Whether you're a seasoned gardener or new to growing tomatoes from seed, outdoors in a hanging basket or in a greenhouse, our selection of these tomato varieties offers something fresh for every palate and garden space. Whether you grow just one or several, we hope you enjoy eating the fruits of your labours. Happy sowing, growing and eating!
Nick has written a straightforward explanation to help understand the different types and terminology such as indeterminate vs determinate, cherry vs beefsteak in his blog = A Bit of Help Selecting The Best Tomatoes for You
We all grow different varieties depending on our situation - I don't have a greenhouse so all mine are grown outside for example. So I have chosen the best tomatoes to grow outdoors whilst Nick will have selected tomatoes for the greenhouse. We prefer British tomato varieties but breeders are always bringing new varieties to our notice. April is a good time to start sowing your outdoor types - not too late for the greenhouse ones either!
Sweet Million: Bursting with sweetness, Sweet Million tomatoes are perfect for snacking with their prolific production of small, cherry-sized fruits. A heavy cropper regularly on the best, choicest or sweetest tasting tomato list, this indeterminate (cordon) variety will need support and the side shoots removing. Best grown in a greenhouse but can be grown outdoors in a sunny, sheltered location.
Likewise Sungold: another vigorous indeterminate tomato, this will require support to produce long trusses of bite-size delicious orange cherry fruit. Reliable with unbeatable flavour this tomato variety can be grown outdoors or in a greenhouse.
My favourite beefsteak tomato is Pink Brandywine but seeds of this have been difficult to get so Oh Happy Day is on the list, a ruby-red beefsteak with sweet and acidic notes, ideal for slicing for burgers, sandwiches and salads.
Although not ranked at the top, plum varieties of tomatoes, specially bred to have few seeds are a must for rich tomato sauces (passata) and the like. Roma is very popular, high yielding from determinate bush plants to produce quantities of medium pear or plum shaped red fruits.
Tumbling Tom Red: Perfect for hanging baskets or containers, Tumbling Tom Red tomatoes trail in a lush display of foliage and fruit. Their compact growth habit and high yields make them ideal for small spaces. Enjoy a continuous harvest of sweet, juicy tomatoes right at your fingertips. No need to pinch out Tumbling Tom varieties, they are naturally self-branching and will cascade on their own.
Consuelo: One of the best to grow outside, Consuelo tomatoes thrive in various growing conditions, producing a bountiful crop of flavoursome fruits. A reliable performer in outdoor gardens showing good resistance to blight.
Veranda Red: Robust and disease-resistant, Veranda Red tomatoes are a top choice for outdoor cultivation. A dwarf determinate plant, growing about 45cm/18” high with a spread of 35cm/14” this variety is suitable for a large container on the patio, producing sweet, tasty cherry size fruits.
