How to Grow Tiny Tim Tomato Plants

Tiny Tim tomato is an extremely early miniature cherry tomato plant. It is a dwarf, determinate plant, growing just 12 to 18 inches. Because of the plants’ compact size, Tiny Tim tomato plants are perfect for container gardening on your balcony or deck. And, they are also candidates for planting in small urban gardens, too. Use this garden guide on “How to Grow Tiny Tim Tomato Plants” to produce a great crop of cherry tomatoes on your patio or deck.

The plant produces a profusion of small, 3/4 to 1-inch diameter fruits. They are among the largest of the cherry-sized varieties. One of the benefits of growing this small-fruited variety is you will be eating tomatoes long before your main crop begins to ripen.

Nutritional Value

One cup of ripe Tiny Tim tomatoes has approximately:

43 calories
9.3 g carbs
0 cholesterol
0.5 g fat
2.9 g fiber
2.1 g protein

Tiny Tim Tomato Plant Specifications

Days to Harvest: 60 to 65 days after transplanting seedlings into your garden, depending upon variety and growing conditions.

Plant height: Just 12 to 18 inches tall.

Light Needs: Full sunlight.

Ideal Soil pH : 5.8 – 7.0.

Plant Hardiness Zones: 4 – 9

Ideal Growing Temperatures:

Nighttime Lows: 60 – 70° F.
Daytime Highs: 70 – 85° F.

Plant Type: Annual.

Native To: Developed in 1925 by the University of New Hampshire.

Deer Resistant? No. Deer may nibble on the plant’s tender growing tips, especially if other food sources are scarce.

Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum

Toxicity: While the fruit is edible, the plant is mildly toxic to humans, dogs, cats, and many other animals.

How to Start Tiny Tim Tomato Seeds

Tomato plants are usually started indoors. Planting Tiny Tim tomato seeds is an exciting time. It is one of the very first gardening projects of the year. Without a doubt, after a long winter, you are itching to get your hands back into some “dirt”.

Begin growing tiny Tim tomato seeds indoors in small containers, eight to ten weeks before the last frost date for your area. First, select sterile containers. Then, sow Tiny Tim tomato seeds about 1/8″ inch deep, using sterile seed starting soil. Seeds sprout in 10-14 days, depending upon soil temperature. We highly recommend a germination mat for starting plants indoors. Without a doubt, germination mats help to sprout seeds faster and with a higher germination rate.

As soon as the seedlings emerge, they need full sunlight to grow sturdy. Lack of sunlight causes the plants to grow “leggy”. Because of this, we highly recommend using grow lights to supplement the amount of available sunlight.

Tip: To help your plants grow sturdy, place a small fan on low nearby. Or, lightly brush the tops of the plants with your hands a couple of times each day.

How to Grow Tiny Tim Tomato Plants

Planting and Soil Needs

Select a planting site where your plum tomato plants will receive full sunlight. The plants grow their best in loose, rich, and well-draining soil. Mix plenty of compost into the soil. Next, mix in a general-purpose fertilizer that is high in nitrogen.

Just before planting the tomato plants in your garden, “harden off” the seedlings by bringing them outside during the daytime and for increasing hours, until you are leaving them out overnight. Use of a cold frame is recommended, but not a requirement. If frost is predicted, bring them indoors.

On planting day, pour liberal amounts of water with a soluble liquid fertilizer on the seedlings. Plant them in the garden carefully. To minimize transplant shock, avoid disturbing the roots. Normal spacing is 12 to 18 inches apart, in rows 24 to 30 inches apart.

Light Requirements

Grow Tiny Tim cherry tomato plants in an area of your garden where they will receive at least eight to ten hours of bright, direct sunlight. For optimal growth and the maximum production of fruit, provide them with full sunlight from sunrise to sunset.

Fertilizer Needs

Like other types of tomato plants, Tiny Tim tomato plants are heavy feeders. So, fertilize the plants regularly. Early applications should be high in nitrogen. Importantly, as blossoming occurs, switch to fertilizers that are higher in Phosphorus and Potassium. Too much nitrogen fertilizer results in lots of lush green leaves, and little fruit. A fertilizer specifically formulated for tomatoes will help to maximize your crop.

You can also apply a liquid fertilizer. Add it to the soil. And, spray the leaves of the plants, too. The leaves will absorb the nutrients. As a result, the leaves turn a deeper, healthier green color and more efficiently uses the sun’s rays.

Water Needs

Keep your Tiny Tim tomato plants well-watered. The goal is moist, but not wet soil all season long. As the season progresses, the roots go deep in search of moisture. Thus, in mid- summer deep watering is preferable over more frequent, light watering. Ideally, you want moisture to go deep to all the roots of the plant. Water directly to the roots. Keep water off the leaves if at all possible. Tomatoes are susceptible to plant disease that grows in wet, humid conditions.

Other Steps

Weeds compete with your tomato plants for nutrients and soil moisture. Thus, keep the planting area well-weeded during the entire growing season.

Tiny Tim tomato plants grow much smaller than other varieties. And, the stems are sturdier than many other tomato varieties. As a result, staking is not usually needed. However, if grown in an area with insufficient sunlight, grow them inside of a tomato cage.

Mulch around the plant to retain soil moisture, and to keep the weeds down.

Learn more about growing tomatoes:

How to Grow Tomatoes – From planting seeds to harvesting fruit, we’ve gotcha covered.
Staking Tomato Plants – Large plants and huge tomatoes require a sturdy tomato cage or staking to help avoid plant disease and keep fruit off the ground.
Pruning Tomatoes – In fact, pruning helps avoid plant disease.
Plant Problems and Disease – Above all, remember the old saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Additionally, this variety tends to die out before the end of the season. So, you will want to grow another variety to keep you supplied with fresh tomatoes all the way to the first fall frost.

How to Grow Tiny Tim Tomatoes in Containers

The determinate habit of his variety of plants makes them a eat candidate for a container garden.

Use a 12″ diameter or larger container. Only use a container with a hole in the bottom for drainage. Grow one plant in the center of the container.

Because of the limited amount of moisture and nutrients in the soil, it is important to monitor the moisture level. In hot, dry weather, you may need to add water every day or so. Also, add fertilizer every two to three weeks. The plants respond well to liquid fertilizer.

While these plants don’t usually require staking or caging, they sometimes receive less than full sunlight on a patio or balcony. As a result, the plants may grow lankier than normal. so, staking will help to support the plant.

Tomato Cages and Staking Plants

Because of their small, determinate nature, Tiny Tim plants do not require staking. Some people, including this author, put them in smaller tomato cages, to assure the plants do not droop toward the end of the season. More on staking tomatoes.

Insects and Pests

Tomato plants can experience insect problems with tomato hornworms, cutworms, and a few other garden pests. Also, if not staked or caged, snails and slugs will munch on the ripening fruit.

Birds will occasionally peck holes in red fruit.

Did you Know? Tomato plants emit a mild toxin that discourages many small insects from bothering them. This toxin can also cause skin itching and irritation.

About Tomato Hornworms

More on Tomato Plant Problems – Remember the old saying “anonce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.

Tip: Borage plants can be used as companion plants, to deter Tomato hornworms

Did you Know? Tomato plants (not the fruit) are used to make an organic insect repellent. See Tomato “Juice” Spray

Plant Disease

Several plant problems can arise, usually in the mid-summer heat and humidity. Blights and fungus infections can occur in high humidity. Early treatment with fungicides is effective. Spacing plants too close cuts down air circulation and promotes disease.

Blossom end rot can also affect the fruit. This is a round, brown, indented spot on the bottom of the tomato. It is caused by either uneven watering or a lack of calcium in the soil. More on Blossom End Rot.

Tip: Do not water at night if possible in hot and humid weather if possible. Moisture and humidity combined with high temperatures promote plant diseases. If possible, water at the roots.

Plant Hardiness

Tomatoes like it hot! They will die if exposed to frost. Make sure to plant them after the last frost.

Tip#1: Cover your young seedling if frost is predicted. A simple and easy cover for small seedlings is to buy large or extra large plastic disposable cups. Place them over the seedling at dusk, and remove them in the morning. It is usually little or no wind on nights with frost, so they are not easily tipped over.

Tip#2: If you get a light frost overnight and you did not cover up your plants. Go out early before the sun rises, and spray your plants with the garden hose. This melts the ice off the plants and may save them.

Harvesting and Storing Tomatoes

Days to Maturity: Just 60 days from setting transplants in the garden.

Tiny Tim tomatoes store well in a cool, dry location. Do not put them in the refrigerator. While they last longer in the refrigerator, they will lose their flavor and texture. Keep them out of direct sunlight.

Just before frost, pick tomatoes while they are still green or orange. First, wash them thoroughly. Second, rinse in a light solution of 1 gallon of water and a tablespoon of bleach. This kills off bacteria that rot the fruit. Then, allow them to dry. Finally, put them in a cool, dry, dark place.

To ripen tomatoes indoors, bring a couple at a time to a warm, sunny window.

Tomato Canning Guidelines – Information on canning tomatoes and other vegetables.