By Jennifer Poindexter
When growing tomatoes, you might have found that there are many varieties. These varieties exist to fulfill different preferences and gardening goals.
For instance, if you’re growing tomatoes to make sauce, you might grow a specific type of tomato. When growing tomatoes for snacking or salads, you might grow another variety.
However, when growing tomatoes for slicing or for sandwiches, you’d grow yet another variety. If your gardening goal is to grow slicing tomatoes, you’re in the right place.
I’ve prepared a list of the best tomato varieties to grow for this purpose. Here are the tomatoes you should grow when using them for slicing or making sandwiches:
1. Magnus
The magnus tomato is an heirloom variety which produces a pink harvest with a fruity taste. These fruits average between six and eight ounces in size.
Plus, you can expect this variety of tomato to produce from three months after planting until frost since this is an indeterminate variety.
2. Early Girl
Early girl tomatoes are some of my favorites. They are fast producers, so you should expect a harvest within two months of planting.
This type of tomato plant produces six-ounce fruit, and the plants can reach heights between six and nine feet. Though this tomato is an early producer, it will produce throughout the growing season since it’s indeterminate.
3. Porter
The porter tomato is an excellent choice if you live in a hot, dry climate. This plant is known for producing fruit even during periods of drought.
You should expect porter plants to produce round, dark pink fruit that average around three ounces in weight. This is another indeterminate variety which produces within three months of planting.
4. Beefsteak
The beefsteak tomato is extremely popular with those who enjoy a good tomato sandwich. This plant produces some of the largest fruit of all tomato varieties, and the fruit can weigh between eight and sixty-four ounces.
If you choose to grow beefsteak tomatoes, expect a harvest in approximately eighty-five days. This is an indeterminate variety, so the plant should produce throughout the season and can reach heights of six feet.
5. Mortgage Lifter
Beefsteak tomatoes are the largest tomatoes, but mortgage lifter tomatoes aren’t far behind. When you grow this variety of tomato, expect large, red fruit that weigh between sixteen and twenty-four ounces.
This variety is indeterminate and can reach heights between seven and nine feet. Expect this plant to begin producing around eighty days after planting.
6. German Pink
German pink tomatoes are a fun but high-maintenance variety of plant to grow. You should expect this plant to produce large, pink tomatoes.
However, this variety is known to be prone to certain diseases, especially fungal issues. If you can keep these plants healthy, this variety is indeterminate and should produce a harvest within eighty-five days after planting.
7. German Queen
German queen is another heirloom variety of tomato. The fruit of this variety is large, red, and can weigh between fourteen and eighteen ounces.
When growing this variety, be prepared for a larger plant as it’s indeterminate and can reach heights of over six feet. You can expect a harvest within eighty days of planting.
8. Anna Banana Russian
I enjoy eating different colored fruit. If you do as well, you might like Anna Banana Russian tomatoes. This variety of tomato is a smaller fruit with a brighter color.
You should expect these tomatoes to be yellow, to weigh between six and eight ounces, and to be heart-shaped with a fruity taste. If you’d like to grow this type of tomato, be prepared for an indeterminate plant that produces within eighty days.
9. Green Zebra
Are you a fan of green tomatoes? This variety might be for you. These tomatoes have green flesh and are striped with yellow.
Should you wish to grow this type of tomato, expect smaller fruit that weigh no more than four ounces. This is an indeterminate variety that can grow as tall as seven feet. Expect the plant to begin producing within seventy-five days.
10. Kellogg’s Breakfast
Kellogg’s breakfast tomatoes are an heirloom variety. This plant was named for its bright colors and juicy interior. You should expect this type of plant to produce large, orange fruit that weigh as much as twenty-four ounces.
Also, be prepared for an indeterminate plant. This type of tomato can grow to be taller than six feet and should produce a harvest within eighty days.
11. Brandywine
The brandywine tomato is another heirloom variety. This plant produces large, beefy tomatoes that weigh approximately ten ounces.
When growing brandywine tomatoes, you should expect red or pink fruit. This variety typically takes around ninety days to reach maturity and is considered indeterminate.
12. Mr. Stripey
Mr. stripey is an heirloom variety tomato that produces fruit with a yellow undertone and red stripes. The fruits of this plant are sweet, large, and can weigh as much as two pounds.
This plant is an indeterminate variety that reaches maturity within eighty days. Expect the plant to reach heights as tall as nine feet.
13. Cherokee Purple
Cherokee purple tomatoes are another heirloom variety on this list. The fruits of this plant have a purple exterior and a red interior. When growing Cherokee purple tomatoes, expect rich, sweet fruit.
However, you should expect to grow a larger plant for an extended period of time as this type of tomato is indeterminate and can become as tall as nine feet.
14. Black Prince
The black prince tomato variety produces black fruit, as you might imagine. This variety is one of the most popular black varieties of tomatoes and is an heirloom variety as well.
Though the fruit of this plant is smaller, and only weighs around four ounces, it has a juicy consistency and deep flavors. This is an indeterminate variety and can reach heights around seven feet. You should expect the plant to reach maturity within seventy days.
15. Big Boy
Big boy tomatoes are bright, red, and juicy. When growing this variety of tomato plant, expect a harvest in approximately eighty days after planting.
This is an indeterminate variety of tomato, so they should produce until the first fall frost causes the plant to die. While the plant produces, the tomatoes should be around sixteen ounces.
16. Green Giant
Green giant tomatoes are large fruits that you’ll know are ripe once the green skin takes on a hint of yellow. This fruit produces a mixture of soothing sweetness with a kick of spiciness.
When growing a green giant tomato plant, expect to see fruit within three months of planting. This is an indeterminate variety of tomato and produces fruit as large as eighteen ounces.
17. Arkansas Traveler
Arkansas traveler tomatoes are smaller than some of the other tomatoes mentioned above. The fruits of this plant are pinker in color and are ready to harvest when they’re around six ounces.
However, this is an indeterminate variety. Therefore, you should receive a nice harvest starting about three months after transplant.
18. Anna Russian
Anna Russian tomato plants produce red, heart-shaped fruit. The tomatoes range in size from fourteen to sixteen ounces at the time of harvest.
When growing this type of tomato, expect to see fruit within three months from the time of transplant. This is an indeterminate variety, so the harvest should continue until frost arrives.
19. German Johnson
German Johnson is another large, red variety of tomato. The fruit of this plant can range in size from twelve to twenty-four ounces.
This variety of tomato plant is also indeterminate and should begin producing a harvest in approximately eighty days from the time of transplant.
20. Pineapple Tomato
I love to grow different varieties of tomatoes. The pineapple tomato certainly fits in this category. This plant produces large yellow tomatoes with a fruity flavor that can become as large as two pounds each.
The fruits of this plant are ready to harvest when they’re bright yellow with shades of red shining through. This is an indeterminate variety of tomato plant that’s slow to fruit. It can take up to one hundred days before you start seeing fruit on these plants.
21. Kosovo
Kosovo tomatoes are large, red, and round. The fruits of this plant start appearing around eighty days after transplant.
This is an indeterminate variety of tomato that produces fruits averaging around one pound at the time of harvest.
22. Ponderosa
When you hear the word “ponderosa” you probably think of something large. This tomato fits into this same description.
Ponderosa tomatoes are large and pink, weighing in at approximately twenty-five ounces. They’re an indeterminate variety that take around one hundred days to reach maturity.
23. Eva Purple Ball
Eva purple ball tomatoes are round and have a red skin with a purple hue. The fruits of this plant are smaller and only grow to be around seven ounces.
This is an indeterminate variety of tomato that takes approximately seventy-five days to reach maturity.
24. Black Krim
Do you want a darker slicing tomato? Consider growing the black krim variety. This type of tomato produces large, deep red tomatoes.
The fruit ranges anywhere from six to twelve ounces. Black krim is another indeterminate variety that takes approximately ninety days to reach maturity.
25. Caspian Pink
Our final slicing tomato is Caspian pink. This variety produces large, pink tomatoes that range between ten and twelve ounces.
Caspian pink tomato plants are indeterminate, and they take approximately eighty days to reach maturity.
You now have twenty-five different options to grow for tomatoes that work well for slicing or making sandwiches.
Pick the color you desire and consider the amount of time you have to grow tomatoes in your planting zone. Once you find a good match, begin your growing journey, and enjoy delicious homegrown tomatoes with your meals.
More About Tomatoes for Slicing and Sandwiches
https://ccmg.ucanr.edu/EdibleGardening/Tomato-Slicer/
https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-tomatoes
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