With the flavor of summer's sun-ripened tomatoes plucked from our own vines fresh in our minds (and still on our tastebuds), it seems natural to look ahead to next season's tomato crop.

Most gardeners will reach for "tried-and-true" favorites for their main tomato crop - big, meaty beefsteaks, maybe a particularly prolific cherry variety. Then they'll "experiment" by planting an unfamiliar but appealing variety.

It is part of the never-ending quest to find the "perfect" tomato. Exactly what "perfect" means varies among gardeners. Tomatoes are judged by firmness, color, shape, size, fruit production and most importantly, flavor. Some tomato lovers prefer an acidic bite, while others enjoy a juicy-sweet taste.

Here are a few new tomatoes worth adding to your "look-see" list, on the market for 2009 planting. Think it's too early to plan next year's garden? Those tantalizing seed catalogs will be arriving in your mailbox in the blink of an eye.

These tomatoes will be available in seeds or bedding plants. Descriptions are provided by the National Garden Bureau.

"Basket Boy Yellow." Imagine having your tomato harvest at eye level. This yellow cherry tomato is ideally sized for container gardens and is suggested for hanging baskets. Fruit is described as sweet in a bite-sized 2-inch 3-ounce package, produced in about 65 days. It is disease tolerant to Verticillium wilt and Fusarium wilt. This one should be offered by a variety of retail outlets. You'll have to check your catalogs and garden centers because it's being offered to seed companies and growers through a wholesaler.

"First Light." One of the best-tasting tomatoes, according to testers. Harvest begins about 76 days after sowing seeds, when the bottom 1/3 to 2/3 has turned red but still has green shoulders. "Excellent-flavored" tomatoes have a crisp texture and weigh from 5 to 7 ounces. Production is good. Available through Johnny's Select Seeds.

"Lola." An indeterminate tomato, this one ranges from 6 to 12 feet tall and naturally, requires staking. Fruits are described as red, flat globe types with firm texture and uniform size. Each weighs between 7 and 8 1/2 ounces. It is said to be disease tolerant to Fusarium 1, 2, Verticillium and Tobacco Mosaic virus. Harvest is in about 80 days from sowing seed. This is another tomato offered to seed companies and nurseries via a wholesaler.

"Tomatoberry." Would you believe a tomato that is shaped like a strawberry? "Tomatoberry" is unique in shape and produces super-sweet taste and aroma, according to NGB. Each one-bite fruit is shiny deep red and measures 1 inch in size. Harvest begins roughly 80 days after sowing. Staking is required and plants are high yielding. Ball Horticultural Co., is the wholesaler offering this one to seed companies and nurseries.

"Sweet Mojo." Exceptionally early maturing fruit set from top to bottom. Plants produce outstanding yield with long clusters averaging 21 red, sweet grape-shaped fruits. Staking is required and harvest is in 60 days. It's another one offered through a wholesaler, Alf Christianson Seed Co., to commercial growers and seed companies, so look for it as a bedding plant or in seed catalogs.