Over the last few days we have picked thirty-two ripe tomatoes… and they all came from just two tiny Micro Tom plants that we have growing under lights. The tomatoes grow in clusters and are nearly an inch in diameter. They ripen two or three at a time and they disappear quickly once they are ripe!
I only planted two seeds… one on each side of a small plastic cup. This was my first planting of this particular tomato, so my experience may not be typical, but both seeds took only a couple of days to germinate. When the seedlings had three sets of true leaves, I moved each one into its own five-inch pot. Amazingly, both of these sturdy fuzzy little plants had produced blossoms and were already forming tiny tomatoes before they were even a month old.
The plants have now reached what I think must be their mature size… they’re very wide, short and stocky and less than six inches tall. Both plants have been absolutely loaded with tomatoes, and there are still eight or nine green or partially red tomatoes and an incredible number of buds and blossoms and tiny tomatoes in various stages of growth left on each plant.
Impressive yields, don’t you think, for the “smallest tomato plant in the world”?
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Pam M.
ahhh just what I needed today! the picture was wonderful but the idea of tomatoes growing in january was amazing! I think I smelled the tomato leaves when you are picking the fruit hmmmmmm
Tamsen from UK
“They ripen two or three at a time and they disappear quickly once they are ripe!”
Loved this! I can just imagine how fast ripe tomatoes would disappear this time of year in our house! Those do look tasty.
Shirley (Choosing Voluntary Simplicity)
Pam, I know what you mean about the tomato leaves smell. That’s one of the things I like best about starting tomato plants in the house.
A.L.
I just planted some miniature tomato seeds yesterday. I planted three seeds and I’m hoping for at least one to come up. I don’t usually have the greatest results when I plant seeds but I’m hoping for better this time. I can’t wait for spring and the garden again. Perhaps these tomatoes will make the next months go faster. Love your blog.
J
I grew some of this type once and mine were horribly tart. However my sister grew some from the same packet and hers tasted really good. We finally decided that hers were better because she used lights. Mine were just in a window. Might be something to think about for people growing tomatoes inside.
Jo
Yum! Do you have to hand pollinate?
Shirley (Choosing Voluntary Simplicity)
Jo, I had read that hand pollination was necessary, so with my first tomatoes I conscientiously used a very small artist’s brush and dabbed it in the center of each of the open flowers every morning. However, as the flower count kept increasing, I noticed that tomatoes were forming where I had not used the brush so obviously hand pollination was not necessary. When I try a different tomato I usually start out either tapping the blossoms with my finger to shake them or use a brush or cotton swab. Once tomatoes start to form on blossoms I haven’t pollinated I let the plant do the work. It is probably just luck, but all the tomatoes I have tried growing inside (so far) have not needed hand pollination.
Cindy
This is my first year growing Micro Toms. I started them from seed inside, then transplanted five to a window box on my deck. The plants are a healthy green and were quickly loaded with tiny tomatoes, but these have refused to ripen, even after several weeks. If I didn’t know better, I’d think they were artificial! They’re cute, but unless I can get them to ripen, I’ll use the space for something else next year.