Fifth Acre Food Forest

Tomatoes come in a dazzling array of types, sizes, shapes, and colors. When most of us think about tomatoes, though, we picture the ones ripening in our summer gardens or spilling out of large containers on the patio. And truly, nothing compares to the flavor of a juicy, sun-warmed homegrown tomato.

By contrast, the tomatoes we find in the grocery store during winter often taste bland and uninspiring. Fortunately, there’s a delightful alternative: micro tomatoes. These petite varieties are small enough to thrive in compact pots—or, in my case, hydroponically indoors throughout the colder months. Despite their size, they pack a bright, tart flavor that goes a long way toward chasing off the winter blues.

Micro tomatoes are ultra-compact determinate plants that typically grow just 5 to 24 inches tall, depending on the variety. They also mature more quickly than their larger cousins, making them perfect for succession planting. While they were somewhat difficult to find a decade ago, today there’s an impressive selection available to home gardeners.

I start mine in late fall, so they begin bearing fruit just as the first snow flies. Then I stagger new plantings to ensure a steady harvest through early summer. Since my outdoor garden usually doesn’t produce its first full-sized tomatoes until July or August, these tiny plants beautifully bridge the seasonal gap—bringing fresh, flavorful tomatoes to the table all winter long. Use them in salads (I grow lettuce, kale, celery, and cucumbers inside as well) or throw them into a simmering sauce for a burst of flavor. They roast up nicely for pasta dishes, too.

I tend to grow plants that reach 12-14 inches, but the tiniest ones can be grown in 4-6-inch pots and tucked into corners just about anywhere there is good light. As determinates, they tend to produce a big crop all at once and then fizzle out. I have freeze-dried the extra fruits. These little favor bombs can be tossed into sauces or ground up to add extra flavor to chili and soups. If you are interested in trying them yourself, here are some varieties I’ve used over the past few years (they can also be found in other shops).

Variety	Color	Size	Source
Cocoa F1	Deep Red	6-8 inches	Territorial Seed Company
Heartbreakers Dora Red	Red	12-16 inches	Territorial Seed Company
Red Robin F1	Red	6-10 inches	Territorial Seed Company
Siam Hybrid	Red	14-16 inches	Totally Tomatoes
Heartbreakers Twiggy Red	Red	10-12 inches	Totally Tomatoes
Heartbreakers Twiggy Orange	Orange	10-12 inches	Totally Tomatoes
FunnyPlums Creamy Yellow	Yellow	5-10 inches	Totally Tomatoes
FunnyPlums Orange	Orange	5-10 inches	Totally Tomatoes
FunnyPlums Red	Red	5-10 inches	Totally Tomatoes
Little Napoli	Red	12-24 inches (can be pruned)	Totally Tomatoes
Micro Tom	Red	6-8 inches	Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Orange Hat	Orange	6-9 inches	Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Veranda Red	Red	18-20 inches	Burpee
Tumbling Tom Red	Red	12-24 (but hang down over the edge of pot)	Seeds n’Such
Tumbling Tom Yellow	Yellow	12-24 (but hang down over the edge of pot)	Seeds n’Such