Bonny Best

Described as a firm, mildly tart classic red tomato with a balanced sweet-acid taste, a longtime canning favorite. This is the recurring catalog and grower description, not a measured claim.

An old commercial heirloom reported to have been selected by George W. Middleton of Pennsylvania from a field of Chalk's Early Jewel, long prized for canning.

• Indeterminate vine. It keeps growing and setting fruit right up to frost, so plan on a tall stake or cage and regular pruning through the season.
• Mid-season timing, ripening around 70 to 80 days from transplant.
• Generally forgiving and beginner-friendly to grow.
• One of our picks for the cold, short-season gardens of New England.

Sold out, or after a change? The closest alternatives, and how they differ.

Rutgersbut an older canning classic and a parent of later varietiesMarglobebut indeterminate rather than a determinate globe

• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
• Victory Seed Company

• Heirloom vs Hybrid Tomatoes
• Slicer vs Beefsteak Tomatoes

Is Bonny Best determinate or indeterminate?

Bonny Best is an indeterminate variety. Indeterminate vine. It keeps growing and setting fruit right up to frost, so plan on a tall stake or cage and regular pruning through the season.

How long does Bonny Best take to ripen?

Bonny Best ripens in about 78 days from transplant. Mid-season timing, ripening around 70 to 80 days from transplant.

Is Bonny Best an heirloom or a hybrid?

Bonny Best is an heirloom, an open-pollinated variety with a documented history, so seed saved from it comes back true to type.

What can I grow instead of Bonny Best?

A close swap is Rutgers, but an older canning classic and a parent of later varieties.