James Baggett, Ph.D., of Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon, has been developing new vegetable varieties for more than 40 years. His goal is to introduce vegetables that are of good quality and easy to process, which will ripen easily in climates similar to the Pacific northwest. The summer days are generally warm and dry there, but as the sun sets, temperatures drop quickly, particularly on or near slopes.
Warm-season tomatoes grow better in climates where the air stays relatively warm all night. In Minnesota, particularly farther north, the number of warm nights can be a bit limited.
The varieties you mentioned will grow both in Minnesota and in the Pacific northwest, and we would recommend them to gardeners whose summer nights are chilly. These tomatoes tend to be a bit less sweet and juicy than, for example, beefsteak or Better Boy varieties, but the trade-off may be worth it.
A good choice is Oregon Star, which is useful both as a slicing and as a sauce tomato. Oregon Star and Siletz are both fairly reliable early tomatoes. All of these varieties are determinate so staking is not necessary, and the fruit will all ripen over a short period of time. Sweet Million (the improved version of Sweet 100) is a flavorful cherry tomato that will bear reasonably early and continue to bear prolifically until frost. It is an indeterminate grower and will sprawl magnificently.
For more information, see the Extension publication Tomatoes - Varieties for Northern Minnesota.
