Grow These 7 Delicious Tomatoes in Your Home Garden

ByKatie

Inside: For the most flavorful tomatoes to grow, try varieties like Black Krim, Brandy Boy, Sungold, and Cherokee Purple. Other crowd-pleasing favorites include Pink Brandywine, San Marzano, and Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes.

I’ve grown tomatoes for years, and I am… picky. Some look beautiful but taste like nothing, bred more for easy growing than great flavor. I don’t play favorites between heirloom and hybrids; some of the best-tasting ones are hybrids!

A close-up of a large, dark maroon and green heirloom tomato with a slightly flattened shape, showing water droplets on its surface, resting on a white ceramic plate.

Black Krim

Black Krim is an heirloom from the Black Sea. Dark, almost black skin, deep red flesh, and amazing flavor. Slice it for sandwiches or mix it up with other varieties for a beautiful Caprese salad.

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Two bright red Brandy Boy tomatoes with smooth skin and slight stem scars, placed on a striped kitchen towel, displaying a slightly ribbed and plump appearance.

Brandy Boy

If you want the perfect slicing tomato, Brandy Boy is it. It’s a cross between Brandywine and Better Boy, so you get the best of both—juicy, meaty, and just the right amount of sweetness. Holds up great in a BLT, on a burger, or just with a little salt.

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A close-up of small, vibrant orange Sun Gold cherry tomatoes growing on a vine, with a few unripe green tomatoes in the background, showing off their round shape and delicate stems.

Sungold

Sungold cherry tomatoes are super super sweet. They crack easily, which is why you won’t see them in stores, but that just means more for your garden. We love them tossed with buttered pasta for the simplest summer dinner ever.

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A pile of Cherokee Purple tomatoes, showing their distinct deep reddish-purple color with hints of green at the shoulders, stacked together in a market display.

Cherokee Purple

Cherokee Purple has my heart. That deep purple skin with green shoulders looks gorgeous, but the flavor is what makes it. So good you’ll want to eat it straight off the cutting board.

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Brandywine Pink

An old-fashioned favorite for a reason. Big, pink, and packed with that classic homegrown tomato flavor. Slice it thick, sprinkle on some salt, and you’re set.

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A cluster of elongated San Marzano tomatoes hanging on the vine, surrounded by lush green leaves, showcasing their bright red color and signature oblong shape.

San Marzano

If you love homemade tomato sauce, San Marzanos are a must. These Italian plum tomatoes are rich, sweet, and low on seeds. Perfect for marinara, tomato soup, or pizza sauce.

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A cluster of bright red Super Sweet cherry tomatoes hanging from a vine, with a few tomatoes in various stages of ripeness, nestled among green foliage in a garden setting.

Sweet 100

If you want a never-ending supply of sweet, snackable cherry tomatoes, Sweet 100 is the way to go. Super sweet, super juicy.

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Tomato Growing Tips

Some of these tomatoes have a reputation for being finicky. They’ll need a little more attention that your average Big Boy from the hardware store. (Except for both of the cherry varieties, which are super easy.)

  • Give Them Plenty of Sun. Tomatoes need sun and there’s no way around it. Pick the sunniest spot in your garden, away from shade and competing plants.
  • Don’t Overwater. Tomatoes like moisture, but too much water makes them bland and watery. Keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy by watering deeply and less often. Let the top layer dry out a bit between waterings to encourage deep roots and richer flavor.
  • Fertilization Is Worth the Effort. Tomatoes are hungry plants. Before planting, mix in compost or well-rotted manure to give them a strong start. During the season, use a tomato-specific fertilizer to keep them growing strong. (I like Tomato-Tone).

If pests are bothering your tomatoes, pick them as soon their color turns and let them ripen fully inside.

Balancing Out Tomato Varieties

I should not that I don’t only grow these varieties, they’re just the ones I think taste the best. I also grow a ton of tomatoes specifically for canning. (San Marzano’s aren’t productive enough for me to have enough simple things like diced tomatoes etc. for the whole year.)

I also love Celebrity as a trouble free slicer and I grow that every year.

Some Favorite Tomato Recipes

If you’re growing them, enjoy them! These are some of the best things about summer.

Great tomatoes don’t just happen—they need sun, good soil, and a little patience. Pick the right varieties, take care of them, and you’ll never settle for bland grocery store tomatoes again. Enjoy!

a six image collage of different varieties of tomatoes. to grow at home.

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By Katie Shaw

picture of smiling female

Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.

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