I’m overwhelmed by all the varieties of heirloom tomatoes I see in the Baker Creek catalog. I have no idea which ones to grow; can you point me in the right direction?
It’s pretty easy: just order one packet of each and you can’t go wrong. Even though I’m joking, I’d love to do that some year if I could find a place to grow them all out.
The real answer to your question is to carefully read the descriptions of each variety. Part of the selection process is what strikes you in a name, color or form of a tomato, but also consider varieties which have been adapted to your area and climatic conditions.
Ask friends, or log onto one of the many gardening forums available on the web. You could spend days at idigmygarden.com discussing the wonders of heirloom tomatoes.
And really, have you ever had a garden tomato you didn’t like?
Doug is the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Backyard Gardener and co-host of The Organic Gardeners radio program on KDKA.