Cherry Tomato
Spoon Tomato is the world's tiniest tomato, producing micro-mini fruit no larger than a pea that pack an outsized punch of bold, classic tomato flavor. This indeterminate heirloom grows as a delightful edible ornamental, with brilliant fire engine-red fruits arranged in gorgeous long trusses along vigorous vines. Reaching harvest in just 65 to 70 days, Spoon produces prolifically in warm conditions (75, 95°F) and rewards patient gardeners with hundreds of jewel-like fruits perfect for snacking straight off the vine. What it lacks in size, it more than makes up in flavor and the sheer joy of growing something genuinely unique.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-12
?in H x ?in W
Annual, Perennial
High
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Spoon Tomato shatters the myth that size equals flavor. These pea-sized rubies deliver intense, tangy red tomato taste in a form so diminutive and visually stunning that they blur the line between ornamental and edible garden. The fruits pop in your mouth when you bite into them, making them irresistible to kids and adults alike. Long, heavily laden trusses create an almost jeweled appearance on indeterminate vines, turning this variety into a conversation piece that also happens to be seriously delicious.
Spoon Tomatoes are primarily enjoyed fresh, popped whole directly into your mouth as a snack or garnish. Their diminutive size and burst of flavor make them ideal for entertaining, adding visual appeal to salads and charcuterie boards, or simply grazing from the vine during summer gardening. They're particularly beloved by children, who find the bite-sized format endlessly appealing.
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost date. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in moist seed-starting mix kept at 70–75°F. Seeds typically germinate within 5 to 10 days. Once seedlings develop their first true leaves, provide bright light and maintain consistent moisture without oversaturation.
Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Transplant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed to at least 60°F, spacing plants 24 inches apart. Plant slightly deeper than they were growing in their containers to encourage strong root development.
Spoon Tomatoes are ready to harvest when they reach their full fire engine-red color and yield slightly to gentle pressure. The tiny fruits typically begin to ripen 65 to 70 days after transplanting. Since each truss contains dozens of fruits that mature over time rather than all at once, you'll enjoy an extended harvest window throughout the season. Simply twist or gently squeeze each ripe tomato from the vine, though they pop so easily that simply popping them off with your thumb often works perfectly. Harvest regularly to encourage continued production.
As an indeterminate variety, Spoon Tomato will benefit from light pruning to improve air circulation and light exposure within the dense canopy. Remove some lower leaves once plants are established to reduce disease pressure near soil level. However, avoid excessive pruning that would remove flowering trusses; the goal is to open up the plant just enough to allow air and light to reach developing fruits, not to strip it bare. In late season, you may remove the growing tip to encourage the plant to channel energy into ripening fruit rather than new growth.
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