Ready to plant tomatoes? Read this first.

It’s April 22nd, and according to the Old Farmers’ Almanac, we have crossed into the land of “frost free gardening.” Yeah baby! So far this spring, we’ve been focusing on kale and cabbage and broccoli and lettuces, but finally, it’s time for the stuff that tastes of summer, in particular, TOMATOES!

And while growing tomatoes in Tennessee is surprisingly easy, (has anyone else experienced a tomato jungle in their backyards or balconies?!) selecting the best tomato for your garden is significantly trickier. Our favorite Nashville plant grower, Paradise Produce, grows at least 20 varieties, and most nurseries around town are similar. And if you Google tomato gardening, have mercy, HOW are we supposed to know where to begin?

Well, roll up your sleeves and grab your feather pen, friends. I’m about to offer you a map of the first two turns. (Seriously, I can only keep your attention for so long in this day and age.)

The first thing to consider in your search for the perfect tomato is an assessment of your own garden space. Do you have room for a tomato plant to roam wildly for up to 12 feet, or does it need to stay tidy in a pot on your balcony? I’ll walk you through best course of action for both of these garden situations.

Secondly, we’ll dive in to how you want to use your tomatoes. Are you a BLT afficionado, and want to grow a big classic slicing tomato? Or, are you leaning into that 1/16th Italian side, and you imagine yourself in the kitchen with a wooden spoon perfecting your tomato sauce? Or, do you just want to convince your 6-year-old to eat something that’s not Cheezits, and you think maybe cherry tomatoes will be the trick? Either way, friends, I’m going to walk you through some options.

Determining Tomato Type: A detail on the plant tag that’s worth knowing

Let’s start with the space issue. If you’ve got a lot of growing space, whether in the ground or raised beds, and you have a large, sturdy structure for your tomatoes to climb up, then you’re a candidate for indeterminate tomatoes. (Look for the word “indeterminate” on the plant tag.) These are the vining, sprawling plant types that will keep producing fruit until frost hits in the fall. It’s wonderful to have tomatoes until October or November, but they want to grow 10-15 feet long, and they can become unruly if you don’t have the space or vertical structures to support their growth.

If your space is tight, or you just like a neater look, determinate varieties might be your match. These compact plants have been bred to be more manageable for patio growers and farmers alike. I love to remind clients of the word meaning: These plants have a “determined” height, and they produce a “determined” crop at a “determined” time, and then they die, so they are not supposed to get too big your balcony container. In our gardens, we don’t grow determinate tomatoes because we prioritize vertical supports, but we would choose determinate options such as Rutgers, Celebrity, and some Roma varieties if we needed something smaller.

Here’s another Nashville secret to consider: determinate tomatoes can still grow pretty large in our region, so the basic tomato cage doesn’t really support them. If you are scrunched for space, you might also consider dwarf tomatoes or micro dwarf tomatoes, which you will usually need to grow from seed, like this variety from Baker Creek.

Choose Your Own Tomato Adventure

Once you know what kind of plant you’re working with, it’s time for the fun part—choosing based on flavor and function.

🍅 Want that classic summer sandwich moment? Go for a big slicer like Better Boy or Carbon.
🍅 Dreaming of marinara? Look for paste tomatoes like Roma or Amish Paste—meaty, low on juice, and full of concentrated flavor.
🍅 Want something sweet and snackable for little hands (or distracted weeding breaks)? Sun Gold cherry tomatoes are pure candy, Sweet 100s are classic, sweet red bursts, and Black Cherry gives you rich, smoky flavor in a bite-sized burst.

Here’s a tip I give all my clients: plant cherry tomatoes on arches, if you have them. They are gorgeous, and you won’t regret it. Then, purchase obelisks to support as many other tomatoes as you can fit, depending on your cooking plans.

The Final Word

Whether your garden is the size of a tablecloth or a small farm, tomatoes have a way of making us feel like we’re winning at this whole growing-food thing. So get those babies in the ground, give them a little love, and we’ll check back in come July when the tomato madness really begins. You’ll be up to your elbows in sauce and salsa before you know it.

And hey—if you're growing something new this year, let me know. I’d love to hear what tomato trials you're cooking up in your own backyard lab. We’re garden nerds, remember? Sharing notes is half the fun.

Posing in front of a tomato arch trellis, Nashville. November 2023. Photo credit Natalie Metzger.