It’s almost planting season for all you green-thumbers out there. If you’ve been nervously biting your green fingernails in anticipation of the Top 10 Heirloom Tomatoes for ’09 List, fret no more. TomatoFest Garden Seeds of Carmel, California just released their picks, based on the most popular varietals of 2008. With no further adieu, the Top 10 are:

Brandywine (pink)
Paul Robeson (purple/black)
Aussie (red)
Julia Child (pink)
Cherokee Purple (purple/black)
Black Cherry (purple/black)
Kellogg’s Breakfast (orange)
Gold Medal (yellow/red striped)
Aunt Ginny’s Purple (purple/black)
Carmello (red)

Gary Ibsen, the “Tomato Man” and founder of TomatoFest, said that “Black” tomatoes, originally from the Crimean Peninsula, were bigger in ’08 than any other year. The term “Black” tomatoes remind us of Tomacco, but they’re actually pretty tasty, and not really black at all. They are funky-colored, though — often purple or bluish-brown.

Interesting stuff; go to TomatoFest.com for more info and pics of the lucky winners.