The raised bed that is closest to the outdoor classroom area is the one that has 2 square sections that are a second tier. Because of where we had tomatoes last year and the garlic and shallots in Beds 2 and 3, we had no choice but to put tomatoes in that bed, fondly known as “Bed 1.” However, with those raised tiers, we decided to put some basil in those sections, with tomatoes on either end. The tomatoes will be half yellow/orange/gold varieties and half red varieties.

This is going to be fun! In both groups of tomatoes we have 3 average slicing tomatoes, 1 heirloom, 1 grape, and 1 random other tomato. Here’s a little information about each variety.

Yellow/Gold/Orange Tomatoes

BHN-871: We tried to plant this one a few years ago, but I could only find seeds in volumes of 2,000 or more. Yeah, not so much. This year I can get a packet! Hurray! 10-12 oz. fruit, disease resistant, low acid, determinate. 74 days.

Carolina Gold: This has been on the K-State Recommended List for a long time, probably because there haven’t been better options. We thought it was only fair to try it and compare. 8-10 oz. fruit, some disease resistance, determinate. 71 days.

Taxi: An early producing variety with smaller fruit. 4-6 oz. fruit, determinate. 64 days.

Limmony: Supposedly this Russian heirloom tomato has tangy, lemony flavored fruit? Hmm…. Beefsteak type tomato, up to 1 lb. fruit. Indeterminate, 80 days.

Golden Sweet Grape: Yellow grape tomato, mild flavor, crack resistant. Indeterminate. 60 days.

Yellow Stuffer: This is obviously the “random” variety. The tomato fruits are shaped like bell peppers and are hollow like peppers, so you can make stuffed tomatoes! Indeterminate. 76 days.

Red Tomatoes

Iron Lady:  This is a new variety that I mentioned on the blog awhile back. It is resistant to late blight, early blight, and Septoria leaf spot. It has dense, 5 oz. fruit on determinate plants. 75 days.

Jetsetter: This is a slightly earlier version of Jet Star with much more disease resistance. 8 oz fruit, indeterminate. 64 days.

Bella Rosa: Another highly disease resistant slicer, this variety claims some heat tolerance as well. 10-12 oz. fruit, determinate. 75 days.

Arkansas Traveler: This is an heirloom that I’ve had recommended to me as one that tolerates heat. We’ll see! 6 oz. fruit, indeterminate. 90 days.

Five Star Grape: Basic red grape tomato. Crack resistant, indeterminate. 62 days.

Plum Regal: A very disease resistant plum/roma tomato, with some Early blight resistance. 3-4 oz. fruit, determinate. 80 days.

Basils….I will come back and hit the basils on another day when I talk about all the herbs.