Grow Tiny, Tasty Tomatoes

Article: Gene B. Bussell

Some of the smallest tomato types deliver the most fruit and the best flavor. Here are our favorites from the Southern Living kitchen garden.

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The Basics

Photo: Ralph Anderson, Van Chaplin


Charlie Thigpen, owner of The Gardener’s Gallery in Birmingham, says tomatoes’ needs are simple: lots of sun (at least six hours a day), rich soil, regular water, and something to grow on (a trellis, stake, or cage). Cover these basics and you will be rewarded with baskets of homegrown tomatoes―and the fresh taste of summer at your table.

 

All the tomatoes in this story need the support of cages, stakes, or trellises to keep their vines growing up and off the ground. If you don’t have a lot of space or want container plants, Charlie recommends ‘Micro-Tom’ or ‘Florida Basket.’
 

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‘Chocolate Cherry’

Photo: Ralph Anderson, Van Chaplin

Full of flavor; acidic, dark red fruits on a strong plant; love this tangy tomato.

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‘Sun Gold’

Photo: Ralph Anderson, Van Chaplin

Very sweet, abundant; ripens to a bright orange on a robust plant―addictive.

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‘Yellow Grape’

Photo: Ralph Anderson, Van Chaplin

Mild, sweet flavor; clouds of tomatoes ripen to a bright yellow.

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‘Super Sweet 100’

Photo: Ralph Anderson, Van Chaplin

The name says it all―one of the sweetest and most prolific tomatoes to grow; a vigorous vine.

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‘Sweet Baby Girl’

Photo: Ralph Anderson, Van Chaplin
Editor’s favorite―the perfect tiny tomato; grows sweet, tasty red fruits on a bountiful, compact plant (4 to 5 feet tall).
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Tips for Planting Tomatoes

Photo: Ralph Anderson, Van Chaplin
  • Plant after soil has fully warmed and all frost danger has passed.
  • Remove lower leaves of the plant using sharp clippers before planting.
  • Plant deep and in good soil.
  • Mix leaf mold, mushroom compost, peat moss, or composted manure (such as Black Kow) into the hole to enrich soil and improve drainage.
  • If you are planting a lot, use a posthole digger.
  • Add a thick layer of mulch, such as pine straw or wheat straw, around the base of the plant before watering to help prevent soil-borne diseases from splashing onto the plant.

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Tomato Sources

Photo: Ralph Anderson, Van Chaplin
Sources for growing tomatoes:

Park Seed Company: parkseed.com
The Tasteful Garden: tastefulgarden.com
Tomato Growers Supply Company: tomatogrowers.com
Totally Tomatoes: totallytomato.com

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