Comprehensive Guide to 15 of the Best Canning Tomatoes You Should Grow
Are you a home gardener looking to stock up on food for the future? Canning tomatoes are an excellent choice for preserving the bounty of summer and enjoying it all year round.
Growing varieties specifically suited for canning is a wise strategy, even in times of plenty. Being able to can your own tomatoes allows you to have a taste of summer in your pantry, share with neighbors, or gift to friends and family.
Canning tomatoes come in a variety of forms, from heirloom to hybrid, offering unique flavors and characteristics. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the top 15 canning tomatoes you should consider growing in your garden.
Why Choose Canning Tomatoes?
Canning tomatoes are specifically bred or selected for their properties that make them ideal for preserving. These traits include:
- Meaty flesh
- Few seeds
- Thick skins
- Uniform size for easy processing
Whether you choose traditional heirloom varieties or modern hybrids, canning tomatoes offer a versatile option for both fresh eating and preserving.
The Best Heirloom Canning Tomatoes
Heirloom tomatoes have a rich history and unique flavor profiles that make them perfect for canning. Here are some of the top heirloom varieties to consider:
1. Amish Paste
- Originates from Amish communities
- Meaty fruits with sweet flavor
- Perfect for slicing or canning
- Requires staking and produces fruit in 85 days
2. Atkinson
- Developed at the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
- Resistant to nematodes and wilt
- Thrives in hot and humid climates
- Indeterminate plants with 8-ounce red fruits
3. Bonny Best
- Produces firm, round tomatoes
- Ideal for cold climates
- Requires staking and pruning
- Bears fruit in 78-85 days
4. Bradley
- University of Arkansas variety
- Resistant to wilt and fungal diseases
- Semi-determinate with smooth, pink fruits
- Maturation in 75-80 days
5. Costoluto Genovese
- Intensely-flavored Italian variety
- Produces 6-8 ounce red fruits with ridges
- Indeterminate plants with fruit in 78-80 days
- Ideal for sauces and salsas
6. San Marzano
- Italian paste tomato with sweet, meaty fruit
- Perfect for sauces and salsa
- Resistant to wilt
- Indeterminate plants with fruit in 85-90 days
7. Sweetie
- Heirloom cherry tomatoes with sweet flavor
- Indeterminate vines ideal for trellises
- Maturation in 70 days
8. Red Pear
- Small pear-shaped tomatoes for canning
- Suitable for salsas, sauces, and pickles
- Indeterminate vines requiring trellising
- Fruits ready in 78 days
9. Roma VF
- Open-pollinated plum variety
- Resistant to wilt
- Determinate plants with 6-ounce fruit
- Maturation in 80 days
Top Hybrid Canning Tomatoes
Hybrid tomatoes offer disease resistance, high yields, and consistent fruit production. Here are the top hybrid varieties for canning:
10. Big Mama
- Heavier plum tomatoes perfect for canning
- Meaty fruits with easy-to-peel skins
- 6-foot tall vines bearing 8-10 ounce fruit
- Maturation in 75 days
11. Biltmore
- Disease-resistant variety with consistent fruit production
- Compact plant suitable for containers
- 4-foot tall plants with heavy fruit
- Fruits ripen in 68-74 days
12. Fresh Salsa
- Ideal for fresh salsa and canning
- Produces oversized plum tomatoes
- Determinate bushes with 5-ounce fruit
- Maturation in 65-70 days
13. Gladiator
- Paste tomato with 8-ounce fruits
- Compact 4-foot tall bush with disease resistance
- Indeterminate plants with fruit in 72 days
14. Golden Fresh Salsa
- Determinate plum-shaped tomatoes in deep yellow color
- Ideal for salsa and sauces
- Maturation in 70 days
15. Green Envy
- Indeterminate cherry tomato with emerald green fruit
- 5-foot tall vines producing 1-inch fruit
- Maturation in 60-70 days
Conclusion
Growing canning tomatoes in your garden offers a rewarding experience and a bountiful harvest of fresh fruits for preserving. Whether you choose heirloom or hybrid varieties, there are options to suit every gardener’s needs and preferences.
By selecting the best canning tomatoes for your garden, you can enjoy the taste of summer all year round and share the bounty with others. So, get growing and start stocking your pantry with delicious tomato goodness!
