Once you experience the deliciousness of Lemon Boy tomatoes, you’ll make sure the fruit becomes a permanent fixture in your home kitchen.
These tomatoes are deliciously sweet and slightly tangy, but it’s their brilliant yellow color that makes them stand out. The sight of these sunshine-yellow fruits is enough to brighten up any dish, no matter how simple.
Keep reading to learn more about Lemon Boy tomatoes, how to use them in cooking, and even how to grow them yourself at home.
Characteristics of the Lemon Boy Tomato
Lemon Boy tomatoes are one of the more popular varieties of yellow tomatoes. These fruits are a favorite of commercial growers and are commonly found in grocery stores across the U.S.
Appearance
Unlike your typical red tomato, Lemon Boys are yellow, hence the name.
The smile-worthy color is due to an absence of lycopene; a natural compound that gives red tomatoes their coloring. The variety is known for being the first of its kind to bear a bright-yellow color instead of a golden-yellow hue.
The midsized fruits are hefty and globe-shaped. When ripe, they weigh seven to eight ounces.
Taste
Lemon Boy tomatoes are sweet and slightly tangy. Yellow tomatoes are less acidic than red tomatoes in general, which causes them to err on the sweeter side.
Texture
These tomatoes are smooth and meaty.
Ways to Prepare Lemon Boy Tomatoes
Lemon Boy tomatoes are a fun fruit to use in the kitchen because it differs from your typical tomatoes. For this reason, many people use them to add vibrancy and visual interest to dishes, sometimes more so than flavor.
Slicing
The size and smooth skin of Lemon Boys make them ideal for slicing. Slice and dice these tomatoes and add them to sandwiches and salads, such as a yellow Caprese salad.
You can also chop Lemon Boys and add them to pasta dishes and vegetable medleys.
Cooking
Golden tomato bisque is a popular and delicious way to cook with Lemon Boys.
Although these tomatoes aren’t used primarily for sauce, you can use these sweet fruits to make fresh tomato sauce, like golden yellow pasta sauce.
Snacking
Plain, freshly-picked tomatoes are always a great fruit to snack on. Slice a few, sprinkle salt and pepper overtop, and drizzle with olive oil.
Another popular way to snack on Lemon Boy tomatoes is to use them in salsa. You can make these yellow fruits the star ingredient or combine them with other tomato varieties.
Read our post, “Delicious and Easy Tomato Salsa Recipe,” to learn how to make fresh salsa. Buy a few bags of tortilla chips and you’re set for a mid-afternoon or evening snack!
Health Benefits of Yellow Tomatoes
Yellow tomatoes share many of the same benefits as red tomatoes, but there are a few noteworthy differences.
These tomatoes are a substantial source of Vitamin C, iron, and lutein, a type of organic pigment that supports eye health. Compared to red tomatoes, yellows contain more folate, phosphorus, potassium, and niacin.
On the other hand, yellow tomatoes do not contain lycopene or Vitamin A, which are both substantial in red tomatoes.
Because yellow tomatoes are generally less acidic than red tomatoes, they tend to be easier to digest for people with sensitive stomachs.
Read our post, “The Complete Tomato Nutrition Guide: 6 Benefits of Eating Tomatoes,” for more information on why you should include tomatoes of any kind in your diet.
Growing Lemon Boy Tomatoes at Home
Compared to other varieties, Lemon Boy tomatoes are easier tomato to grow on your own. A hybrid plant, this tomato is known for its disease resistance, hardiness, and high yield.
Growing
Lemon Boy tomatoes are indeterminate, meaning the fruit grows on vines rather than bushes. This variety also grows dark green leaves, which sharply contrasts with its bold-colored fruits.
Lemon Boy tomato plants take about 72 to 78 days to produce fruit, which is the average growing speed.
To thrive, these tomatoes need at least six hours of direct sunlight each day and receive at least 2.5 centimeters of water each week. The soil should be slightly acidic and lightly packed.
You can start growing Lemon Boys in grower’s pots and transfer them into the ground a few weeks later. Check out our post, “9 of the Best Tomato Planters for Your Tomatoes,” for our suggestions on pots to use.
When you transfer them, place the plants at least 24 centimeters apart to allow them room to grow. As plants grow taller, use stakes to keep the stems standing tall.
Whether you choose to grow Lemon Boys or another tomato type, our post, “How To Grow Tomatoes: The Complete Guide,” provides comprehensive, step-by-step instructions on how to do so.
Harvesting
Lemon Boy tomatoes are known to produce consistently, well-formed fruits. The fruit grows in clusters. Tomatoes should be picked individually as they ripen rather than in bundles.
Check out our post, “How to Harvest Tomatoes in 4 Easy Steps,” for more details on how to harvest tomato plants.
Companion Plants
Tomatoes play nicely with many other plants in the garden. These plants, known as companion plants, are often grown next to tomato plants because they help to prevent disease and repel pests.
Calendulas and marigolds are two popular flowers to plant next to tomatoes. Imagine how beautiful these golden-yellow flowers would look in a garden next to these blazing Lemon Boy tomatoes!
Other companion plants for tomatoes are amaranth, basil, carrots, catnip, celery, chives, cosmos, garlic, mint, nasturtium, onions, and parsley.
Pests and Diseases
Lemon Boys are resistant to most common diseases, including fusarium, leaf molds, root nematodes, and verticillium wilt.
Interestingly, the plant’s dark leaves are poisonous, so pests tend to avoid eating the fruit as well. .
Where To Buy Lemon Boy Tomato Seeds
You can purchase seeds from your local home improvement store, but we recommend buying Lemon Boy tomato seeds from Amazon.
Brighten Up Your Meals With Lemon Boy Tomatoes
Lemon Boy tomatoes are beaming, sweet and tangy, and certainly memorable. Once you have a taste of these tomatoes, you’ll want to have them again and again—and perhaps you’ll even grow them at home!
Interested in learning about different kinds of tomatoes? Visit our page, “Tomato Varieties: Your Complete Guide to 76 Incredible Varieties of Tomatoes,” to find your new favorites!