For the nearly 50 years I grew tomatoes up north, I simply took seeds from whatever tomatoes were in the supermarket that I liked. I have no idea what variety they were, but they always grew well and tasted like... tomatoes.

You could try a local farmer's market or just grab what you like at Publix. Best to grow what you've tasted and liked than trying to guess based on an internet poll.

PMing you.

To answer your question, though, Celebrity is a popular determinate beefsteak tomato.

Thank you both. I haven't had a very good tomato from Publix in I don't know when.

Have you tried the Tasti Li tomatoes from Publix? They are pretty good, they aren't huge, and last year I saved and dried the seeds and planted them for an experiment and they were wonderful. They also keep for a long time.

Thanks ritaweeda. It's been a couple of years since we've gotten any here.

We have a EarthFare store here that sells heirloom tomatoes. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy one of those and plant the seeds than it is to buy the seeds. AND you get a tomato! Bad part is they aren't labeled as to variety, so they could be anything, but if you find one you like, it would be worth buying it.

Thanks, DG. Never heard of EarthFare. The best we have here is Fresh Market and I could buy a hundred years worth of seeds for what an heirloom tomato costs there.

I'm trying Everglades Tomatoes for the first time. I really don't have much luck with any others I've tried and have heard that this variety does well here in zone 10..

Thanks, bellagirl. Yes, I have good luck with all the small tomatoes I've tried, but I'd like to find a decent larger tomato, too. No room for everglades here--that one needs to be in the ground and I'm limited to what I can grow in a paved courtyard, hence the hydroponics.

My favorite to grow is champion and it did well in a hydro unit I made from gutters.I haven't been able to get it for a few year's and I miss it.haven't had much luck with anything else other than cherry tomatoes.champion is a good slicing tomato.

Thanks, Glenn and nighthawk.