We like the hybrids Big Beef, Brandy Boy, Sungold/Sunsugar, and 4th of July F1s and expect production from them every year. All or some are always in the annual plan. IMO these varieties are much more than a standard back-up. We haven't worried about having traditional back-ups in years.

Many years ago we had back-up plans and grew Celebrity, Jet Star and Better Boy for risk reduction. They did fine but for the most part took valuable space away from other fabulous and better tasting varieties.

For Heirloom varieties, we have established a core group of varieties we grow every year. Some of these are: Galinas, Jaune Flamme, Riesentraube, Cherokee Purple and Purple Dog Creek.

That leaves the balance of the tomato garden for the fun stuff .... trialing new OP varieties and regrowing some of our favorite heirlooms.

Shell

What I would recommend all depends on if you are container gardening or in ground gardening and if you want only determinates like the ones you mentioned or indeterminates? I do both but varieties aren't interchangeable.

Might help to know where you are located too and when you plant out?

With those limitations in mind - Big Beef, Indian Stripe, Champion, Eva Purple Ball, Rutgers for dependability starters.

Dave

I live on western long island. I've heard good things about big beef, I heard champion was bland, and always wanted to try eva purple ball. I planted Rutgers once for some reason it wasn't producer surprising considering the proximity to new jersey. campbells 1327 always yields well. sometimes makes a second crop. I really like semi determinate longer producing tomatoes. so far I've never planted in pots. but i'm thinking about experimenting. thanks for the advice.

Among smaller salad-size tomatoes, the Stupice/Moravsky Div/etc. tomatoes are known to be not only good producers but also early.