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7 Best Heirloom Tomato Varieties

Heirloom tomatoes offer an enticing array of unique flavors, colors, shapes and textures not found in hybrid varieties. Their open-pollinated seeds produce fruit true to the parent plant when saved and replanted. Here are 7 of the best heirloom tomatoes to grow for full old-fashioned flavor. 1. Brandywine The Brandywine tomato is one of the most popular heirlooms prized by home gardeners. Originally from Amish country, this variety bears large, deep pink beefsteak fruits averaging 1-2 pounds. Brandywine delivers a vibrant, complex, sweet tomatoey taste. The large plants require staking and produce later in the season. 2. Cherokee Purple Cherokee Purple is another favorite heirloom with rich flavor. This variety originated with Native Americans in Tennessee. The fruits have a striking dusky purple-pink color and get quite large at 12-16 ounces. Plants are very productive. The soft texture and complex sweet taste make Cherokee Purple excellent for eating fresh or using in cooking. 3. Gre...
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10 Secrets to Growing Tomatoes

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Growing plump, juicy tomatoes is the dream of many gardeners. But it can be tricky to get tomatoes to thrive. There are several secrets to getting a bumper tomato crop. In this article, we reveal 10 insider tips to help you grow amazing tomatoes in your own backyard garden. Follow these secrets for your tastiest tomato harvest ever! 1. Pick Disease-Resistant Varieties The first key to success is starting with tomato varieties bred for disease resistance. Many heirloom tomatoes lack protection against common tomato diseases like blight and wilt. Choose tomato cultivars labeled with attributes like VFN, which indicates resistance to Verticillium, Fusarium, and Nematodes. Or look for “beefsteak” types resistant to multiple tomato diseases. Disease-resistant tomato varieties include: Better Boy Big Beef Celebrity Champion Early Girl Park’s Whopper Planting these stronger tomato breeds gives your crop a better shot at staying healthy and producing lots of fruit. 2. Wait Until After Last Fr...
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