I don’t think there’s a vegetable gardener in the world that doesn’t love tomatoes- and rightly so! They are one of the most tasty, versatile and all-round fabulous food plants to grow. With the main growing season coming up here in the subtropics and the northern hemisphere, it’s time to think about what to sow. I’ve found 5 new exotic tomato varieties to try that you might like too!
If you’re new to gardening or new to growing tomatoes, don’t be scared. These varieties grow just as easily as the common types. All these varieties have the usual tomato growing conditions. So, germination in 5-10 days at 21-27 degrees C (75-95 F), space the plants 12-20″ apart, indeterminates need to be staked, maintain even soil moisture, grow in well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter in full sun. Remember to check whether they are determinate or indeterminate; this is important because it governs where you can place the plants and whether they’ll need staking.
Tomatoes have been around for many hundreds of years, and there are more than 10 000 varieties in existence today. Boutique producers in America like Wild Boar Farms are now strongly focussed on development of new varieties and release new strains every season. While Australian residents cannot purchase any tomato seed online from overseas due to quarantine regulations, various Australian seed companies are now offering us some of these exotic tomato varieties. Here are 5 that I’ll be growing this season.
Pepper-Like Stripe
- Variety name – pepper-like stripe
- Habit- determinate
- Where to grow- anywhere; pots, containers, raised beds or in the ground
- Fruit size- small to medium, 20-120 grams
- Plant height- up to 2′
- Yield- heavy cropper
- Notes- much like a roma tomato on the inside, not much juice. Makes an excellent slicer.
Striped Antho
- Variety name- striped antho
- Habit- determinate
- Where to grow- anywhere. Pots, containers, raised beds or in the ground
- Fruit size- small to medium, approx. 100 grams
- Plant height- up to 2.5′
- Yield- gradual cropper, typical of heirlooms
- Notes- The purple blush on the skin indicates an abundance of anthocyanins, hence the name ‘antho’. This tomato is reputed to taste earthy and sweet.
Aunt Ruby’s German Green
- Variety name- aunt Ruby’s German green
- Habit- indeterminate
- Where to grow- anywhere you can provide a strong trellis. Indeterminate tomatoes need firm support.
- Fruit size- large, beefsteak type, up to 500 grams
- Plant height- indeterminate, so it just keeps growing. Can easily go over 10′
- Yield- gradual cropper, typical of large-fruiting heirlooms
- Notes- this tomato is green when ripe and readiness is indicated by a softening of the flesh. Flavour is said to be sweet, fruity and slightly sharp.
Black Beauty
- Variety name- black beauty
- Habit- indeterminate
- Where to grow- anywhere you can provide a strong trellis. Indeterminate tomatoes need firm support.
- Fruit size- large, 300-400 grams
- Plant height- indeterminate, so it just keeps growing. Can easily go over 10′
- Yield- gradual cropper, typical of large-fruiting heirlooms. 9-11kg per plant (20-25 pounds)
- Notes- The more sun they get, the darker the tomato will be. Said to be the best-tasting tomato EVER, which is improved even further by storing at room temperature. Black tomatoes have been around for more than a century & are a natural variation that first occured in the Ukraine.
Dr. Wyche’s
- Variety name- Dr. Wyche’s yellow
- Habit- indeterminate
- Where to grow- anywhere you can provide a strong trellis. Indeterminate tomatoes need firm support.
- Fruit size- large, beefsteak type, 400-700 grams
- Plant height- indeterminate, so it just keeps growing. Can easily go over 10′
- Yield- average. Gradual cropper, typical of large-fruiting heirlooms.
- Notes- superlative taste, don’t be fooled by the colour. I grew this one last year and it was by far the best variety in my garden.
There are so many exciting exotic tomato varieties to try, you’ll be needing more garden beds, right? Right! Not to worry, if you grow too many you can always preserve them!
