Tomatoes grow best in a greenhouse in Scotland, and outdoors blight is the big risk. So the choice depends on where you're growing: under cover, any good variety will do, while outdoors it's worth picking one with some resistance.
Quick answer
Sungold or Shirley under cover. Legend, a bush, or Crimson Crush, a cordonA fruit tree or bush trained as a single main stem with short fruiting side-spurs, usually grown at an angle against a wall, fence or wire. Full definition →, outdoors, since both have good blight resistance. Gold Nugget for pots and baskets.
What Scotland means for the choice
Tomatoes grow particularly well in a greenhouse, usually giving an earlier and larger crop. Outdoors they need a warm, sunny, sheltered site, and they're prone to blight there, though rarely in a greenhouse. Damp Scottish weather suits blight, so outdoors a variety with resistance is worth choosing. The award (AGMThe RHS's Award of Garden Merit: a UK-wide trials award for reliable performance, not a Scotland-specific recommendation. Full definition →) is a measure of general garden performance, not blight resistance, and several of the blight-resistant varieties don't hold it. The tomato growing guide covers sowing, feeding and side-shooting, and the variety selector will pick one for you.
| Variety | Habit | Fruit | Blight | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sungold | Cordon | Cherry; golden-orange, sweet | Not stated | Under cover or a sheltered spot |
| Shirley | Cordon | Medium red salad; heavy trussesThe flowering, then fruiting, stem cluster on a tomato plant; each truss ripens its fruit together. Full definition → | Described as disease resistant | Unheated greenhouse or outdoors |
| Gold Nugget | Compact bush | Yellow cherry; thin skin | Not stated | Pots and baskets |
| Marmande | Cordon | Heavy, red, ribbed beefsteak | Not stated | Greenhouse or outdoors |
| Legend | Bush | Red salad; reliable crops | Good resistance | Outdoors |
| Crimson Crush | Cordon | Medium red salad; heavy yields | Good resistance | Greenhouse or outdoors |
| Losetto | Compact, trailing | Small red cherry | Some resistance | Baskets and containers |
Sungold, Shirley and Gold Nugget hold the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Legend, Crimson Crush and Losetto don't. Marmande's plant page shows the award, but RHS's recommended list doesn't name it, so its status is unclear.
Under cover: Sungold, Shirley and Marmande
Sungold is a cordon cherry tomato with sweet, golden-orange fruit.Shirley is a popular cordon that gives heavy trusses of medium red tomatoes from June to September in an unheated greenhouse or outdoors, and it's described as disease resistant. Marmande is a cordon beefsteak with heavy, ribbed, well-flavoured fruit, suitable for a greenhouse or outdoors.
Outdoors: Legend, Crimson Crush and Losetto
Legend is a large bush tomato, great for growing outdoors, with reliable crops of red salad tomatoes and good blight resistance, and no side-shooting. Crimson Crush is a cordon salad tomato for a greenhouse or outdoors, with heavy yields and good blight resistance. Losetto is a compact cherry tomato for baskets or containers, with some resistance to blight.
Gold Nugget
Gold Nugget is a compact bush with yellow cherry fruit, good flavour and a thin skin. As a bush it needs no side-shooting, and it suits a pot or basket.
Which one for your situation
- A greenhouse or polytunnel: Sungold or Shirley.
- An open plot, with no side-shooting: Legend.
- An open plot, as a cordon: Crimson Crush.
- A pot or hanging basket: Gold Nugget, or Losetto.
- A beefsteak: Marmande.
Common questions
Does an AGM tomato resist blight?
Not necessarily. The award reflects general garden performance. Legend and Crimson Crush have good blight resistance and Losetto has some, and none of those three holds the award.
Which tomato is best for an open plot?
Legend if you want a bush that needs no side-shooting, or Crimson Crush if you would rather grow a cordon. Both have good blight resistance.
Which tomato suits a pot?
Gold Nugget, a compact bush, or Losetto, a compact cherry for baskets and containers.
Sources
Show the 6 sources
- Tomatoes: grow your own: The recommended varieties and AGM status; greenhouse crops earlier and larger; outdoors needs a warm, sunny, sheltered site; blight outdoors but rarely in a greenhouse
- Solanum lycopersicum Shirley: Cordon; heavy trusses June to September; unheated greenhouse or outdoors
- Solanum lycopersicum Marmande: Cordon beefsteak; greenhouse or outdoors
- Solanum lycopersicum Legend: Large bush tomato; great outdoors; good blight resistance
- Solanum lycopersicum Losetto: Compact cherry for baskets and containers; some blight resistance
- Solanum lycopersicum Crimson Crush: Cordon salad tomato; greenhouse or outdoors; good blight resistance