Liz's favourite tomato varieties

Homegrown tomatoes are hard to beat! Discover top tomato varieties to grow from seed this season with the help of Liz @tiny_farmstead, the tomato queen!

Birdie’s Canary – don’t think you have the space to grow tomatoes? Think again! Birdie’s Canary is so compact, it only gets to about 30cm high, but the productivity on this plant is insane for its size.

Black Cherry – these produce long into the season, even when the others have given up. They stand up fairly well against disease and have fantastic flavour. The darker colour also tends to fool the birds, and they generally leave them alone to focus on the yellow and red varieties.

Black from Tula – it’s hard to pick a few favourites, but this variety really ranks up there for me. While it’s not the most productive variety, this is a tomato that goes for quality over quantity. Large, meaty and full of flavour!

Purple Calabash – if you’re looking for controversy, then Purple Calabash is for you. This is a tomato that seems to be either loved or hated. It’s an intensely flavoured tomato, and is anything but bland. “Wine like flavours with citrus finish” would be correct. It really shines in sauces where it adds an amazing depth of flavour, but I also enjoy it on sourdough with sea salt.

Aunt Ruby’s German Green – these produce some of the biggest tomatoes I have ever grown, and while the plants aren’t the most productive, the fruit is sweet and not at all acidic.

Every year I look forward to trying new varieties and this year I’m looking forward to Hawkes Bay Yellow, Burbank, Black Roma and Green Pineapple!

Learn how easy it is to grow tomatoes from seed:

1. You will need seed trays, seeds, labels and a good quality seed raising mix like Tui Seed Raising Mix.
2. If your mix is dry, fill tray to the top (when it’s watered it will sink down).
3. If your mix is damp, leave 2-3 cm at the top.
4. Water well and allow to drain.
5. Don’t compress the soil, so that the seed root can establish.
6. Sow seeds as directed on the packet and lightly cover with mix.
7. Mist lightly to dampen the soil and place in a warm spot.
8. Re-mist as needed so they don’t dry out!

Check out Liz’s tomato sowing video here and follow Liz @tiny_farmstead for plenty more tomato inspiration!