O.P. varieties the plant buying consumer wants

[carolyn137]

Paul, I've run out of time to think today, that sometimes happens to me following a dental appointment.

I'll post a few suggestions over the weekend and will do that list without looking at what others have listed, so there may well be some overlap.

[montanamato]

I think the heirloom bug has spread farther than we realize...
They sold all my plants first at a rural mercantile recently and the remaining ones were the common popular varieties. I even took a few trays of very strange named Eastern European varieties...The plants were smaller than the others they offered and still sold out fast at $2.00 each. They were in 4 in pots and very healthy though.
I would steer away from Mr. Stripey and Brandywine, as I hear people always saying they tried Heirlooms and didn't get much production...They then invariably list those two varieties. I know many disagree, but for the average person who may not have great garden conditions , they don't make alot of sense.
I would give them plenty of good dependable determinates. Container plants and dwarf varieties are popular too.
Dakota Gold will outproduce anything most people have grown and the flavor is good too. Sioux, Victor, Red Beauty, Early Rouge, June Pink, Three Sisters, Kootenai, Cabot and Earlibell are good choices to get people acclimated to OP varieties.

Jeanne

[kimpossible]

I think the various coloured/shaped cherry tomatoes are popular, esp. with kids. Coworkers always want cherries from me because their kids love to snack on them. And no one can seem to resist the shape of Yellow & Red Pear!

[nctomatoman]

I am sure you've seen our link at our web site (it is posted in the tomatoville member web site section) - that has proven to be a pretty good list over the past 9 years we've sold plants. The real high demand varieties are Sungold, Cherokee Purple or Chocolate, Brandywine - then big reds, like Aker's WV and Andrew Rahart - also Red Brandywine. Those are probably the top tier in demand - then come things like Lucky Cross, Yellow Pear, Sweet Million, Little Lucky, Kellogg's Breakfast, Dr. Wyche, etc - We provide a core of 50 or so varieties, and vary another 50-60 year to year.

The boom has not yet peaked - we do better each season (I think word of mouth works very well), though we've had some customers for 8-9 years - seeing them each season is like reunions with old friends!