbox). Her plants were huge, mine were a bit stunted looking. So, if you do not like it, wait a bit, and try again. All the sudden the flavor is terrific and very juicy! Average fruit size is about 3-4oz. with heavy production.
Mule Team (RED) (not avail 2020)
I like Mule Team. I like the name. I like the way it grows. I like the flavor. Can you tell I like it? Really, this old timer should be tried in your garden. I has a lot going for it. Big, bright red fruit (12 oz average in our trials) and strong, problem free growth makes it a super choice for people who like a traditional Tomato. I could easily see a person planting a whole row of these.
Marion (RED) (not avail 2020)
This is a good choice as a main crop tomato here in the South. Developed in Charleston, South Carolina, it has the ability to set a good crop of fruit in spite of heat and humidity. Expect a good solid crop of 7-8oz (pretty large) scarlet red Tomatos. This plant is rather large and needs sturdy support. Flavor is very good and it is a true multi purpose Tomato! Slice it, can it, toss it in a salad. You wont go wrong here.
Jet Star (RED) (not avail 2020)
I think that Jet Star was the very first Tomato I ever grew! Madonna, Michael Jackson and I were all young...sigh. Maybe I will mail one to one of my Grandkids. Ugh.
Anyway, Jet Star is a hybrid that was introduced in the 70's and has truly stood the test of time. Great production of slightly mild, large (around 8 oz) fruit on healthy plants will keep you happy! One of the things most people remember about Jet Star is the flavor. I have not offered Jet Star up until recently. Absolutely no excuse for this!
Early Girl (RED) (not avail 2020)
You all may notice this year I am growing a fair number of the "reliable", easily found varieties along with my usual over-the-top selections. Early Girl is one of these. An older hybrid, Early Girls' fans are legion. Lots of mid-sized bright red fruit on disease resistant plants. Also, of course, they tend to be one of the first to ripen in their class. Flavor is great too. No way it would have survived this long if all the above factors were not in place.
Black Russian (BLACKISH) (not avail 2020)
Black Russian is one of the now many "black" class Tomatos that are really catching on with foodies. The reasons for this are well known- as a group, they have a distinctive flavor, quite rich and full bodied- a bit hard to describe but really good. Black Russian is on the smaller side at about 4 oz.- a good size for salads where the rich deep brownish color can be appreciated. rather easy to grow, if you have not yet grown a "black", why not this one?
Oxheart (RED) (not avail 2020)
This the old time variety that has been grown and loved for a very long time. Large, heart shaped fruit with a lot of density and, of course, flavor! I remember Oxheart types from when I was a kid. A neighbor grew them and I was always intrigued by the "weird" shape of his tomatos!
Tropic (RED)
Here is a Tomato that along with some others on our list, just cant get any traction. I always suspect when that happens, it is the name that is a turn off. I must admit, the word "Tropic" just does not inspire me either! Here is the thing- this variety was developed by the University of Florida to withstand high disease pressure and humid heat. Guess what? That would be us. Large, about 8oz- along with thick, meaty walls, it has substance. In addition, it is very well flavored. It is balanced. Not to sharp, not to sweet. Possibly you have had some issues growing Tomatos in the past, give this one a shot- see what you think.
Boy oh Boy (RED)
This is a hybrid that I have never grown. New for us this year so I will hold back on any judgments. A light red, very large beefsteak type with good flavor is about all the information I can provide for now. Being a hybrid, you can assume it will be healthy with a lot of vigor. As a rule, those are traits of hybrids..stamina!
Yellow Perfection (avail 4-15)
A heavy producing yellow cherry that is nearly perfectly round- very bright color and a great addition to any salad. Like many yellow Tomatos, the flavor tends to be on the mild side- not to sweet, not to tart. Pretty and productive!
Principe Borghese (avail. 4-15)
This Cherry is most notable for the fact that it is a good choice for making your own sun dried Tomatos! Low in juice and high in flavor, this would make a fun project to try. Cut the fruit in half, place it on a screen and put in full Sun for a few days. Lots of directions on the internet. You can expect heavy production!
Cinnamon Pear (avail 4-15)
Red-brown pear shaped fruit is a fun addition to the pear class. Like all pear tomatos, you can assume you will have a great harvest of tasty little garden snacks!
Negro Azteca (avail 4-15)
Very rare black cherry tomato that will make you look twice! Mauvish-black fruit has a very complex and rich flavor- a trait that seems to be very typical in the "black" class of Tomatos. I did notice when grown down in the Victoria, Tx. area (I grow some down there too) it was somewhat more pinkish. Temperature often alters color of Tomatos.
Spoon (avail. 4-15)
A tiny, red Currant Tomato that was touted as the smallest ever. When grown against our collection of Currant Tomatos, it was no smaller than the others (though often touted as the smallest fruit) and tasted like sawdust with a drop of bat urine. I was going to discontinue it but, after a few years, my customers have asked me to continue with this one. Want to chance it?
Fargo Yellow Pear
This is a cross between ordinary yucky Yellow pear with Bison- a red, full flavored canning Tomato done back in 1934. This created Fargo- much larger, totally better flavored Yellow Pear. At about 1 oz, it is nearly twice as big as the detestable Yellow Pear we find for sale everywhere. Give this one a shot if you have always grown the one that tastes like dog fur(yellow Pear). I think you will like it better!
Ivory Pear (avail. 4-15)
Rare, pale, almost translucent ivory colored pear shaped tomatos. Expect heavy crops. Such a good, reliable producer of little gems. Strong plant too. This one always gets overlooked. Too bad- it is truly a nice variety and so hard to find.
Mexico Midget
One of my favorite reds- small and jewel like, you will be stunned with the production. Very sweet, almost candy like to me! My Daughter Karyn, who lives in Illinois, trialed this one (along with many others) and loved it. I believe this is mostly a wild strain. Seems everyone who visits the gardens here taste it and think it is amazing.
Yellow Plum (avail. 4-15)
Old heirloom with yellow somewhat pear shape fruit. 1-1/2" size in large clusters. Bright beautiful and sweet. This is a work horse in the garden. It just seemed to produce and produce on a rather small sized plant.
Bing Cherry (avail 4-15)
Beautiful marbled blue-red fruits that almost glow! Ripen to deep red with blue shadowed shoulders. Flavor and production are great.
Pink Snow (avail 4-15)
Pretty pink tinted grape style fruits- pink is rare in grape shaped tomatos. Nice, sweet flavor, borne in clusters. This is a remarkably strong growing plant. It just reeks of health all season in our garden.
Tess's Land Race (avail 4-15)
Tess is actually a close cousin of the typical garden tomato. In the class of Currant Tomatos, expect tons of tiny, super sweet little fruit. The plant looks slightly different too, softer and very rampant growing, almost like a vine. Usually the fruit will be red but occasionally, you will see yellow and pinks pop up. Fruit is produced on long, loose clusters. Be aware that this fruit is very delicate and prone to cracking after a rain storm. Big-time Chefs in fancy restaurants demand these for garnishes. Fun to grow, give one a try.
Purple Bumble Bee
This little cherry is unique. Overall, the color is dark- up close you will see swirls green and bronzish purple. It's flavor is kind of unique too, sweet but complex. Very pretty and fun to grow. Like most cherry types, you will have superb production. This one is popular at the market for us. Also one of my garden-snaking favorites! Seems no matter what, Purple Bumblebee always does a great job in the garden.
Hartmans Yellow Gooseberry
Holy cow, this thing can get huge! I had one a couple years ago that trailed 14 foot along the ground. If you want bucket loads of mid size yellow cherry tomatos, this one is for you. No cracking, strong plant, huge yield, pretty fruit, what's not to love? The flavor is mild and sweet. My customers are beginning to notice Hartmans for good reasons.
Yellow Submarine (avail. 4-15)
I haven't a clue where the "submarine" part comes into play BUT certainly if you want a yellow grape shaped cherry with outstanding flavor, you will want Yellow Submarine. A full flavored little firecracker. This is an excellent replacement for the horrid "Yellow Pear". Nearly impossible to find anymore, you should give this a try.
Pink Bumblebee
The name is as cute as the fruit! Truly stunning little fruit- bright pink with golden orange striping. When we grew this one for market, people ALWAYS went for it first! High, sweet flavor make this new variety a winner. Be sure to add at least one of the Bumblebees to your garden this year, you will be glad you did.
Chocolate Cherry
Deep rosy purple, sweet and juicy but with the old fashioned flavor many seek. Very elegant little cherry! This one always gets a lot of praise.
Frosted Green Doctors (avail 4-15)
hugely productive, green when fully ripe. The skin is translucent giving it a "frosted" appearance. For me, it took some trial and error to learn to pick at perfect ripeness but once you know, your in for a treat. The frosted form of this variety is near impossible to find.
Bumblebee Sunrise
Another great cherry in the Bumblebee series. Orangish yellow with light red striping and pinkish flesh. Like the other Bumblebees, it has been hugely productive and fun to grow. We totally love this one!
Cherry Roma
Cherry sized Romas!! I have seen these pop up in the grocery stores lately . Just the coolest little tomato I think. Heavy clusters of these little fruit will keep you well supplied.
Centiflor Orange (avail 4-15)
The centiflor trait, when you see it, really makes you do a double-take. What I am referring to is the cluster of flowers. We all know what the normal cluster looks like- perhaps 6 or so blossoms per stem. Picture a total bouquet of flowers per stem! Often a hundred or more- it is kind of amazing to see, at least to those of us who grow tomatos. Not every flower will set (the plant might crash to the ground with the weight of all those fruit!) but you will still get a huge cluster. This is a cross of the great Sungold and Centiflor Red. Vigor and a ton of tasty orange bite sized little cherries. What more can you ask for? BTW...there are a couple other Cherry types we grow that have the centiflor trait. I always forget which ones until I see them blooming each year. Arresting to see!
Toad Suck Toad (GREEN) (avail 4-15)
Ok, the name alone ought to make you want to put this in your garden! Developed by Double Helix Farms up in Conroe, Arkansas, this one was a surprise for us. A truly ugly color green, suiting its name well! What was interesting was that it is actually very good! The trick is to learn when to pick it. I was growing it down in Victoria while Lenny was growing it up in Elysian Fields. I picked mine, bit into it and I spit it right out with a couple curse words. I figured cool name or not, I will not offer this to my customers. When I got back home to Elysian Fields, Lenny had hers ready for a taste test. I made a face and said "No Thanks!". She could not believe that because she had been eating hers and loved them. So, I took a small bite and...WOW! It was very good! True, classic Tomato flavor leaning a bit on the sweet side. Turns out I had picked mine to early and I suspect I had been growing mine too dry (soil in Victoria is pure sand, like a kids sandbox). Her plants were huge, mine were a bit stunted looking. So, if you do not like it, wait a bit, and try again. All the sudden the flavor is terrific and very juicy! Average fruit size is about 3-4oz. with heavy production.
Mule Team (RED) (not avail 2020)
I like Mule Team. I like the name. I like the way it grows. I like the flavor. Can you tell I like it? Really, this old timer should be tried in your garden. I has a lot going for it. Big, bright red fruit (12 oz average in our trials) and strong, problem free growth makes it a super choice for people who like a traditional Tomato. I could easily see a person planting a whole row of these.
Marion (RED) (not avail 2020)
This is a good choice as a main crop tomato here in the South. Developed in Charleston, South Carolina, it has the ability to set a good crop of fruit in spite of heat and humidity. Expect a good solid crop of 7-8oz (pretty large) scarlet red Tomatos. This plant is rather large and needs sturdy support. Flavor is very good and it is a true multi purpose Tomato! Slice it, can it, toss it in a salad. You wont go wrong here.
Jet Star (RED) (not avail 2020)
I think that Jet Star was the very first Tomato I ever grew! Madonna, Michael Jackson and I were all young...sigh. Maybe I will mail one to one of my Grandkids. Ugh.
Anyway, Jet Star is a hybrid that was introduced in the 70's and has truly stood the test of time. Great production of slightly mild, large (around 8 oz) fruit on healthy plants will keep you happy! One of the things most people remember about Jet Star is the flavor. I have not offered Jet Star up until recently. Absolutely no excuse for this!
Early Girl (RED) (not avail 2020)
You all may notice this year I am growing a fair number of the "reliable", easily found varieties along with my usual over-the-top selections. Early Girl is one of these. An older hybrid, Early Girls' fans are legion. Lots of mid-sized bright red fruit on disease resistant plants. Also, of course, they tend to be one of the first to ripen in their class. Flavor is great too. No way it would have survived this long if all the above factors were not in place.
Black Russian (BLACKISH) (not avail 2020)
Black Russian is one of the now many "black" class Tomatos that are really catching on with foodies. The reasons for this are well known- as a group, they have a distinctive flavor, quite rich and full bodied- a bit hard to describe but really good. Black Russian is on the smaller side at about 4 oz.- a good size for salads where the rich deep brownish color can be appreciated. rather easy to grow, if you have not yet grown a "black", why not this one?
Oxheart (RED) (not avail 2020)
This the old time variety that has been grown and loved for a very long time. Large, heart shaped fruit with a lot of density and, of course, flavor! I remember Oxheart types from when I was a kid. A neighbor grew them and I was always intrigued by the "weird" shape of his tomatos!
Tropic (RED)
Here is a Tomato that along with some others on our list, just cant get any traction. I always suspect when that happens, it is the name that is a turn off. I must admit, the word "Tropic" just does not inspire me either! Here is the thing- this variety was developed by the University of Florida to withstand high disease pressure and humid heat. Guess what? That would be us. Large, about 8oz- along with thick, meaty walls, it has substance. In addition, it is very well flavored. It is balanced. Not to sharp, not to sweet. Possibly you have had some issues growing Tomatos in the past, give this one a shot- see what you think.
Boy oh Boy (RED)
This is a hybrid that I have never grown. New for us this year so I will hold back on any judgments. A light red, very large beefsteak type with good flavor is about all the information I can provide for now. Being a hybrid, you can assume it will be healthy with a lot of vigor. As a rule, those are traits of hybrids..stamina!
