Top Tomato Intel

Tomato varieties to grow for an easier, more rewarding harvest

If you’ve ever grown tomatoes, you’ll know they can be both incredibly generous and, at times, a little testing. My lovely Dad does an amazing job every year and, no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get anywhere near as good as him as a mini tomato farmer.

From unpredictable summers to common problems like blight, choosing the right varieties can make all the difference. By starting with reliable, resilient plants that suit how and where you grow, you can enjoy better crops, stronger flavour and far fewer headaches. Below are six tomato varieties that consistently perform well and help eliminate some of the usual challenges tomato growers face.

Apero – best for flavour

If flavour is your priority, Apero is hard to beat. This modern cherry tomato is intensely sweet, glossy and beautifully balanced, making it ideal for salads and snacking straight from the vine. It’s also bred with disease resistance in mind, meaning it’s more resilient than many older varieties — a real bonus in damp or unpredictable summers. A sure win for you- just add sunlight and water.

Golden Grown – best cherry tomato

Golden Grown produces generous trusses of small, golden-yellow cherry tomatoes with a mild, fruity sweetness. The plants are vigorous and reliable croppers, making them a great choice for beginners or anyone who wants a steady harvest without too much fuss. Their lighter skin also makes them less prone to splitting.

Tumbling Tom – best for pots and containers

For balconies, patios and hanging baskets, Tumbling Tom is a standout. This trailing variety is compact, easy-going and incredibly productive, spilling over pots with cascades of red or yellow fruit. Because it grows away from the soil, it’s also less exposed to soil-borne disease, helping reduce common issues such as blight.I grew these last year and was super impressed with how much fruit one plant produces.

Shirley – best classic all-rounder

Shirley is a true classic for a reason. It produces reliable crops of medium-sized, well-balanced tomatoes and performs well even in cooler or less-than-perfect conditions. It’s a dependable choice for greenhouses or sheltered outdoor spots and is known for setting fruit well when other varieties struggle.

Brandy Boy – best beefsteak “biggun”

If you love a big, juicy beefsteak tomato, Brandy Boy is a fantastic choice. It combines impressive size with excellent flavour — something not all large tomatoes manage. The plants are vigorous and more disease-tolerant than many traditional beefsteak varieties, giving you a better chance of success with those show-stopping fruits.

Crimson Crush – best for blight resistance

One of the biggest frustrations for tomato growers is blight, but Crimson Crush has been specifically bred to tackle it. With excellent resistance and a classic tomato flavour, it’s ideal for outdoor growing where blight pressure is higher. Choosing a variety like this can dramatically reduce losses and extend your harvest season.

Now is the time to start sowing

Late winter so now..... and early spring are the perfect time to sow tomatoes indoors. Use clean pots or modules filled with good-quality seed compost, sow seeds thinly, and cover lightly with compost or vermiculite. Water gently and place somewhere warm and bright like a sunny windowsill or propagator is ideal. Once seedlings appear, keep them well-lit and frost-free, potting on as they grow. Starting early gives plants time to develop strong roots, setting you up for healthier growth and heavier crops later in the season.

A little planning now, and the right choice of varieties, can make this year’s tomato harvest one of your easiest and tastiest yet. Good luck gang tag us i on your growing journey.