America’s Favorite Tomatoes
(Page 4 of 7)
February/March 2008
By Barbara Pleasant
Great Greens and Zebras
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Green tomatoes lack the rich supply of lutein and other antioxidants found in red and orange tomatoes, but they earn a place on our list with their kiwi colors and tart, citrus flavors. “Forced to pick one tomato, it would be ‘Aunt Ruby’s German Green,’” (80 days) says Clarksville, Tenn., gardener Jim Fitch. Describing the flavor as “authentic tomato,” Fitch says this green variety with faint yellow streaks is “moist without being watery, and meaty without being mealy or pulpy.” Woods names it as his favorite for “rich, zingy, tangy flavor,” but because of its tendency to melt down in steamy weather, we recommend growing ‘German Green’ as a culinary treat, rather than as a main crop variety.
You can sample the spicy, piquant bite of green tomatoes with fewer production risks by planting ‘Green Zebra’ (75 to 80 days). Like most varieties that produce small, 3-ounce fruits, ‘Green Zebra’ prospers under a wide range of growing conditions. If you want the emerald green color and spicy flavor of green tomatoes, ‘Green Zebra’ is the “better-safe-than-sorry” choice.
Oranges, Strawberries and Lemons
Once you’re covered for early tomatoes, cooking varieties and tasty lovelies for fresh eating, perhaps you still have room for another delicious tomato. In Newtonville, Ontario, Mary Brittain, owner of The Cottage Gardener, suggests ‘Kellogg’s Breakfast’ (80 days), a melon-orange beefsteak tomato named by Darrell Kellogg of Michigan. “The 1-pound fruits are both meaty and juicy, with a taste that packs a wallop,” she says.
A comparable heirloom from Virginia, ‘Aunt Gertie’s Gold’ (75 days), is one of Male’s favorites because of its unique flavor, unmatched by “any other variety, of any color or shape,” she says. Others feel the creamy texture of ‘Aunt Gertie’s Gold,’ combined with her bold fruity notes of melon or mango, make her a true garden treasure.
Male also loves ‘German Red Strawberry’ (80 days), a bright red tomato shaped like a giant strawberry. It’s also a better producer than most heart-shaped varieties. Jere Gettle, owner of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in Mansfield, Mo., notes its unforgettable flavor. “In red tomatoes, ‘German Red Strawberry’ is one of the best I have tasted,” Gettle says, calling its flavor “sweet and rich.”
Just to be on the safe side, consider allotting a planting hole or two to proven, disease-resistant hybrids that grow well in your area. Orange/yellow hybrids that deliver both disease resistance and great flavor are listed in “15 Tasty Hybrid Varieties,” below.
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