We’d like to introduce you to one of the smallest tomatoes—the Micro Tom. The plant is short, reaching no more than 20 cm in height, yet it’s absolutely laden with fruit. The fruits are round, bright red, and have a pleasant flavor. The fruits are similar in size to the larger fruits of grape-type varieties. This variety was developed for use wherever space is limited—pots, balconies, and windowsills—which is where Micro Tom truly shines. The fruits ripen about 85 days after planting. The plant is very productive, practically bursting with tomatoes; several dozen fruits can be harvested from each bush.
Micro-Tom was developed by John W. Scott and Brent K. Harbaugh of the University of Florida by crossing Florida Basket with Ohio 4013-3. Released in 1989, the variety was intended to be a miniature ornamental plant. Its small size also made it an important model tomato for scientific research.
