Heirloom tomatoes come in many colors, shapes, sizes and flavors. Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter was grown and sold by a man who repaired radiators, but decided to grow tomatoes and thus was able to develop a new plant, and from the plant sales paid off the mortgage. The person or community who developed the plant served as the source of its name: such as The Cherokee Purple–named after the Indian nation– or Black Krim which originated in the Crimean Peninsula in the Ukraine. Some of the most fascinating names come with interesting histories. Some of these plants still retain those names but some of the newer plants have been given names by commercial breeders. Prior to the 1990’s these plants were named for the family who shared seeds or what region of what country they came from. Heirloom tomatoes since the 1990’s have become a popular plant to grow for the home gardener. This method has produced most of the heirloom varieties known today. Mystery Heirloom: this cross-pollinated or mutated variety happens in the garden.Created Heirloom: this tomato has been deliberately crossed with either another heirloom or a hybrid tomato in order to stabilize desired characteristics.Family Heirloom: seeds have been saved and passed down from one generation to the next.Commercial Heirloom: varieties that are more than 40 years old and have been passed between commercial growers.Heirloom Tomatoes are classified into 4 categories: These tomatoes are usually grown in the home garden or purchased at a Farmers market. It’s not a wonder since they are best known for their sweet, rich, delicious, old-fashioned tomato taste. It seems everyone is interested in heirloom tomatoes these days.

Heirloom tomato plants for sale