Heritage value

For many backyard growers, tomatoes are a home-grown staple. Why not elevate your harvest with flavour-packed heirloom varieties? In the October issue, horticulturist Marcelle Nankervis gives the lowdown on growing heirloom tomatoes.

Forget those hard red things that are available at the supermarket year-round. While they may share the name tomato, they’re nothing like what you can grow at home. One bite of a sun-warmed, vine-ripened tomato from your own garden and you’ll be hooked. The complex flavour; the unexpected burst of sweet, savoury or smoky. And the texture? Unmatched. It’s no wonder tomatoes are one of the most popular home-grown crops around the world.

Tomatoes are surprisingly easy to grow and suitable for gardens of all sizes – even indoors, if the conditions are right. With tomato planting time just around the corner in much of Australia, it’s your chance to turn up your harvest with heirlooms.

What makes heirloom tomatoes different?

The answer is simple: selection. Someone, somewhere, thought that a certain tomato was worth saving. The reason could be anything from flavour or colour, to perfect passata flesh, early ripening, or even size (large or small). Others clearly agreed, saving seed from the best fruit year after year. Whatever the reason behind it, that original choice is why these fruit are still available today and why they deserve a spot in our gardens. Here are a couple of heirloom varieties to try:

DR WYCHE
This yellow beefsteak variety bears an abundance of fruit with meaty flesh, few seeds and a rich, sweet flavour. Lovely for slicing fresh, it also adds something special to sauces and preserves. Named after Dr John Wyche from Oklahoma in the US, a passionate breeder of heirloom tomato varieties.

PAUL ROBESON
The flavour of this beauty is sweet, smoky, earthy and complex. It has thin skin and soft flesh. The colour is dark, and the size average for a beefsteak. Originally from Siberia, it has a short fruiting period, but it’s well worth the space. Slice and savour every fruit – no cracker necessary.

Discover more heirloom tomato varieties, plus get tips on how to grow them, in the October issue of ABC Gardening Australia magazine – on sale now!

Words by Marcelle Nankervis
Header image by iStock