The best method to combat this is to bag your young tomatoes with paper bags, plastic can cause rot, to prevent the fruit flies from laying their eggs in the tomatoes. Sakuoka agreed and said any of the cherry tomato varieties sold in local garden shops should do fine. Erin Lee, who now owns a tomato farm in Waimea, Maui, grew up on Oahu and remembers Italian plum tomatoes doing well in the garden. Those are generally good, flavorful. Lee was also a fan of the cherry tomato.
Most people can grow good cherries if nothing else.
Growing patterns are another factor in choosing a tomato type. Determinant, or bush tomatoes, have lower yields, according to Shintaku. Indeterminant, or vine tomatoes, tend to be longer lasting and better suited to Hawaii, he said. But they are a little more work. Calif. And the yellow he has had the most success with is Melon Magic.