From a sweet-toothed mater lover.
I am obsessed with growing the sweetest tomatoes. A few factors make tomatoes sweet. Sunlight, stress, reduced water content and variety.
We’ll start today with the easiest route to sweet tomatoes. Variety. You’ll have a head start filling your basket with sugary tomatoes if the plants and seeds you choose have been bred for sweetness
Sun Gold. The OG of sweet. Sun Gold cherry-type tomatoes are always described as sweet, for very good reason. I am not sure it’s possible to grow these tomatoes and have them come out bland. The literal gold standard. Sun Gold tomatoes are a hybrid, which means if the fruit is saved, it may not grow true to type. Meaning, the next generation of tomatoes may not have the same characteristics as a true Sun Gold tomato. Additionally, the Sun Gold tomato is patented. You’ll need to plant original seed or purchase a new plant every season. The plants are tall, healthy and prolific. A solid sweet choice.
Pink Tiger. The nectarous grape type fruit is not only delicious, but gorgeous. No surprise, as Fred Hempel at Artisan Seeds, who created this tomato, is the master of hearty picture-perfect tomatoes that satisfy a most discerning sweet tooth. Mine, lol. I prefer lower acid, high sugar tomatoes. Pink Tiger is a favorite of mine and The Sps. The plants are tall and wispy, doing best with some strong staking. The plants are extraordinarily prolific, ensuring at least some of this sweet harvest will actually make it into the house.
Rosella. This cherry tomato is notable for being both sweet and having a rich flavor. As the fruit combines a depth of smoky notes and packs a sweet punch, it is a favorite of mine. The plants are prolific and strong. I have noticed, in my garden, these plants last to the very first frost, remaining extraordinarily healthy until the end of the growing season. A must grow, every year.
Sunrise Bumblebee. Another Fred Hempel stand-out. It’s just SO PRETTY~ And yes, the cherry type fruits are very sweet. The plants are tall, strong and require good staking. The Sunrise Bumblebee plants are hearty and will produce throughout the garden season.
Honorable mentions: Large tomatoes aren’t as sweet per the size doesn’t really allow a strong concentration of sugars, as does a mini tomato. Yet, there are larger tomatoes that are on the sweet side. Hillbilly, Aunt Ruby’s German Green, Curtis Cheek from Renaissance Farms and Royal Hillbilly are sweeter large tomatoes that I adore.
Please feel free to share your favorite mater sweeties in the comments. I am always on the lookout for the very sweetest of tomatoes.
Fred Hempel’s store: https://store.growartisan.com/
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