established in 1980
Bonny Best is a classic heirloom variety with a history spanning more than a century. Bred by George W. Middleton in Pennsylvania as a selection from Chalk’s Early Jewel, it was first introduced to the market in 1908 by Stokes Seeds of Philadelphia. It quickly gained popularity in the United States and Canada, and in the 1920s and 1930s it was one of the most widely grown tomatoes for processing and canning. To this day it is regarded as an icon among early heirlooms, valued by both gardeners and collectors of historic seeds.
The plant is tall (indeterminate) with regular leaves, so it requires staking and training. It grows vigorously and has good foliage cover, which protects the fruits from sunscald. The variety is considered mid-early — the first harvests begin about 75 days after transplanting.
Bonny Best fruits are round to slightly flattened, intensely red, with smooth skin and no green shoulders at the stem. They typically weigh 120 to 200 grams, and their flesh is firm, juicy, and meaty with few seeds. The flavor remains classically tomato-like, with an excellent balance of sweetness and acidity. Thanks to this combination of traits, the fruits are highly versatile — excellent for salads and sandwiches as well as sauces, passata, preserves, and canning.
Among other varieties available at Pomidorlandia, Bonny Best stands out for its historic pedigree, even yields, and universal use. Compared with early cultivars such as Stupice or Slava, it ripens a little later but offers larger, meatier fruits. When set against beefsteak types, it produces smaller yet more uniform and practical tomatoes.
Bonny Best is a variety that has delighted gardeners for over a century with its reliability and flavor — a classic that will perform in any garden and on every table.
| Color | Red |
| Fruit size | Middle |
| Growing habit | Indeterminate |
| The growing season | Mid-early |
| Fruit type | Beefsteak |
| Leaf type | Regular |
