When to Plant Heirloom Tomatoes?

Heirloom Tomatoes

The term 'heirloom' is applied to plants and vegetables that were grown commonly in human history but that are not frequently grown today by commercial, large-scale farmers. Heirloom tomatoes are known for their diverse colors, sizes and flavors that are rarely or never seen in more common varietals of tomato. Heirlooms are usually those varietals that have been passed down from generation to generation because of these specific desirable qualities particular to one heirloom or another. Large-scale producers favor non-heirloom tomatoes for their consistent growth and higher fruit yield, but heirlooms have made a comeback in the last few years, corollating with resurgent interest in organic foods and farmers' markets.

Grandfather Ashclock and Beefsteak varietals are known for their huge size and remarkably sweet flavor. Both of these heirlooms are bright red, but they have striped cousins like Black Zebra and Pineapple tomatoes. For a more acidic tomato flavor, try Carbon, Black Krim, Black Brandywine or Black Cherry tomatoes. There are also many popular varieties of heirloom cherry tomatoes such as Sweet Million, Sweet Baby Girl and Sun Gold.

Heirloom tomatoes should be planted after the last frost of winter, when the soil has dried out somewhat and is not overly moist to the touch. If the soil is still very moist, wait at least one week before planting seeds. More exact time windows for planting depend heavily on what type of heirloom you are growing and on the specific soil and climate conditions in your geographic area. Websites that sell heirloom tomato seeds very often will ship seeds to you according to when they should be planted to aid in successful and timely planting.

One of the reasons heirloom tomatoes tend to not be grown commercially is because their growth patterns and life cycles are unpredictable from year to year, so less experienced gardeners may prefer to plant a non-heirloom tomato. Another reason heirlooms are eschewed by commercial farmers is that their fruit yield is generally lower than supermarket varietals, so don't be disappointed if your heirloom plants do not bear as much fruit as their more common counterparts.