Tomato Varieties for 2023
Tomato Varieties for 2023
Tomato plants are a must-have in any British garden or greenhouse. Whilst most of my greenhouse is reserved for chilli plants, but I do enjoy a little cherry tomato as a little greenhouse treat and this year I’ve decided to expand my selection.
With so many varieties to choose from, it can be tough to know where to start. But, I've done the hard work for you and picked out the best of the best in terms of sweetness, yield and outdoor growth reliability, and a few old favourites that are always popular. Like our chilli plugs, all the tomatoes are early starters so you can extend your growing season and get the best crop possible. Why not join me on this year's gardening adventure by adding some delicious tomatoes to the mix.
There’s still a 10% pre-order discount on all plugs and plants but you can get an extra 5% off with the promo code January15. If you’ve already pre-ordered and would like to add some tomatoes, add a note to ‘comments’ at checkout with your previous order number or postcode and I’ll combine the orders and refund the extra p&p.
Super Fruiters
Sweet Million
Indeterminate - highly productive, with large vines of small cherry with extremely sweet flavour, great for snacking and salads
Sweet Million is a popular variety of cherry tomato that is known for its sweet, fruity flavour and attractive, red colour. It is a small, round tomato with a thin skin and a juicy, flavourful flesh. The plants are compact and easy to grow, producing high yields of sweet, flavourful fruit.
The flavour of Sweet Million tomatoes is often described as sweet and tropical, with notes of citrus and melon. They are a popular choice for snacking, adding to salads, or using as a garnish due to their sweet and flavourful flesh.
Sakura
Indeterminate - The Sakura tomato is definitely a conversation-worthy variety. This small, round tomato boasts a vibrant pinkish-red skin and a sweet, juicy flesh; a bit of a tomato work-of-art in terms of both its appearance and its flavour.
Sakura is also popular because it is a heavy cropper that produce an abundance of small, flavourful tomatoes over the duration of the summer. So, if you're a fan of fresh tomatoes and want a steady supply throughout the growing season, the Sakura tomato might be a good choice.
Sakura tomatoes are fairly adaptable and can thrive in a variety of climates and soil types. However, like most tomatoes, they do best in a sunny spot with well-draining soil.
Tomatoberry
Indeterminate; exceedingly heavy cropper of sweet, strawberry-shaped fruit, early to mature, all round winner.
Tomatoberry is an unusual and eye-catching variety that consistently pulls out all the stops. It starts producing fruits very early in the season, growing long trusses of sweet, tangy fruits that are the shape of strawberries and the size of large cherry tomatoes.
Plants can grow large if not kept pruned and can be trained over a trellis. If allowed to grow to full size, plants can produce 5-9kg fruits each.
Plants will produce a reasonable crop of fruits outdoors in the UK but they really thrive under glass.
Outdoor Toms
Tumbling Tom
Determinate, compact, good for outdoor growth. Tumbling Tom tomatoes are a popular variety of cherry tomato that is known for its compact size and trailing habit.
This makes them an excellent choice for growing in hanging baskets, pots, and small spaces. Tumbling Tom tomatoes are also easy to care for and are resistant to many common tomato diseases.
Tumbling Toms are a favourite in the UK for growing outdoors, the small size fruit grows and ripens quickly, making it ideal for changeable weather conditions that could otherwise cause split or unripened fruit.
Overall, Tumbling Tom tomatoes are a great choice for gardeners with limited space, or those looking for a low-maintenance plant that produces an abundance of flavourful fruit.
Cherry Falls
Indeterminate; a great choice for any gardener that's looking to grow outdoor tomatoes and wants a patio full of juicy cherry-sized fruits all summer long.
Cherry Falls tomatoes are a reliable and high-yielding variety of cherry tomato with a sweet flesh and bright-red skin. Like most Indeterminate varieties, they are hassle-free and easy to grow. A super versatile tom they can find their way into a variety of dishes as well as great in salads, or for snacking on.
Cherry Falls is an excellent choice for growing tomatoes outdoor in the UK, doing well even in the northern regions. Plants are tidy little bushes that grow to a height of no more than 20cm, but will train down 3 or 4 times.
Red Alert
Indeterminate, outdoor tomato variety with a health packed, super-doper red colour and great tasting fruit. An easy to grow tomato variety that is more than welcome on any patio or sunny space
This small to medium-sized tomato variety with a sweet, tangy flesh is also known for its high yields. It’s also a good choice for preserving, as it holds its shape and texture well, perfect if you plan to make sauces that you can freeze for use in the later in the year.
One of the special qualities of Red Alert is its super red colour; the result of high levels of the antioxidant, lycopene. Lycopene is what gives many fruits and vegetables their deep red colours and which brings with it a number of health benefits. A powerful natural antioxidant lycopene remains effective even when cooked.
Old Favourites
Gardener's Delight
Determinate - A small, red cherry tomato with a sweet, tangy flavour. One of the main reasons to grow Gardener's Delight tomatoes is that they are reliable and have a top-notch tomato taste. They are also a versatile tomato, ideal for salads, sandwiches and other dishes.
In addition to their taste and versatility, Gardener's Delight are relatively easy to grow. As a determinate variety, they will grow to a certain size and then stop, making them easier to manage in the greenhouse. They are also resistant to many common tomato diseases, such as blight and wilt.
Overall, Gardener's Delight tomatoes are a classic choice for gardeners, a timeless variety that reliably delivers.
Super Marmande
Indeterminate - A medium-sized, beefsteak tomato with a rich, spicy flavour and a deep red skin. This variety is prized for its excellent flavour and good disease resistance.
This is the classic beef steak tom with a round, flattened shape and a slightly ribbed skin. With the right conditions, the plants are vigorous and productive.
The number one reason to grow Super Marmande tomatoes is taste. They have a rich flavour that is perfect for adding to sandwiches, salads, and other dishes. They also preserve well. A super-doper versatile tomato, they can also be roasted, grilled, or used in sauces and soups.
San Marzano
Determinate - A long, slender plum tomato with a sweet, rich flavour and a bright red skin. This variety is known for its excellent flavour and good disease resistance.
San Marzano tomatoes are a type of tomato that originated in the town of San Marzano sul Sarno, near Naples, Italy. They are considered by many to be the best tomatoes for making pasta sauce because of their sweet and slightly tangy flavour, and their firm, meaty flesh that breaks down easily when cooked.
One of the main reasons to grow San Marzano tomatoes is their taste. They have a rich, complex flavour that is perfect for making a variety of dishes, from pasta sauce to salsa to tomato soup. In addition to being used in a variety of dishes, they can also be used as a garnish or in salads.
Little Sweeties
Sungold
Indeterminate – A cheeky small, round cherry tomato with a sweet, almost tropical flavour and a golden-orange skin. It’s also a high yielder. Brix Rating: 9.3
Sungold tomato plants are compact and easy to grow, making them a good choice for gardeners or anyone with limited space.
One of the main reasons to grow Sungold tomatoes is their unique taste. The extra sweetness they have makes them good for snacking, adding to salads, or using as a garnish.
In addition to being used fresh, they can also be roasted, grilled, or used in sauces and soups. They are often a big hitter with kids too. They are also preserve well, as they hold their shape and texture.
Sun Cherry
Indeterminate; Extremely high yielding hybrid variety of cherry tomatoes with a high sugar content. Brix rating, 9.2
Suncherry is a fantastic all rounder, no need to compromise on flavour, sweetness or productivity and the variety has been awarded an RHS Award of Graden Merit in recognition of this.
The variety is extremely impressive, producing large trusses with up to 30 fruits on each. It can be grown outside but prefers the shelter of a greenhouse to reach its full potential.
The Brix Rating is a measure of sweetness, giving a percentage of sugar content as a percentage of total weight, with the sweetest of tomatoes ranging from 6.0 to 10.00, meaning that Suncherry comes in at the sweeter end of the sweetest with a 9.2 Brix rating.
Floridity
Indeterminate; Highly productive variety with supersweet little plum tomatoes growing in large trusses of up to 35 fruits. Brix rating 9.5.
Floridity is a very impressive variety that scores highly on all fronts; it is fairly easy to grow, succeeding outdoors but really thriving under glass. It starts fruiting fairly early and keeps on going. Plants produce large trusses of up to 35 small plum-like tomatoes. Fruits have a good, strong flavour and an exceptionally high sugar content, making them great for salads or snacking tomatoes.
Sweeter varieties of tomatoes, for the most part cherries and grape varieties, range from about 6-10 on the Brix scale. Floridity is one of the highest scoring of all tomatoes with an impressive 9.5 rating. It doesn’t get much sweeter.
Plant Early for a Big Harvest
Remember: Chillies are TropicalBy getting your chilli plugs and plants early rom World of Chillies you can effectively DOUBLE your fruiting season.
Small plugs bought in late April will struggle to deliver. By buying chilli plugs from us in February or March (which have been grown with supplementary light and heat), you could begin cropping as early as June and have a huge harvest from giant plants by September.
You might be able to buy chilli plugs cheaper elsewhere, but its might turn out to be a false economy. When it comes to growing chillies in the UK, the earlier you start the bigger the crop. It's simply a fact of nature.
World of Chillies was set up by Sarah Hunt in 2011 to promote chilli growing and the enjoyment of everything hot and spicy.
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Indeterminate Variety
indeterminate tomato plants continue to grow and produce fruit until the end of the growing season, rather than stopping at a certain size like the determinate varieties. As a result, they may require more staking and pruning to keep them under control.
Determinate Variety
Determinate tomatoes are typically smaller and more compact than indeterminate varieties, which makes them easier to manage in the garden. They do not require as much staking and pruning as indeterminate tomatoes.