If you love garden fresh tomatoes, then you hate store bought.
One of the hardest parts about growing your own tomatoes is that you learn what good quality tomatoes should taste like. And it’s nearly impossible to tolerate the flavorless, cardboard-textured tomatoes that are offered in grocery stores in the off-season.
It is possible to grow your own tomatoes indoors in the winter. Full sized garden tomatoes are difficult to grow in a home, but there are several small and miniature varieties that do quite well.
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For Indoor Growing, Small and Miniature Tomato Varieties are It
Tomato plants can be huge. Dedicating the space and utilities it takes to grow a tomato plant inside would be difficult. However, we do have some excellent small and miniature tomato varieties that don't take up much space at all.
Some mini varieties will produce a surprising amount of tomatoes on a bush that is no larger than a houseplant (and smaller than many!).
For indoor growing, small tomato types like cherry tomatoes and plums are best. The smallest of these are the dwarf tomato varieties, miniature tomatoes, and micro or micro dwarf tomato plants.
Indeterminate varieties are simplest so that you don’t have to keep planting throughout the winter, but the small, bushing nature of micros, dwarf plants, and miniature tomatoes means that they are often determinate varieties.
It is that small, bushing, determinate nature that makes these plants capable of growing and producing at such small sizes. Indeterminate varieties usually outgrow an indoor space, anyway, and are not as well suited to growing inside the home since they never stop growing.
Even though they are determinate plants, these micro varieties are reported to produce for many weeks and grow a surprising amount of fruit. To extend your indoor tomato harvest for longer, consider planting a new plant every two or three weeks.
Another option would be to choose a semi-determinate variety or grow two or three different varieties with staggered maturity and harvest dates (so you can start them all at the same time but have a longer harvest period).
8 Top Tomato Varieties to Grow Inside
To sum up, small, miniature, indeterminate varieties are the best for growing inside, but we usually have to settle for determinate plants. Here, we’ve rounded up eight of the best.
1. Tiny Tim
| Flavor: | Very good, classic cherry |
| Type: | Micro dwarf cherry |
| Color: | Red |
| Size: | 1-inch cherry |
| Uses: | Fresh eating, cooking, roasting, salads, snacking |
| Climate Notes: | Good indoor growing, can grow outdoors in gardens in summer |
| Disease Resistance: | Not generally applicable indoors |
| Growing Conditions: | 70℉ or warmer; sunny windowsill; additional grow light as needed |
| Days to Harvest: | 50 to 60 |
| Yield: | High for micro dwarf (about one quart per week); pot size impacts yield |
| Determinate or Indeterminate? | Determinate |
Where to Buy Tiny Tim Tomato Seeds:
Tiny Tim tops out around 12 inches in height and 14 inches wide. Most of the plant is covered in clusters of fine cherry tomatoes. Yield and plant size may be slightly higher in larger pots. Tiny Tim can be grown in pots as small as 6 inches in diameter, but does even better in a one gallon pot or larger. Tiny Tim is determinate, so for continued harvests you will need to start plants in succession groups two to three weeks apart.
2. Micro Tom
| Flavor: | Very good |
| Type: | Miniature cherry |
| Color: | Red |
| Size: | ½ to 1 ounce |
| Uses: | Snacking, fresh eating |
| Climate Notes: | Good indoor grower or patio plant |
| Disease Resistance: | Not generally applicable to indoor growing |
| Growing Conditions: | 70℉ or warmer; sunny windowsill; additional grow light as needed |
| Days to Harvest: | 50 to 60 |
| Yield: | Good |
| Determinate or Indeterminate? | Determinate |
Where to Buy Micro Tom Tomato Seeds:
Micro Tom is said to be the world’s shortest and most compact tomato plant. It grows only to a height of six to eight inches. Many growers report this plant does well just in a sunny window. It is amazing how many fruits this little plant can support! Succession plant for prolonged harvests.
3. Orange Hat
| Flavor: | Very good, sweet-sour |
| Type: | Dwarf cherry |
| Color: | Orange |
| Size: | ¾ to 1-inch cherry |
| Uses: | Salads, fresh eating, focaccia |
| Climate Notes: | Good indoor grower or patio plant; can grow outdoors in gardens in summer |
| Disease Resistance: | Not generally applicable indoors, subject to some disease outside |
| Growing Conditions: | 70℉ or warmer; sunny windowsill; additional grow light as needed |
| Days to Harvest: | 55 to 65 days |
| Yield: | High |
| Determinate or Indeterminate? | Determinate/Semi-determinate |
Where to Buy Orange Hat Tomato Seeds:
Orange hat is a small, compact plant that grows around 9 to 12 inches high. It can grow in pots as small as 4 to 6 inches. It is a determinate plant, but sets repeated sets of blossoms so has repeat fruiting and produces plenty. This is one of the more continuous and indeterminate producers.
4. Terenzo
| Flavor: | Very good |
| Type: | Trailing cherry |
| Color: | Red |
| Size: | 1 ¼ inch fruit |
| Uses: | Fresh eating, fresh salsa, roasting, cooking, salads |
| Climate Notes: | Good indoor grower or patio plant |
| Disease Resistance: | Not generally applicable to indoor growing |
| Growing Conditions: | 70℉ or warmer; sunny window; additional grow light as needed; trailing habit |
| Days to Harvest: | 55 to 60 days |
| Yield: | Very high |
| Determinate or Indeterminate? | Determinate/semi-determinate |
Where to Buy Terenzo Tomato Seeds:
Terenzo is an All-American Selections winner. It is a small, compact plant with great flavored fruits and high production. This plant grows larger than many miniature tomato varieties, with an overall size of 18 to 24 inches. It has a cascading, trailing habit so it is a good plant for a hanging basket or in a tall planter where it can trail over the sides. The plant is determinate but is said to produce tomatoes for many weeks.
5. Lizzano
| Flavor: | Very good |
| Type: | Cherry |
| Color: | Red |
| Size: | 1-inch fruits |
| Uses: | Salads, salsa, fresh eating, snacking, roasting |
| Climate Notes: | Good indoor grower or patio plant |
| Disease Resistance: | Not generally applicable to indoor growing but does offer Late Blight resistance outdoors |
| Growing Conditions: | 70℉ or warmer; sunny window; additional grow light as needed; good hanging plant |
| Days to Harvest: | 65 |
| Yield: | High |
| Determinate or Indeterminate? | Semi-determinate |
Where to Buy Lizzano Tomato Seeds:
Lizzano is another All-American Selections winner. It is similarly sized to Terenzo. Lizzano grows from 16 to 20 inches tall and spreads to 20 inches in a trailing habit. It is a good basket plant or container plant that can trail over the sides. Lizzano is noted for long harvests on semi-determinate plants that top out at the dimensions noted here.
6. Little Napoli
| Flavor: | Very good; sweet, Old world Italian |
| Type: | Plum |
| Color: | Red |
| Size: | 3 ounces |
| Uses: | Drying and dehydrating, all saucing, canning, preserving, juicing; fresh eating |
| Climate Notes: | Suited to all climates; Little Napoli is a good container choice for patio plants and indoor growing |
| Disease Resistance: | Generally not applicable to indoor growing, but for outside growing, VeryGood: Fusarium wilt, Verticillium wilt, Alternaria stem canker; crack resistant; resists blossom end rot |
| Growing Conditions: | 70℉ or warmer; sunny window; additional grow light is beneficial |
| Days to Harvest: | 65 to 70 days |
| Yield: | High |
| Determinate or Indeterminate? | Determinate |
Where to Buy Napoli Tomato Seeds:
Little Napoli is a more compact version of the Napoli tomato (a nice Italian-type saucing tomato and one of the best for drying). It is favored for its sweet flavor and meatiness. Little Napoli matures at around 65 days. It is ideal for container growing but will require more space than the other dwarf and miniature tomatoes on this list. Little Napoli tops out at 24 inches and has about a 24-inch spread. You may want to provide some light support for this plant. It grows as a bush that doesn’t have to (but can be) staked or caged.
7. Bush Early Girl
| Flavor: | Very good |
| Type: | Slicer, multi-purpose |
| Color: | Red |
| Size: | 6 ounces |
| Uses: | Fresh eating; slicing, salads; cooking and canning; salsa, sauces |
| Climate Notes: | Suited to all climates; a good container choice for patio plants and indoor growing |
| Disease Resistance: | Generally not applicable to indoor growing, but for outside growing, VeryGood: Verticillium wilt, Fusarium wilt, Root-knot nematodes, Tobacco mosaic virus |
| Growing Conditions: | 70℉ or warmer; sunny window; additional grow light is beneficial; small cage for support is helpful |
| Days to Harvest: | 70 days |
| Yield: | Very high |
| Determinate or Indeterminate? | Determinate |
Where to Buy Bush Early Girl Tomato Seeds:
Bush Early Girl is the compact, hybrid version of the much-loved Early Girl tomato. It maintains the characteristics of Early Girl in that it is a high producer and an early one. The plant tops out at about three feet tall. It is high-yielding, starting early and producing six-ounce tomatoes for a long time, with the potential to produce up to 100 tomatoes per plant.
8. Super Bush Tomato
| Flavor: | Very good; classic tomato |
| Type: | Slicer |
| Color: | Red |
| Size: | 5 to 6 ounces |
| Uses: | Fresh eating, slicing, canning, multi-purpose |
| Climate Notes: | Suited to all climates; a good container choice for patio plants and indoor growing |
| Disease Resistance: | Generally not applicable to indoor growing, but Very Good: Verticillium Wilt, Fusarium Wilt, Root Nematodes |
| Growing Conditions: | 70℉ or warmer; sunny window; additional grow light is beneficial; small cage for support is helpful |
| Days to Harvest: | 90 to 95 days |
| Yield: | High |
| Determinate or Indeterminate? | Semi-determinate |
Where to Buy Tomato Seeds:
If it is a larger slicing-type or multipurpose tomato you are looking for, and you’re willing to give up some extra space, Super Bush tomatoes are a good container choice that can do well indoors. The plants are a sturdy, bushing plant that grows from 2 ½ to 3 feet tall. They were developed for full-size tomatoes on compact, bushing plants. Semi determinate in nature, this tomato will produce for a long time.
A Few Planting Tips for Miniature and Dwarf Tomatoes
- Plant in pots as small as 6 inches in diameter
- Larger pots will often result in slightly larger and higher-producing plants
- Many will do well just on a sunny windowsill, but if plants don't get at least 6 to 8 hours of mostly direct light, size, strength, and production may lag
- Low light can also result in longer than expected days to harvest
- Micro, mini, and dwarf tomatoes do well under grow lights
- If your sunny spot is not providing enough direct sunlight, add a grow light for at least a portion of the day
- Bottom watering or watering at the base of the plant is best so that foliage stays dry and healthy
- Foliar diseases are generally not a concern indoors, especially if the foliage is kept dry
- Shaking plants, blowing a fan on them, or using a toothbrush and hand pollinating can increase yields since there are no insects for pollination
