What’s New in Tomato Varieties

The tomatoes tested by the Fountain Valley Cloverdale 4-H Club are the varieties you’ll most likely find at nurseries, but for those adventurous few looking for something new, there are some really interesting tomatoes out there.

How about tomatoes called ‘Valley Girl,’ ‘L.A. Lady’ or ‘San Francisco Fog’?

Several nurseries (including Burkards in Pasadena, Plant Parenthood in Arcadia, Steven’s in North Hollywood and West Valley in Tarzana) are carrying plants of these organically grown varieties from a Northern California grower.

Or how about something old, but relatively untried in California, such as the cream-colored ‘Great White’ or ‘Evergreen,’ a tomato that stays green even when fully ripe?

Lore Caulfield is selling heritage tomato plants such as these at her Lore’s Herbs stand at the Santa Monica, Hollywood, Encino and Thousand Oaks farmer’s markets (for the location, dates and hours of these farmer’s markets, call (213) 244-9190).

She asked buyers last year which were their favorites and they singled out a big purple called ‘Purple Cherokee’ and the red and yellow-striped ‘Pineapple,’ though she thinks the pink, Amish variety named ‘Brandywine’ is the best tasting tomato of all.

You can also get plants of heirloom varieties by mail from Santa Barbara Heirloom Seedling Nursery, P.O. Box 4153, Santa Barbara, Calif. 93140, (805) 968-5444 (call, or send them a note for a descriptive catalogue). They ship seedlings in 2 1/2-inch pots and have old varieties such as ‘Big Rainbow,’ which is shades of yellow, green and red, or ‘Green Grape,’ the tomato of choice at Chez Panisse, the renown Berkeley restaurant.