There are tons of types of tomatoes! Tomatoes are a versatile vegetable that can come in different sizes. The large beefy types can be used to cover an entire sandwich, while the small cherry types can add a sour pop to a dish.
Here are the five basic types of tomatoes (as categorized by shape and size):
- Standard Globe Tomatoes (Regular-Sized Slicer Tomatoes)
- Beefsteak Tomatoes (Large Slicer Tomatoes)
- Cherry Tomatoes (Mini Tomatoes)
- Plum Tomatoes (Paste Tomatoes)
- Oxheart Tomatoes (Heart-Shaped Tomatoes)
Once categorized by shape and size as above, tomatoes can also be described as either heirloom or hybrid, determinate or indeterminate, and also by peel color.
This article will provide information about different types of tomatoes, as well as examples of each type.
Types of Tomatoes by Shape & Size
There are not only hundreds of tomatoes in various colors, but also in various shapes. There are various shapes and sizes of tomatoes including pear, heart, plum, and long varieties. The list is long!
You will probably notice the main types of tomatoes:
Cherry Tomatoes
These are easy to grow and mature quickly. Cherry tomatoes are small, bite-sized tomatoes. Kids love them, and they're easy to grow in pots. They make the perfect addition to any salads.
Cherry tomatoes are usually small, ranging from the size of a tiny currant to the size of a golf ball. They’ve been bred in reds, yellows, purples, and oranges. Most cherry tomato cultivars are spherical, “cocktail” types, but some have been bred to be slightly oblong, “grape” tomatoes. There are even pear-shaped types!
This variety of tomato is both small and flavorful with a robust body. Cherry tomatoes are a versatile food that can be eaten fresh, in salads, or grilled. They also make a great addition to fresh veggie wraps. They are pretty on charcuterie trays and hors d’oeuvres. Cherry tomatoes are a delicious and convenient finger food for appetizers or main courses. You can skewer them, mix them into pasta, or simply enjoy them as is.
Roma Tomatoes
You might notice these labeled “plum” tomatoes at types. They have a small elongated shape that resembles the fruit. Most gardeners grow these varieties for canning purposes. Check to make sure these seeds aren’t labeled paste!
Tomatoes that are plums are typically 2-2.5 inches long and oval or cylindrical in shape. They’ve been bred with canning in mind. Most of the fruit is composed of solid pulp with seeds that are easy to remove and are in separate sections. This makes it easier to process the tomatoes into sauce. Tomatoes that are classified as plums are typically red, with a few cultivars existing in different colors.
The plump tomatoes are firm and fit perfectly for creating a classic tomato sauce. Many plum tomato-type cultivars have been bred specifically for use in traditional Italian recipes. Tomatoes can either be canned whole or processed into a paste for storage. While plum tomatoes can be used in a number of ways, they're especially well suited for applications where a juicy tomato isn't desired – such as on top of a pizza or to make sun-dried tomatoes.
Pear or Long Shaped Cultivars
Roma tomatoes fit into this category as well. The following are ideal for any sauce or paste you want to can for the winter. There is a lot of tomato flesh on these tomatoes with less juice and fewer seeds. Flesh cooks down into a thick product.
Beefsteak
If you want a large tomato, Beefsteaks are what you're looking for. It's the perfect size for a sandwich. Tomatoes that are large in size and have a lot of flesh are ideal for making sauce. The only downside to these beautiful tomatoes is that they can take up to two months to fully mature.
These delicious, large slicing tomatoes are grown in backyards and market gardens. Many species of the squash family are flattened, have lobed leaves, and have small seed cavities. Beefsteak-type tomatoes are thick and hold their shape when sliced. These tomatoes are ideal for burgers and sandwiches.
Beefsteak tomatoes are typically large in size, with a diameter of 3-4 inches, and weigh approximately one pound each. There are some beefsteaks that weigh up to 2 or 3 pounds per fruit! These truly are giant tomatoes. These tomatoes are not grown commercially because they have thinner skin, take a long time to mature, and have a short shelf life when ripe. Whether you grow them yourself or buy them from a local farmer, fresh herbs are a great addition to any meal!
Tomatoes that are good for steak are also good for slicing fresh onto a sandwich or diced in a salad. Tomatoes make great additions to salads and pasta dishes.
Heart Shaped Cultivars
The tomatoes vary in size from eight ounces up to over a pound. You should harvest them between mid and late in the season. They require six hours of direct sunlight. Heart-shaped tomatoes are ideal for serving with a lot of meat and flesh. Sometimes, they can be too dense for a sandwich, so they are often processed into a sauce.
The Oxheart tomato is a type of tomato that is shaped like a large strawberry or “heart”. These types of tomatoes are mainly heirloom varieties grown for their flavor, size, or thick consistency with very little seed cavity. So, oxheart tomatoes are like globe tomatoes, but with a pointy end, and they're not lobed like beefsteak tomatoes.
Applications for oxheart tomatoes are generally the same as those for beefsteak tomatoes. They are typically used for slicing, but can also be canned.
Other Ways To Categorize Types of Tomatoes
Tomatoes can also be categorized by their shape and size. Cucumbers are separated into types by their breeding history, vining habit, and culinary applications.
Heirloom Tomatoes vs. Hybrid Tomatoes
It's important to understand the differences between these things, which we briefly mentioned at the beginning. Tomatoes, besides a few wild varieties, are bred. Gardeners control the pollination and reproduction of certain plants to get the desired qualities. There is a main difference between the types of plants, which is how the types cross, and the reliability of their seeds.
Heirloom tomatoes have been grown using the same methods for generations, with seeds being chosen for the qualities desired by the gardener. You can find heirlooms over a 100 years old! The best plants' seedlings are saved for the next year. The best characteristics of the seeds are desired, and the unwanted qualities are eliminated.
Heirlooms are developed through open-pollination, while hybrids are not. The essential qualities are races that are dominant in genes and beat the cross-pollinated varieties in most circumstances. If you want to continue to have those desired features and also grow hybrids, you should keep the heirlooms isolated.
Hybrid tomatoes are newer development in the tomato world. Two different types of tomatoes are artificially cross-pollinated to create a new variety. Every year is a new seed line, so the seeds you save aren't from the best plants.
The hybrid seed is created when two different types of tomatoes are cross-pollinated. The plant produced by the two will not be exactly the same. The qualities that make a plant distinctive are located in its recessive genes, which means they could be influenced or corrupted by the seeds of other plants in your garden.
There are a few types of tomatoes that are not hybrids but are also not heirloom tomatoes. These are tomato cultivars that have been bred during the last generation, often by heirloom tomato enthusiasts, that are open-pollinated. Open-pollinated varieties of tomatoes that are new are often referred to by gardeners as “heritage” or “modern heirloom” tomatoes.
Determinate Tomato Plants vs. Indeterminate Tomato Plants
When discussing tomatoes, you will encounter the words determinate and indeterminate. Before you buy tomatoes from a nursery or online, it is helpful to know more about them.
- Determinate tomatoes bloom and set fruit all at once. Then, their production declines. At the end of the blossoms, you will notice shoots that stop the growth. It determines their length. Gardeners opt for these plants because they are compact plants that need little or no pruning. You won’t have to worry about staking them. However, some varieties are labeled “vigorous” determinates; these plants produce tomatoes so large you will need support!
- Indeterminate tomatoes are there to grow for the long haul. These plants will continue to grow and produce tomatoes throughout the summer. Flowers grow along the entire vine instead of at the ends. You will need to support and prune these plants because they will continue to grow until the weather gets too cold!
This classification is based on the tomato plant's growth habit, which is vining. Determinate tomatoes have a relatively “predetermined” size. The plants grow in a bush form and then produce all their fruit at the same time. Tomatoes that are not determinate grow on long, unkempt vines and set fruit as they grow. The rambling allows these plants to keep growing and producing fruit until they are killed by frost or disease.
Tomato plants that don't produce a specific fruit type can be perennials in their native environment. Tomatoes can last for a few years if the climate is warm and there are no diseases. Determinate tomato plants are annuals. Tomatoes grow to their mature size and then set all of their fruit at once, just like other annual vegetables in our garden. Tomatoes grown as annuals in home gardens are usually either indeterminate or determinate.
Slicing Tomatoes vs. Paste Tomatoes
Tomatoes that are good for slicing are ones that are fresh and ripe. There are three types of tomatoes that can be used for slicing: beefsteak, standard globe-type, and cherry. There are a bunch of delicious fresh tomato varieties that you should try!
Paste tomatoes are tomatoes that are often used for sauces and canning. Tomatoes that are good for making tomato paste and last a long time when preserved. There are various types of tomatoes that are grown specifically for preserving rather than for fresh eating. These include plum, globe, oxheart, and cherry tomatoes. The “Principe Borghese” Italian heirloom cherry tomato is ideal for sun-drying and creating flavorful tomato sauce.
Some tomato varieties are best for slicing, others are better for making into sauce, and some are good for both. These dual-purpose tomatoes are great all-around choices. Most globe tomatoes can be eaten fresh or preserved.
Best Season To Plant Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a warm weather loving plant. Hot weather is ideal for them, but they still need a lot of water to thrive. You should start heirloom tomato seeds on average 8-9 weeks before your last frost. Once the last frost has passed, you can plant tomatoes in your garden beds.
Every gardener needs to know their USDA gardening zone. The map divides the United States into areas according to their average weather conditions and the dates when it is likely to frost. The information in the article allows growers to know when to start their seeds and when they should plant them into the ground.
Tomatoes usually take about 3 months to grow in your garden beds and produce a harvest. If you use containers to grow your produce, you could grow heirloom tomatoes in any location. However, you wouldn’t be able to grow them as well in USDA Zones 1 and 2. They need more time to grow and mature when there is no frost.
Providing Proper Nutrition For Growth
Healthy tomato plants need the right nutrients to grow. There are two ways to provide plants with the nutrients they need. The first is to use everyday household items, and the second is to use manufactured products. The primary nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Fertilizers contain all three and are crucial for development.
There are three additional nutrients needed for proper growth, which are calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. Tomato plants don’t require large amounts of these nutrients. Cell health and protection against disease rely on calcium. Magnesium is needed for photosynthesis. A lack of sulfur can lead to problems with protein and amino acids, which are essential for growth.
You should purchase the right fertilizer for your plants. The ideal fertilizer for this plant should have a low nitrogen content, a high phosphorous content, and a medium to high potassium content. Organic matter can help supply secondary nutrients in addition to primary nutrients.
Save your eggshells! Wash the eggshells after you crack them, and leave them to dry. After you have gathered a sufficient quantity, use a food processor to pulverize them. Calcium is added to the plants to prevent blossom end rot. Pick up your grass clippings and spread them around the bottom of your plants. It can be used as a mulch and provides nitrogen. Water filters are not necessary to grow tomatoes.
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