Microclimates all along the west coast of North America tend to be cooler than microclimates farther inland. Many varieties of tomatoes do not perform as well in these cooler, coastal climates. Tomato varieties that grow and produce well right on the coast need to (1) set fruit at cooler temperatures, and (2) be more disease resistant.
It is for these two reasons that many heirloom varieties do not perform as well along the coast. Fear not, there are many heirloom tomato varieties for coastal gardens; you just need to know which ones.
So here is my list of great tomato varieties for coastal gardens. All of these varieties:
*grow and produce fruit at cooler temperatures,
*are disease resistant,
*are easy to find at any independent garden center.
Refer to this key in the list:
h = heirloom variety
* = good confidence builders for first-time tomato growers
! = Chuck’s favorites
MEDIUM to LARGE SIZE TOMATO
*Better Boy – One of the most popular large tomato; very productive
*Celebrity – determinate; medium to large size fruit; disease and crack resistant
Champion – medium to large; solid, meaty tomatoes; disease resistant
*Early Girl – very early maturing; highly productive; disease resistant
h!Oregon Spring – excellent flavor; huge tomatoes; highly productive
hSiberian – medium size, determinate, very early producing
Sub Arctic Maxi – determinate; great coastal/winter tomato
hValencia – orange tomato with very smooth skin! Excellent flavor; few seeds
SMALL to MEDIUM SIZE TOMATO
hGlacier – similar to Stupice; early flowering; excellent flavor, small to medum size
*Patio – dwarf, determinate 18-24“ tall; golf-ball sized tomato; great for containers
*San Diego – Salad tomato; reliable performer; multi-purpose tomato.
San Francisco Fog – golfball size; excellent salad tomato
h*!Stupice – tolerates colder weather; small-med size tomato; excellent flavor
CHERRY or SMALL TOMATO
h!Black Cherry – tasty, rich, dark red cherry tomatoes
Grape – grape shaped tomatoes; very vigorous; very productive
*Red Cherry – classic, cherry sized tomato; the largest of the “cherry” types
Red Pear – small, red pear-shaped tomatoes
*!Sungold – VERY SWEET, low acid, orange cherry tomato; abundant harvest
*Sweet 100 – 1” super sweet cherry tomato; heavy yields; high in Vitamin C
Sweet Baby Girl – super sweet, smaller cherry tomato.
*Sweet Million – slightly larger than Sweet 100; disease resistant; super sweet
*!Yellow Pear – vigorous vines; abundant yields, great flavor
DETERMINATE VARIETIES
h!Ace – med-large, deep red, low-acid tomatoes; disease resistant.
*Celebrity – determinate; medium to large size fruit; disease and crack resistant
Health Kick – juicy plum shaped tomatoes; very disease resistant; heavy yielding
Husky – compact [plant with cherry tomatoes; disease resistant
h!Oregon Spring – excellent flavor; huge tomatoes; good for cooler temperatures
!*Patio – dwarf, determinate 18-24“ tall; golf-ball sized tomato; great in pots
hSiberian – medium size, determinate, very early producing
Siletz – nearly seedless; large slicing tomatoes.
Sub Arctic Maxi – determinate; great coastal/winter tomato
Tiny Tim – dwarf tomato plants 10-16” tall; small cherry type tomato