tomato plants that don’t grow tall

The Best Compact Tomato Varieties for Small Spaces and Containers

For gardeners with limited space growing tall vining tomato plants can be impractical. Trellising and staking tall plants takes time and materials, and they easily outgrow smaller raised beds and containers.

Luckily there are many excellent compact tomato varieties that produce full-sized fruit on small plants. With the right selection, you can enjoy homegrown tomatoes even with confined growing areas.

Read on for a guide to the best tomatoes for containers and small spaces that don’t require trellising.

Dwarf Tomato Varieties

True dwarf tomatoes are compact by nature and bred to remain under 3 feet tall. They are ideal for small gardens, containers, and hanging baskets.

Most dwarf tomato varieties are determinate, meaning they reach a fixed mature size. However, some dwarf indeterminate tomatoes have been developed as well.

While dwarf tomatoes stay compact, they produce full-sized fruit similar to taller varieties. Here are some excellent dwarf tomatoes to try:

• Tiny Tim – A cherry tomato variety that reaches just 12-18 inches tall. Produces clusters of sweet red fruits. Determinate.

• Mini Rose – A determinate dwarf that grows 10-12 inches tall. Bears small, pink cherry-sized tomatoes with superb flavor.

• Baby Boomer – A compact bushy plant that yields abundant small red tomatoes. Grows 14-20 inches tall. Determinate.

• Nano Tomato – A true minature that only reaches 8 inches tall but produces 1-2 inch ripe red tomatoes. Determinate.

• Moskvich – An early Russian heirloom with medium-sized red fruit. Short vines around 2 feet tall. Indeterminate.

• Mountain Princess – Sweet red 2-3 ounce tomatoes on 20 inch plants. Does well in pots. Determinate.

• Patio Hybrid – A dwarf plant perfect for containers. Produces medium-sized smooth, red tomatoes. Max height of 2 feet. Determinate.

Bush Tomatoes

While not truly dwarf, bush tomatoes are bred to be compact and need minimal staking. They are significantly shorter than vining types.

Bush tomatoes range from about 2-4 feet in height and do well in smaller spaces. Yields are impressive for their petite size.

Some excellent bush tomato varieties include:

• Early Girl Bush – An early maturing bush variety of the popular Early Girl tomato. Grows 2-3 feet tall.

• Husky Red Bush – Vigorous 24-30 inch plants produce abundant medium-red fruit. Determinate.

• Sweet ‘n Neat Scarlet – Bright red 8-10 ounce tomatoes on 30 inch plants. Great for containers. Determinate.

• Bushsteak – A compact beefsteak-type tomato that reaches 3-4 feet. Produces large red fruit.

• Better Bush – Disease-resistant with good yields of 4 ounce red tomatoes. Grows to 3 feet. Determinate.

• Ultra Bush II – High-yielding dwarf tomato for containers and hanging baskets. Max height of 2 feet. Determinate.

• Bush Goliath – A semi-determinate bush variety reaching 3-5 feet. Produces sizable red tomatoes.

Mini and Container-Suitable Tomatoes

For the smallest spaces, mini tomatoes and patio-bred cultivars allow you to grow tomatoes on a balcony or patio.

Mini tomatoes produce very small fruits, often under an ounce. But they yield heavily on compact plants.

Container-specific tomatoes are bred to thrive in pots as small as 5-10 gallons. They remain naturally compact or need minimal staking.

Fun petite varieties include:

• Red Robin – An early dwarf tomato perfect for containers. Bears clusters of 1-inch red fruits. Grows 10-12 inches tall.

• Pixie Hybrid – A true mini tomato with abundant 1/2 inch red fruits on 12 inch plants. Determinate.

• Petit Plum – Prolific yields of 1-inch red plum-shaped tomatoes on compact 18 inch plants. Semi-determinate.

• Micro Tom – Red cherry-sized fruits on dwarf 8-12 inch plants. Does great in indoor pots.

• Tumbler – Cascading vine produces small red tomatoes. Ideal for hanging baskets and containers.

• Patio Choice Yellow – Disease-resistant yellow cherry tomato bred for pots and patios. Max height of 16 inches.

• Small Fry – Dwarf plants yield loads of sweet red cherry tomatoes. Grows 14-20 inches tall.

Tips for Growing Compact Tomatoes

• Pay attention to tomato variety spacing requirements. Crowding dwarf plants limits air circulation and light penetration.

• Bush tomatoes may need initial staking or cages for support. But they don’t require extensive trellising like vines.

• Compact tomatoes thrive with regular feeding. Apply a balanced fertilizer every 2-3 weeks during the growing season.

• Mini tomatoes can be grown at closer spacings, even as densely as 4-6 inches apart.

You don’t need a large garden to enjoy homegrown tomatoes! Take advantage of the many excellent compact tomato varieties suited for small spaces and containers. With the right selection, you can cultivate tomatoes on a patio, balcony, or windowsill.