Deciding what tomatoes to grow in Salt Lake City

Growing tomatoes in Salt Lake City. What works well? What tastes good? Hybrid or heirloom? So many questions, so many thousands to choose from. I went with a few hybrids and a few heirlooms this year. My goal is to decide what is worth planting again next year and what will be banished from the garden forever.  I only have three 4' x 8' garden boxes, so space is very limited. Most of the heirlooms were grown from seed from tomatoes that I purchased at the Salt Lake City farmer's market. It's easy to save seeds - just google it. Below are pictures of tomatoes next to a marble so you can get an idea of size. Also listed is the date they when first picked, where I got the seed, and the thumbs up or down.

Pineapple - heirloom

First picked August 8

Grown from seeds I saved from last year.

This is the largest tomato from our garden so far. It is huge, it's beautiful, and it has great, sweet flavor. The orange/yellow tomato is brushed with green on top and red on the bottom. The red marbles up into the flesh for a beautiful sandwich slice. I'll plant this again next year.

Japanese Trifele - heirloom

First picked July 27th

Purchased a seedling from Wasatch Gardens

I was really excited about this tomato and it hasn't been a disappointment. The plant has a ton of fruit. The coloring and flavor are similar to the Purple Cherokee, but the shape is different. The flavor great and it makes a beautiful sauce.

Purple Cherokee - heirloom

First picked July 29th

Grown from seeds saved from a tomato I bought at the farmer's market.

This is the tomato that started this all for me. It's absolutely gorgeous with a violet red  and green shouldered skin and a deep violet red flesh. The flavor is rich with just the right mix of sweet and tang. This will always be in my garden.

Big Zebra - heirloom

First pick July 29th

Grown from seeds saved from a tomato I bought at the farmer's market.

I wasn't impressed with the flavor, it seemed a little bland. My wife thought it was great though, and insisted that I grow these again next year.

Beefsteak - hybrid

First pick July 29th

Grown from seeds purchased at Smith's grocery store.

 Good all-around tomato. I planted this in hopes of getting a lot of tomatoes, but it hasn't really been that productive. The flavor is good, but nothing spectacular. I will replace it with something else a little more interesting next year.

Orange Icicle - Heirloom

First picked August 4

Grown from seed purchased from rareseeds.com

This tomato surprised me with its pastel orange color. It has a light, sweet fruity flavor. The plant has produced a good amount and is indeterminate.  I can't wait to get enough of these to make some sauce. It will be in my garden next year.

 Black Zebra - heirloom

First Picked July 27

Planted from saved seed.

This is one of the most beautiful tomatoes in the garden. It is a rich red/purple covered with deep green. The flavor isn't bad, but it's not spectacular. The plant has produced a lot of fruit. I haven't yet decided if this will be in the garden next year.

Zapotek - heirloom

First picked July 29

Planted from saved seed

I love this tomato. The ribs make it so different than what people are used to and it's always a hit at family parties.  It looks incredible when it is sliced up too. The flavor is solid. The one downside is the plant hasn't produced a lot of fruit. This year's zapoteks are also about half the size of what I grew last year, and I'm not sure why.

Viva Italia Roma - hybrid

First picked July 29th

Planted from seed I bought at Smith's

Romas have less juice and seed than round tomatoes, which makes this a great tomato for making sauce.  The plant is determinate, so it  only grows about three feet high and most of the tomatoes ripen at the same time. The plant produces a lot of fruit. As much as I like heirlooms, this is a staple in my garden because of the number of tomatoes.

Roman Candle or Yellow Roma - heirloom

First picked July 27th

Planted from saved seed.

This is a gorgeous tomato that make beautiful sauce. My wife says it tastes good, but I say it lacks flavor. For that reason, it won't be a part of the garden next year.

Hamson DX 52-12  - hybrid

First picked July 23rd

Planted from seed

This tomato was developed by a gentleman named Hamson specifically for growing in Utah. Some people love it and can't say enough good about it. I am underwhelmed. The flavor is light and sweet, without any tang. Pretty much all of the tomatoes on the vine have cracked, and it hasn't produced what I expected. Maybe my expectations were too high. My brother-in-law, who lives in an area with sandy soil (I have clay soil), is one who raves about them. They won't be in my garden next year.

Jaune Flamme - heirloom

First picked July 19
Grown from seed I saved from a tomato I bought at the farmer's market last year.

This should be a standard for any garden. The orange tomatoes are sweet and tangy and perfect for eating raw. The plant produces a lot and all of the fruit are a similar small/medium globe. I will be planting this next year and every year after that.

Red Currant Tomato - heirloom

First picked July 17
Grown from seed I saved from last year.

I plant this tomato away from all of the others and surrounded by a five foot cage. The plant gets huge, and is covered with these tiny little tomatoes that are really sweet if you let them ripen long enough (it's tempting to eat them as soon as they turn red, but I would recommend waiting a couple of more days).  These are great for tacos or salads. I'll be planting a different variety of currant tomato next year just to try something different.

Black Cherry - heirloom

First picked July 17th
Grown from seed I saved from last year.

This is my favorite tomato to pick and put directly into my mouth. When completely ripe, the flavor is rich and sweet. They are a beautiful purple color and a little bit larger than the other cherry tomatoes I have grown. This is another one that will always be a part of my garden.

Principe Borghese

First Pick July 18th

Seedling purchased from Wasatch gardens.

The flavor of this little guy isn't that great when eaten fresh. It's a bit bland and a bit sour. These tomatoes are known for how good they are when dried. There are a lot of them on the plant. I'll try drying them and then decide if they will be in the garden next year.

Early Girl - hybrid

Bought the seeds at Smith's.

First picked July 17

Good flavor and all around tomato. Arrived early as promised by its name. It will be a part of next year's garden. This one became the summer's first caprese sandwich.

 Sweet 100 - hybrid

First picked July 3

Seeds came from Smith's

Great little tomato that produces early. Very sweet and perfect for salad or munching. Next year I will be replacing these with an heirloom variety cherry tomato just to try something new.

 

Black Plum - heirloom

Purchase seedling from the Wasatch Garden plant sale

First pick July 7

Delicious little tomato with a bit of sweet and a bit of tang. Lots of fruit growing on the vine. It will be part of next year's garden.

Red Plum - heirloom

Gift from a friend

First pick July 7

A little bit too tart for my liking, without much flavor. There is a ton of fruit on the vine, so I hope I grow to like it. Won't be a part of the garden in the future.