The Best Tomatoes to Grow in the PNW — Seattle’s Favorite Garden Store Since 1924 – Swansons Nursery

What Are Your Flavor Preferences?

Do you have a sweet tooth? Or maybe you prefer a milder, less acidic tomato. Or, perhaps, a complex flavor profile suits your discriminating palette. Here’s what we suggest:

A: I love sweet tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes are a good bet. In fact, we call ‘Sweet 100’ vine candy! ‘Sungold’ tomatoes are also sweet with a hint of tropical flavor. ‘Striped German’ is a larger fruit that has a nice rich sweetness.

If you want a small-space tomato that’s sweet, try ‘Taxi’ or ‘Oregon Cherry’.

B: I prefer a mild flavor

‘Yellow Pear’ tomatoes often have a milder flavor, as do ‘Dona’ and ‘Seattle’s Best’.

C: I’m all about complexity

Look for darker-skinned, heirloom tomatoes. ‘Cherokee Purple’ has a good balance of sweet, acid, savory, and a hint of smokiness; ‘Brandywine’ complicates sweetness with a bit of spiciness; ‘Black Krim’ has a flavor profile that is smoky, salty, and sweet, all at once. Finally, ‘Black Zebra’ (sorry! Sold out for 2022) is all about complexity with its green-striped mahogany skin and exceptionally rich, complex flavors that have hints of smoke and sweetness.

For small spaces, ‘Black Sea Man’ and ‘Ruby Crush’ have rich, complex flavors.

D: I like it tart

Not all tomatoes are sweet. Some of the best surprise us with their crisp, tart flavor. Try ‘Yellow Perfection’ or the outstanding tart, lemon-lime flavor of ‘Green Zebra’.