The GardenZeus Guide to Four Basic Tomato Categories

GardenZeus prefers the following four basic categories that cover the majority of tomatoes:

1) Cherry: Small tomatoes from plants that are generally more vigorous, productive, and easier to grow than larger varieties. Cherry tomatoes include grape or mini varieties, which are generally smaller plants that produce small-to-tiny fruits that are often sweet and borne in clusters.

2) Plum, Paste, or Sauce: Oval or cylindrical tomato varieties that produce fruits with a high proportion of solid flesh, which makes them more suitable for making paste and sauce, and generally better for commercial processing.

3) Slicing or Salad: Medium-to-large, generally round or roundish varieties that are good for a variety of uses.

4) Beefsteak: The largest tomatoes that are often moderately flattened globes, with some varieties commonly producing fruits that are individually a pound or more in weight. Beefsteak tomatoes are often used for grilling, stuffing, and for producing the perfect large single slice of tomato for a sandwich or burger.