The Fastest and Easiest Tomato Varieties to Grow

Any way you slice or peel them, we love tomatoes. After all, who can resist a fresh-out-of-the-oven tomato pie? When tomatoes are ripe for the picking, there are endless ways to use our bounty, from tomato jam to a delicious tomato soup. If you're new to tomato gardening or looking to see yields fast, there are a few easy varieties that will grow in your home garden quickly so you can start cooking in no time.

What are these quick growing plants? We tapped gardener and plant expert Ben Gordon of Metropolitan Garden Designs to unearth the answers.

"A fast-growing tomato could bear fruit as early as 40 to 50 days from being planted in the ground," shares Gordon. To ensure a healthy crop, he recommends starting all plant seeds in a plastic tray. Transport them to the soil once they've reached 12 inches in height. "This should protect them from the early spring pests. A gardener can easily grow tomatoes from seeds in plastic trays or pick some up already started from their local nursery," he recommends.

Ready to plant? Here are some of the best fast-growing tomato varieties for home growers.

Cherry Tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes not only look adorable on top of your lunch salad, but they are also easy to grow. Known for being hardy, if kept watered, you should have cherry tomatoes within 50 to 60 days of planting. Popular cherry tomatoes to plant are Sun Gold, Edox, and Sungreen.

Glacier Tomatoes

Within 56 days, give or take, gardeners should have a peck of Glacier Tomatoes. Gordon shares that this variety has excellent flavor and is often abundant in the crop it produces. "If you live in a climate with a shorter warm summer this can be a great choice." he says.

Bush Early Girl

Bush Early Girl Tomatoes may have a funny name, but they're a quick turn-around crop to plant. Gordon shares that tomatoes arrive within 59 days. "These tomatoes form dense plants which make them great for growing in smaller spaces like hoop houses," he says.

Sub Artic Party

If you're in a rush before freeze time, this plant variety is for you. Within 42 days, tomatoes can appear on this particular plant. The plant was developed in Alberta, Canada, and it is a true short-season tomato.