Tomato Varieties for 2013

These are the varieties we have for sale in 2013. We are already planning our tomatoes for 2014. If you have any suggestions for 2014 please let us know.

Bush Varieties

Burwood Prize 

Fruit: Scarlet, red slightly flattened fruit 5 to 7cm across. Nice tomato flavour.

Growth Habit: . Bush grows to 75cm high, has a potato leaf and is quick to mature. Prolific producer.

Uses:  Sandwiches, cooking and salads. 

Other: Australian Heirloom introduced in 1900. Developed by the Victorian Department of Agriculture. Well suited to Australian conditions.

Availability: We have 1 sowing of Burwood Prize and they are available mid to late November. Please check the blog for details.

Florida Basket

Fruit: Red plum shaped sweet cherry tomato. Heavy producers.
Growth Habit: Short and spreading. Florida Baskets were developed for use in hanging baskets and containers. They only grow to about 20cm tall but will spread out and grow down the sides of containers. 50-70 days to fruit from transplant. 
Uses:  Great for limited spaces. Good snacking tomato and good for pizzas and salads
Availability: Florida Baskets are available in September and October only.

Mary Italian

Fruit: Red Beefsteak to 10cm across with excellent flavour.
Growth Habit: Bush. Early variety. 40-50 days to fruiting from transplant.
Uses: Versatile. Snacking, sauces and salads
Other: American Heirloom possibly of Italian descent
Availability: We have 3 more sowings of Mary Italian. They should be available in October and then once more late November. Please check the blog for details.

Napoli Paste

Fruit: Deep red, pear shaped fruit slightly larger than a big cherry tomato with an exellent, tangy acid flavour
Growth Habit: High yielding
Uses:  Italian paste variety. Good for sauces, paste, canning, freezing and cooking.
Availability: Should be available from mid November to mid December. Please check the blog for details.

Roma

Fruit: Red oblong fleshy fruit with slightly thicker skin and fewer seeds that other tomatoes. These tomatoes also tend to be heavy for their size
Growth Habit: Bush to about 1m high. Likely to require some support in part due to the weight of the fruit. 80 days to maturity. Prolific grower with no disease problems.
Uses: Romas are ideal for making sauces and canning. They produce large volumes of fruit in a short period. 
Other: Easy to grow and more disease resistant than most tomatoes. Very productive.

Availability: October to December. However it is a popular variety and tends to sell out. Please watch the blog for more details.

Tiny Tim

Fruit: Small, sweet, red round fruit 2-3cm across
Growth Habit: Bush to 50cm high. Ornamental and high yielding
Uses: Great for containers or small areas. Fruit good for snacking and salads
Other: This variety dates back to 1945. Often grown for and by children.
Availability: Throughout the season. Please see the blog for exact dates.

Climbing Tomatoes

Black Krim

Fruit: Large (to 9cm across), red/purple coloured fruit with green shoulders. Juicy green tinted flesh with a slight saltiness. An outstanding, full flavoured tomato. This is a variety that we have personally had a lot of success and enjoy.
Growth Habit: To 150cm. Very hardy variety that tolerates cold  and producers over a long period. 60 to 90 days from transplant to fruit. Yields well and early.
Uses: Salads, sandwiches and cooking.
Other: Heirloom variety from the Russian island of Krim in the Black Sea.
Availability: Black Krim is available throughout the season

Black Russian

Fruit: Round, reddish-black coloured with dark purple stripes, medium sized fruit 4-6cm across with smooth thin skin and dark flesh. Beefsteak type with excellent flavour - reputed to be one of the best tasting black tomatoes.
Growth Habit: Compact plant - semi climbing. Thrives under cool growing conditions, but does well in all areas. Highly disease resistant. Fast producer only 69 to 100 days to harvest
Uses:  Excellent for eating fresh in salads or cooked
Other: Russian Heirloom
Availability: We have 1 sowing of Black Russian Tomatoes that should be ready in December. Please watch the blog for more the actual date.

Gardeners Delight

Fruit: Red, cherries with a great flavour. Very sweet tomatoes. Fruit grows on support structure.
Growth Habit: Reliable and prolific tomato plant. Vine grows to around 2m. 55 to 68 days from transplant to harvest.
Uses: Snacking and salads.
Other:Also known as Sugar Lump.
Availability: Gardeners Delight will be available until end November. Please check the blog for details.

Moneymaker

Fruit: Scarlet red, round fruit with thin skin. Fruit  to 115g with great flavour.
Growth Habit: Vigorous plant with high yields (hence the name!).Sets well in all types of weather. Easy to grow with only 70 to 85 from transplant to fruit. Robust and copes with humidity.
Uses: Eating. Sandwiches and salads.
Other: English heirloom dating to earlier than the 1920s. Peter Cundall's pick for shape and flavour.
Availability: Moneymakers are available late October to very early December. Please check the blog for details.

Oxheart Yellow

Fruit: Yellow/orange, solid, heart shaped fruit with thick flesh. Excellent flavour. Sweet.
Growth Habit: Good variety for cooler areas; but does well in all areas. 80-90 days. Vigorous and very productive
Uses: Great in salads. 
Availability: Should be available late November and in December

Rouge de Marmande

Fruit: Large flat, ribbed fruit with excellent flavour.
Growth Habit: Vigorous bush - requires staking. Resistant to disease. 60-100 days. Sets fruit well in cooler climates. Spreading growth habit so give extra room.
Uses:  Pasta sauces and stuffing. 
Other: Heirloom dating back to early 1900's. Dates back to 1925. 
Availability: Rouge de Marmande should be available in mid November. Please check the Blog for exact dates.

San Marzano

Fruit: Medium, pear shaped, intensely red fruit to 10cm long, Stores well; 
Growth Habit: produced in clusters on large, climbing vines. crack resistant. 70 to 90 days from transplant to harvest.
Uses:  Ideal for preserving or making pastes and sauces due to its high solids and rich flavour.
Other: Gourmet Italian heirloom tomato also known as 'Italian Canner'. Commonly thought to be the best paste tomato.
Availability: San Marzano is available in November. Please check the blog for exact dates.

Snow White

Fruit: Yellow cherry that is almost white. Unlike most white tomatoes it has a real tomato taste. Ripens to a very pale yellow with slight orange tinge on maturity. Sweet and tasty.
Growth Habit: Large vigorous plant to 2m. Will spread so give plenty of room. Needs trellising
Uses:  Snacking and salads
Availability: We had problems getting Snow White seeds this year so we only have 1 sowing of the popular and yummy tomato. It should be available in November.

Tasmanian Yellow

Fruit: Large bright yellow beefsteak type fruit to 13cm across and weighs up to 500g. Very sweet, slightly fruity firm flesh with lots of seed cavities. 
Growth Habit: Climbing. 80-90 till fruit.
Uses:  Salads, slicing, sauces and grilling
Availability: Available in late december