21 Small Tomato Varieties For Your Vegetable Garden
If you are looking for some small tomatoes to grow in your garden this season, there are plenty of small tomato varieties that you can choose from. Whether it's grape tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes, there's plenty of different options. In this article, we look at our favorite small tomatoes you can grow in your vegetable garden.
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Gardeners seek out small tomato varieties for two reasons. They’re looking for space-saving plants or want to harvest lots of small sweet tomatoes! While it’d be logical to assume that small fruits come from small plants, this isn’t always the case. Some of the plants producing the smallest fruit grow pretty large!
While cherry tomatoes and romas may be some of the most popular garden grown tomatoes that come in smaller sizes, there are actually dozens more that are lesser known and just as tasty. There are many small tomato varieties to choose from, whether you’re searching for a tomato to grow in a tight container space or have room for vines to spread out.
In this guide, we’ve hand picked some of our favorite small tomato varieties for your garden this season. Regardless of how you decide to plant them, these varieties may be smaller in size, but make up for it in taste! Ready to learn more? Let’s dig in!
‘Alberto’s Shattering Currant’
Scientific Name: Solanum pimpinellifolium
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 6’+
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
‘Alberto’s Shattering Currant’ is one of the wild remainders of pre-domestication tomatoes, producing the miniature pea-sized fruit! These are crunchy but aren’t overly flavorful, so you can use them to create a textural difference in salads and other dishes.
The plants are prolific sprawlers and climbers, perfect for a trellis. Picking currant tomato types can be tedious, but this variety has fruits that fall when they are ripe. Place some fabric underneath the plant and give the plant a shake to harvest quickly!
‘Amethyst Cream Cherry’
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 5’
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
Plant ‘Amethyst Cream Cherry’ tomatoes for beautiful purple fruits all growing season. This highly productive variety yields cherry-size tomatoes in creamy yellow and lavender hues. In addition to being a real garden standout, these tomatoes provide a tasty, low-acid option for all your favorite summer salads.
This small tomato variety grows quite tall but needs little human intervention to do so. This variety would work great on a trellis too. Like most tomatoes, ‘Amethyst Cream Cherry’ prefers full sun. Unlike other types, the tomato’s fruit holds up well in the sun.
‘Black Pearl Hybrid’
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 4-6’
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
Black Pearl is a variety that grows tall but will need some type of support to reach its full potential. Once mature, the tomato will produce dark fruit that will grow close together. To consolidate where the plant yields fruit, prune back these plants.
The fruit of the Black Pearl tomato is more distinct than other small varieties in color and flavor. Purple skin and a rich but still sweet flavor characterize this tomato. They are a desirable option in the dishes to add a unique pop of color.
‘Candyland Red’
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 24”
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
Unlike other tomatoes producing currant-sized fruit, ‘Candyland Red’ doesn’t sprawl out nearly as much. The small plant size makes this a good candidate for container gardens, though they might need stakes to grow to their full potential. A well-fruited plant will yield hundreds of sweet tomatoes.
These tomatoes are easiest to harvest from other currant varieties. Most of these plants grow fruit deep inside the vines, but Candyland Reds produces its fruit on the outside. This makes the high-yield tomato all the easier to reach and enjoy!
‘Celano’
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 40”
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
The ‘Celano’ tomato produces grape-size ovular red fruit. This plant grows bushy and benefits from caging to aid the semi-determinate grower. Once established, the Celano is an early producer of fruit. Many people love growing this award winner in their garden.
‘Celano’ is an excellent option for container growing, and they are blight resistant. These hearty vines yield fruit renowned for flavor and texture. Compared to other tomatoes of a similar size, it is considered one of the best performers, with better color fruits, healthier plants, and a large yield.
Cherry Cocktail
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 4-8’
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
A climbing variety of cherry tomatoes, ‘Cherry Cocktail’ produces sweet red fruit. These tomatoes are perfect for salads or blistered in the pan and served warm. Not only are these fruits delicious, but they’re also a good source of certain vitamins!
These plants can grow well in containers with provided stakes or other means to grow up. Cherry Cocktail’s fruits grow together in clumps, making them an easy-to-harvest option compared to different small varieties.
‘Everglades’
Scientific Name: Solanum pimpinellifolium
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 6’+
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
An heirloom variety, ‘Everglades’ are another classic from before human cultivation. They grow large, sprawling, and need lots of support unless you don’t mind it spreading out. The fruits are small currant-sized fruit. They are flavorful but take time to pick because of their size.
These plants tolerate many types of conditions but thrive in hot, humid conditions, but they will only fruit when it gets cooler. They are especially well-suited for the Florida Keys, where they can be found in the wild. This tomato might be a good choice if you’re starting your garden late.
‘Fantastico’
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 12-14”
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
A bushy determinate, ‘Fantastico’ only grows to around a foot in height. If you plant this small tomato variety in the ground, use a cage to give them some support. These plants flourish in containers and baskets as well. In addition to being well suited for several conditions, this variety is also blight resistant.
Each Fantastico plant produces a large fruit yield, with some plants making up to twelve pounds of tomatoes. The fruits are grape-sized with traditional bright red skin. These are flavorful without being overly sweet.
‘Firefly’
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 5-6’
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
‘Firefly’ produces small creamy yellow tomatoes with a tinge of sharpness and sweetness in its flavor profile. The fruits have very thin skin, making them an excellent choice for snacking. Firefly tomatoes are somewhere in between currant and cherry varieties in size.
A high climbing vine, these tomatoes need structure to thrive. Stakes or cages help these plants get up off the ground. Expect to see yellow fruits all season long, usually starting in the summer. A single Firefly plant can produce hundreds of these delicious tomatoes!
‘Gold Nugget’
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 24”
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
A great option for container gardening, ‘Gold Nugget’ plants only grow to be around two feet tall. These tomatoes produce golden yellow fruits, which are seedless until the end of the season. They will fruit early and often. The fruits are sweet without an overly acidic taste.
‘Gold Nugget’ thrives in cool climates, especially on the West Coast, where it was developed to grow. In addition to being hardy and productive, these tomatoes are determinate, so they’re a low-maintenance option too!
‘Green Grape’
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 5’
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
‘Green Grape’ tomatoes are another indeterminate climbing vine. With some good staking, these plants can handle container planting. They will grow to up to five feet in the best conditions, but you may want to consider adding rain protection for your Green Grape. The fruits are resistant to heat, preventing bursting, but rain can damage them.
Expect fruit from ‘Green Grape’ around the middle of the summer. Once they start producing, they will continue to yield yellow-green fruit until the first frost. The tomatoes from this plant are packed full of fruity flavor with very low acidity.
Midnight Snack
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 5-6’
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
‘Midnight Snack’ tomatoes develop an unusual coloration. The fruits start as bluish green, growing to a rich red dappled with purple-black. Pigments vary based on where sunlight hits the plants, so each plant’s fruits are unique. When ripe, Midnight Snack has a very balanced taste, not too sweet or acidic.
Unfortunately, these tomatoes aren’t the best option for you if you’re container gardening. The vines are most productive when planted in the ground with support. Under these conditions, the plant can thrive, growing up to six feet high.
‘Patio Choice Yellow’
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 18”
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
These compact determinate plants are great for growing in small spaces. While the plants only take up a small amount of space, you can still expect large yields from the Patio Choice Yellow. Each plant usually produces around one hundred fruits.
‘Patio Choice’ provides an attractive option with dark green leaves and bright yellow fruits. They don’t just look good. They taste good too. Tomatoes of this variety are delicious and juicy. Consider growing these if you don’t have a lot of space; they even thrive in hanging baskets!
‘Red Torch’
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 5-6’
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
‘Red Torch’ received its name for the oblong, bright red fruits marbled with yellow when ripe. These tomatoes are under two inches long and have a firmer texture than other types. You can harvest these sweet tomatoes early and often if you pick ‘Red Torch’ for your garden.
These tomatoes grow up several feet with the help of stakes. ‘Red Torch’ reaches up to six feet high when supported. As long as you provide some space for these tomatoes to grow up, they can be successful in containers.
‘Roma VF’
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 36”
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
The classic Roma VF tomato, a favorite for canning and sauces, produces a plum-sized fruit. These tomatoes aren’t considered an heirloom variety, but what they lack in flavor, they make up for in hardiness and convenience. The Roma has been bred to resist certain fungal diseases, and fruits are firm, ensuring they hold up to the elements.
Roma VF tomatoes are very low-maintenance and a must-have if you want to make your sauces. Plus, they won’t take up much space in your garden! These tomatoes have an excellent yield, with some of the largest fruit on this list of small tomato varieties.
‘Super Sweet 100’
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 4’
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
‘Super Sweet 100’ needs room to spread out for this plant to flourish. They fall between a bush and vine-type plant and do well with some sort of stakes or structure. Despite its untidy sprawl, these are lovely plants with glossy green leaves and deep red fruits.
The name of this tomato variety is very telling about its characteristics. The fruit from this plant is one of the sweetest available, and each plant produces about one hundred of these delicious little tomatoes! Some gardeners have had more success, with yields numbering in the hundreds.
‘Ted’s Pink’
Scientific Name: Solanum pimpinellifolium
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 6’
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
Another variety of tomatoes closer than most to its wild origins, ‘Ted’s Pink’ produces currant-sized tomatoes. These tiny fruits are pinkish red, making these a very rare type of tomato. You’ll be able to harvest these small tomatoes all season and likely have a large yield from these plants.
‘Ted’s Pink’ grows relatively large and is hard to control. Not a good candidate for container growing. They will easily climb a fence, but leaving them to sprawl may be the best option. If you have the space, you should consider these mildly sweet fruits!
‘Tiny Tim’
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 8-16”
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun, Partial Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
‘Tiny Tim‘ is a perfect variety for those looking for a low-maintenance plant with a high yield of sweet and small tomatoes. A determinate cultivar, this tomato shouldn’t require pruning or support for the plant to thrive.
These tomatoes grow well in containers, so they’re a great option if your garden doesn’t have a lot of space. ‘Tiny Tim’ produces red cherry size fruit, but there’s also a yellow variety called Cherry Gold. Try growing both if you want to serve vibrantly colored salads all season long.
‘Tumbling Tom’
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 20-24”
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
One of the best options for container gardening, ‘Tumbling Tom’ only grows to about two feet. A determinate variety, this tomato won’t need staking. The plant grows long stems reaching out over containers, thus the name Tumbling Tom.
‘Tumbling Tom’ plants produce bright yellow fruit that will ripen throughout the summer. Even tomatoes grown in small containers yield up to four pounds of fruit! Overall, Tumbling Tom is low maintenance, a compact choice that provides lots of fruit for its size.
‘Valentine’
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 12-16”
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
This tomato is an earlier producer and keeps yielding beautiful red fruit until the end of the growing season. The cherry-sized fruits are more flavorful the darker they get.
‘Valentine’ works well as a container plant, with a bushier build than many other tomatoes. They’re low maintenance, blight resistant, and thrive in smaller spaces like hanging baskets. The plants themselves are attractive, too, with bright glossy leaves.
‘Yellow Pear’
Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Geographic Origin: South America, Central America
- Plant Size: 5-6’
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Zone: 2-10
‘Yellow Pear’ is another example of large plants producing small fruits! Though the vine can grow up to eight feet, the fruits are less than two inches long! These tomatoes taste as sweet and bright as their yellow color.
The shape of these tomatoes is unique as well. Instead of the more common round or oval shapes, they are pear-shaped. If you choose to grow this variety, you’ll have an ample supply of tomatoes all season long since they are another prolific producer.
Final Notes
Hopefully, this list has given you some big ideas for your garden, even though you’ll be planting small tomato varieties. You have many different options, but any of our picks here will make up for the small size with big taste! New tomatoes are always cropping up, so keep an eye out for even more varieties in the future.
