In this retrospective, small tomato plants are those that don’t exceed 48-inches in height. Most of these tomato varieties are determinate. The plants with spreading habit are considered semi-indeterminate in plant catalogs. Here are the small tomato plants I grew in 2019 with a summary of my experiences and thoughts about each variety.
Atlas – large beefsteak (10 – 16 oz)
I grew Atlas tomatoes in a different area of the yard this year and it ended up not being as full as last year’s plant. The plant self-destructed under the weight of the tomatoes. Though the plant produced many tomatoes, the yield was low because the tomatoes would rot before ripening due to cracking. The plant is too wide for a tomato cage. I did my best to supplement the cage by supporting the fruit-heavy branches with pairs of poles connected by plastic ties. I would not plant this variety in my yard again. If you want to try growing Atlas in your garden, be aware that it needs at big container. I recommend at least 21-inches diameter. And as the tomatoes mature, you’ll need to figure out a way to support the heavy branches. Also, the plant may be sensitive to watering habits which may be why the fruits crack so easily.
Tasmanian Chocolate — Globe
This was my second attempt at growing this variety. The first time, I started the seeds too late in the summer. This time I started it in late spring. The plant self-destructed and produced poorly at first, but after cutting the plant back, it grew back stronger and the yield was better. The plant has a spreading habit, so I trellised the vines vertically to keep them off the ground. These tomatoes did not taste particularly special, and because the tomatoes came so late in the season, they went directly into sauce because I was inundated with other tomatoes.
Stupice – Saladette
Stupice tomatoes didn’t do well in my yard. The foliage was sparse, and the tomatoes rotted before they ripened. I think they were in a bad part of the yard. That area is a cool zone that gets less than 6 hours of sun per day. The plant died due to powdery mildew. I would try this variety in another area in my yard before passing judgment though.
Ace 55 – Globe
It did not do well, so I didn’t pay much attention to it. It died in July due to heat. The container I put it in may have been too small to keep the plant hydrated in inland San Diego summer heat. I would try this plant again in a wine barrel planter or inground before passing judgment on it for my yard.
Red Pride – Globe
Same as the Ace 55, it did not do well, so I didn’t pay much attention to it. It also died in July due to heat most likely to small container size. Again, I would try this plant again in a wine barrel planter or inground before passing judgment on it for my yard.
Patio Princess – Saladette
The tomatoes don’t reach peak quality until the soil temperature rises above 65F. Before then, the tomatoes are acidic and mealy. At peak quality the tomato’s texture changes dramatically to firm and juicy. The taste is like a good grocery store tomato, with balanced sweetness and acidity and overall tastes tomatoey. The tomatoes were 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter and the weight was 1 to 3 ounces. I used the tomatoes mainly for fresh and cooked salsas and dried them to eat as savory snacks or as a quick pasta topping. This plant had a second flush of tomatoes in late summer after I removed the spent branches. I was very pleased with this variety and I will grow it again. I highly recommend it as an all-around tomato for patio container gardens.
Lil Bites – Cherry
Like the Patio Princess, this tomato didn’t reach peak quality until the soil temperature rose above 65F. Specifically, this variety does not sweeten until the soil warms. When the soil does warm, the plant begins to grow rapidly, but rather than grow tall, it spreads. The full height was about 18 inches, while the spread was 3 feet. I recommend growing this variety in a large container to account for the spreading habit. I mainly used these tomatoes as snacks, in salads, and in cooked salsa.
Super Bush – Beef Steak
This is the second year that I’ve tried to grow this variety. This variety didn’t do well in my yard, though it regrew after it seemed to have died. The plant regrew back healthier and managed to produce about a dozen 4 – 6-ounce tomatoes. The taste was similar to the Patio Princess. Given that, I recommend growing the Patio Princess instead of the Super Bush.
Bush Steak – Beef steak
The Bush Steak variety is always a dependable performer in my yard. The plant is compact and sturdy and only needs a small cage to support its branches. The tomatoes are 8 to 12 ounces, but the sturdy branches keep the plant from self-destructing like the Atlas. With balanced tomatoey flavor and firm juicy flesh, the tomatoes are great for slicing and salads, and if there are too many of them, they can well too.
Inca Jewels – plum
I attempted to grow this plant twice, both in containers. The plants yielded few tomatoes and the quality was not good. Though they had few seeds, the flesh was dry and mealy. However, the tomatoes were tart and savory and pretty much tasted like pasta sauce off the vine. I ended up including them in the canned tomatoes that were later turned into sauce. Though the plants were compact, Roma and Ensalada are better choices if you want better yield and if you want to use the tomatoes raw to make Pico de Gallo.
Napoli – plum
The Napoli performed similarly to the Inca Jewels, but the yield was better. The tomatoes’ taste was reminiscent of Juliet. It died during the July heat wave, but that may have been because I planted it in a container that was too small. Again, I recommend growing Roma or Ensalada instead of this variety.
Queen of Hearts — Globe
These are basically dwarf Momotaro. The tomatoes are pinkish-red and heart-shaped. The taste is similar to Momotaro – slightly sweet, balanced tartness, and very “clean”. It’s not has heat tolerant as Momotaro, but if you don’t have space for a Momotaro plant, Queen of Hearts is a good substitute.
Katana
Katana is heat and cold tolerant. It survived three nights of light frost in January and is still alive and highly productive now. The taste is like a good grocery store tomato and the size is 2 – 3 inches in diameter with weight between 4 to 8 ounces. The plant itself is about 4 feet tall and very compact. A medium-sized cage will support it well. I recommend this as a good all-around variety for patio container gardens.
Cold Tolerant
Glacier – Saladette, Oregon Spring – Globe, Red Siberian –Globe
The taste of these tomatoes is nearly indistinguishable to me. They all had good yield and performed well in the summer heat and the cool winter weather here (high 50s to low 60s in the day and 40s at night). The Glacier and Oregon Spring died when we had a couple of days of early morning light frost in late January. The Red Siberian is still alive and producing tomatoes.
Overall Recommendations
The Bush Steak, Patio Princess, and the Katana varieties are good overall tomato plants for small patio or small yard gardens. The Lil Bites is a good choice for small gardens if you want cherry tomatoes that are good for snacking, salads, and salsa.
All of the “cold tolerant” plants I tried did well in heat too and survived the 100F+ bone-dry summer days in Southern California. These plants produced good-enough tasting tomatoes, with yields of 20 – 40 tomatoes each over their lives. These are easy to grow and disease resistant. Any of these varieties would be a good first-time gardener tomato to grow.
For areas with hot, dry weather, it’s important to plant in large containers for soil moisture retention. I found that tomatoes of all sizes do best in 10-gallon nursery pots, plastic or terra cotta pots that are at least 16 inches in diameter, large metal tubs (17 gallon at least), and half wine barrel planters. Smaller pots can be used for indoor tomato plants.
Eating My Yard 