Pear tomatoes come in various colors and sizes, with a distinctive pear shape. They can be grown for their sweet taste or ornamental value. Most are heirloom varieties, and can be used in salads or canned. They can be grown in small spaces and complemented with colorful peppers. Vine-ripened tomatoes are available in grocery stores from May onwards.
Pear tomatoes can refer to a number of different tomato cultivars, usually cherry-sized or slightly larger. They can come in a variety of colors, with yellow and red being the most common. The name isn’t hard to figure out as most of these tomatoes have a distinctive pear shape, a rounded, turned bottom, with a thinner top portion.
Some pear tomato varieties are exceptionally sweet and many are great performers even when grown in pots. They can continue to produce fruit from May to October, especially if you live in milder climates. They can also be grown strictly for their ornamental value, though many pear tomato aficionados suggest missing the point entirely if you don’t eat these typically sweet fruits.
Most pear tomatoes are considered heirloom tomato varieties. Heirloom can mean a few things – most often it means that plants are either open pollinated or left to pollinate naturally by birds, bees and other types of insects. You can also hand pollinate, but that’s usually not necessary. If you plan on open pollinating these pretty tomatoes, you may want to have at least two plants so you get predictable results and the pear shapes you desire.
You can use pear tomatoes in a variety of ways. They’re perfect for serving whole in salads or cut in half, though many are small enough to make them useless. Many people who grew up in rural regions remember these types of tomatoes being canned whole by grandparents or great-grandparents. This means fresh tasting tomatoes would be available all year round.
Although people typically think of pear tomatoes as small, bite-sized fruits, there is a variety that is approximately the size of a palm tree. It bears the name of the black pear tomato and is only slightly oval in shape, and is deep red with a slight green streak across the top. Some argue that the black pear tomato is one of the most delicious heirloom types you can find, but many prefer the smaller yellow, orange and red ones that are so aesthetically pleasing and full of flavor too.
You will find numerous varieties of pear tomatoes to grow. If you’re not good at gardening, you may want to use starters (small plants) for your first attempts at growing. Even a small outdoor space with lots of sun will do for most types of pear tomato; don’t forget to water every couple of days. If you’re looking for complementary colors in your plantings, growing small peppers in a variety of colors can produce a delightful effect. Growing peppers around tomatoes can help, as this can help repel some bugs.
For those without growing skills or space, look for vine ripening, probably the best-tasting method of ripening, at your local grocery store. They are usually available from May onwards. You may be able to get these tomatoes year round if you can find ones grown hydroponically or imported from other countries.
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