Tiny Tim Tomato plants, Lycopersicon esculentum, are perfect for urban gardeners! They can grow in containers and hanging baskets indoors and outdoors. The determinate bush-style plant also doesn’t need any staking, and cages are optional.
If you’re looking for an apartment-friendly edible plant, consider growing Tiny Tim Tomatoes! GIY Plants is here to breakdown everything you need to know about the bite-sized wonder.
History of Tiny Tim Tomatoes
The origin of Tiny Tim Tomatoes comes straight from the University of New Hampshire. The reason for the plant’s creation was so that those living in major cities could grow produce. Not only did it allow urban gardeners to grow an edible plant, it produced amazing yields. Despite being small, Tiny Tim Tomato plants can yield at least eighteen tomatoes. In 1945, the university officially introduced the plant and its seeds, and the rest is history!
Tiny Tim Tomato Plant Care
Plants like a Tiny Tim Tomato yield great amounts of fruit when provided with optimal care. But what are considered the best care practices for Tiny Tim Tomatoes?
If you want to learn how to grow Tiny Tim Tomatoes from seed and take care of your plants, keep reading!
Soil
The best soil for these miniature heirloom tomatoes has a pH of 6.0 to 6.8 and is nutrient dense and loose. Adding homemade or store-bought compost to your soil is also beneficial.
Watering
To ensure your Tiny Tim Cherry Tomatoes aren’t dehydrated or over-saturated, you should water the plant every other day. The amount of water you will need for each watering depends on the size of your planter. Generally speaking, a .5″ of water will suffice.
Lighting
A Tiny Tim Tomato plant requires six to eight hours of sunlight per day. If you grow your tomatoes in a planter on a balcony, ensure that it is not shaded by surrounding structures.
Humidity & Temperature
To grow this plant successfully, the temperature must remain above 45°F or 7.2°C in the evening. Additionally, they need consistent humidity of around 65%. Although, beware of high humidity when growing your Tiny Tim Tomato plant in a container. Excess moisture can lead to plant diseases of the fungal variety.
Fertilizing
Before deciding which fertilizer to use, you should perform a soil test. The test will show you what your soil may be lacking and give you an idea of what amendments should be added. But if you are unable to perform a soil test or would like to skip that step, we have the next best recommendation for you.
The best type of fertilizer to use for Tiny Tims is a fertilizer with a range of macronutrients. An NPK at a ratio of 8-24-24 is suitable. It is also best to apply the NPK mixture at the time of planting and at the first sign of fruiting for optimal growth.
Diseases & Pests
Tomatoes, including Tiny Tim Tomatoes, are susceptible to diseases and pests. A common disease that affects tomato plant varieties is late blight [1]. This disease is caused by a fungus called Phytophthora infestans. The disease thrives in wet or humid conditions and produces dark spots on leaves and stems. That eventually leads to browning and rotting of the fruits. To prevent the disease, properly space the plants and do not overwater them. That will reduce humidity and limit the spread of the pathogen.
A common Tiny Tim Tomato pest is the Flea beetle. These beetles feed off the foliage of tomato plants and leave small holes behind. They are often most troublesome for small and less established plants. Mature plants can usually withstand and outgrow the damage caused by the pest.
Pruning
Tiny Tim Cherry Tomato plants do not typically require pruning. Although, if you notice that the foliage is becoming dense, you may want to prune a few of the tomato plant suckers. The suckers of a tomato plant are the small leaves that grow where the branches and stems meet. Pruning tomato suckers encourages airflow throughout the plant and eliminates excess moisture. You can remove tomato plant suckers by using your hands or small pruning shears.
Days to maturity
In short, Tiny Tim Tomato plants should reach maturity within 60 days. Of course, there are variables due to plant care practices and weather.
Harvesting
Harvesting Tiny Tim Tomatoes is relatively easy when you know when to look for them. The best time to harvest these petite tomatoes is when they reach maturity in 60 days. You can harvest them by simply pulling them or snipping them off the plant.
How to Grow Tiny Tim Tomatoes
If you are just starting your Tiny Tim Tomato growing journey, you have come to the right place! Below you can find all of the information you need to grow Tiny Tim Tomatoes from seeds and seedlings.
When to Plant
To start Tiny Tim Cherry Tomatoes from seeds you will need to start indoors at the beginning of spring. It’s best to do this with a germination pad underneath. You will also need to know when to transplant Tiny Tim Tomato seedlings. It is time to transplant your Tiny Tim Tomatoes after six to eight weeks of growing the seedlings. Before you transplant, ensure that the evening temperature in your region remains above 45°F or 7.2°C.
Where to Plant
When transplanting seedlings, place them in a garden or medium-sized planter with loose soil. The soil should also have a pH of 6.0 to 6.8. The location of your garden or planter should also have six to eight hours of bright sunlight a day.
How to Plant
Now it’s time to learn how to plant Tiny Tim Tomato seeds and seedlings. When starting the seeds indoors, you will need a seed starter container, a germination pad, and loose soil. Simply place your seeds in the individual containers of loose soil. After, water the seeds in place, and place the container(s) over the germination pad.
When it’s time to transplant the seedlings, you will want to fertilize the soil. If you want to grow Tiny Tim Tomatoes in a planter, they will need a medium-sized (5×10″) planter with drainage. Before placing your seedlings in the garden bed or container at 2″ to 6″ apart, use an NPK fertilizer. The NPK fertilizer should be at a 8-24-24 ratio. Now, you can follow general care practices, which you can read more about in this article.
References:
[1] Tomato Late Blight. UW Vegetable Pathology. (n.d.). Retrieved February 24, 2023, from https://vegpath.plantpath.wisc.edu/diseases/tomato-late-blight/#:~:text=Tomato%20leaf%20late%20blight%20lesions,show%20rings%20of%20pathogen%20growth.
