What Are Heirloom Tomatoes?

Plants that have been passed down through the generations are referred to as “heirlooms.” In certain cases, they may have been handed down from generation to generation in the early days of commercial breeding (at least 50 years ago). The finest fruits’ seeds are saved by farmers and used to plant more. As a result, heirloom cultivars are essentially genetically similar to the progenitors they descended from, some of which date back more than a century.

When it comes to the plant world, heirlooms are like purebred dogs, whereas hybrids are like your golden doodles, Labradoodles, and cockapoos.

Reader Poll: What online courses would interest you?

Open-pollination is the process by which pollen is delivered by bees, other insects, birds, wind, water, or other methods to self- or cross-pollinate heirloom plants. As a result of the lack of human involvement, the seeds will grow seedlings that retain as many features as possible of their parent plant. this

Open-pollination doesn’t signify an heirloom merely because it’s a result of this method of reproduction. However, open-pollinated plants may not all be heirlooms, and heirlooms may not all be open-pollinated.

Varieties Of Heirloom Tomatoes

Heirloom tomatoes come in a variety of colors, including green, yellow, orange, deep red, purple, and even brown. You’ll find little, smooth ones as well as huge, bumpy, and asymmetrical ones.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

To be sure, this list does not include every single variety of heirloom tomatoes. In terms of popularity, these are the ten most sought-after heritage tomato breeds.

1.   Amana Orange:

Light orange beefsteak tomatoes with a tropical taste are named after the Amana Colonies in Iowa, which were established in the late 19th century. A two-pound specimen is possible.

See also  How to Support Tomato Plants: 5 Tips and Tricks for Bigger and Easier Harvests

2. Azoychka:

Azoychka is a Russian heritage tomato variety that yields an abundance of smooth, yellow-orange tomatoes. They are characterized as having a taste that is sweet, fruity, and zest

3. Sunset’s Red Horizon:

Southwestern Russia’s Sunset’s Red Horizon is a beefsteak tomato variety that has a meaty flesh and a robust tomato taste.

4. Black Krim:

In honor of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, this ancestral beefsteak type is known as Black Krim.

5. Brandywine Sudduth:

Tomato growers that use the Brandywine Sudduth strain (named after Mrs. Sudduth of Tennessee, who stored these seeds in her family for almost 80 years before sharing them with a tomato farmer) get a huge, pinkish-red tomato plant from this heritage variety. Many people consider this strain to be a descendant of the original Brandywine.

6. Brandywine OTV:

This red-hued variety of Brandywine is the result of an unintentional cross between a Yellow Brandywine and an unknown male parent.

7.   Chocolate Strips:

With an olive green swath, these rich mahogany tomatoes are called “Chocolate Strips.” Ethno, rich, and complex are some of the flavors that have been associated with it.

8. Black Cherry:

A deep, nuanced taste characterizes the Black Cherry tomato, a mahogany-colored variety comparable to Chocolate Stripes.

9. Cherokee Chocolate:

Cherokee Chocolate is a stabilized variant of Cherokee Purple, another well-known cultivar. A sweet, rich taste complements the dark chocolate hue.

10. Blondkopfchen:

It’s called Blondkopfchen in German, which translates to “small blonde chick.” Pest and disease resistance make this a good choice for a wide range of regions.

Conclusion

However, heirloom tomatoes are seldom seen at antique stores or in your grandmother’s attic. Tomatoes, unlike ancient high school yearbooks and silver lockets, are not dusty fruits that have been handed down down the generations. The seeds of tomato plants? There you go.

See also  6 Ways To Banish White Bugs On Tomato Plants

Leave a Comment