Fast growing, they quickly produce large clusters of delicious fruits all summer – with mild, sweet, or tangy flavors, depending on the variety. The earliest of tomatoes to ripen, the small one to two-inch fruits come in a range of delightful colors including black (in truth, a super-deep purple), green, mahogany, orange, pink, red, white, and yellow. These plants are fun to grow for fresh snacks, and they also make a tasty treat roasted on the grill, on party platters, and in salads. And some are even suitable for dehydrating and juicing. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. And if you want to collect your own seeds, be sure to choose an heirloom variety. Seeds propagated from hybrid varieties don’t grow true to the parent plant. Our list includes some tried and true old-fashioned heirlooms, as well as some exciting new hybrids, with rich flavors and amazing colors! Now, let’s take a look at our top picks.
Determinate
Determinate plants have a predetermined mature size and they are typically compact in growth. This makes them ideal to cultivate in containers, hanging baskets, or small patio gardens. How bountiful? We’re talking about yields of about 300 bright red, one-inch tomatoes per plant through the season. ‘Baby Boomer’ A prolific plant, the fruit has a full, sweet flavor that’s ideal for fresh snacking or roasted on the grill. ‘Baby Boomer’ develops fruit in 50 to 55 days on plants that reach 20 to 25 inches. The branches become heavily laden, and a cage or other support is recommended.
2. Maglia Rosa (Open Pollinated)
Tomatoes don’t get any prettier than ‘Maglia Rosa.’ With two to three-inch ovate fruits in mottled shades of pink and orange, they hang like large clusters of jewels. ‘Maglia Rosa’ These tasty gems are delightful growing in containers, or draping from a hanging basket. Harvest just as they turn pink for an enticing flavor – lightly acidic, rich, and sweet. The semi-determinate plants grow 24 to 36 inches and tomatoes ripen in 70 days.
3. Sweetheart of the Patio (Hybrid)
A semi-determinate plant, ‘Sweetheart of the Patio’ has a superior yield that produces clusters of supersweet, bright red one-inch fruits. ‘Sweetheart of the Patio’ Compact but vigorous, abundant clusters of fruit ripen in 68 days on plants that grow 24 to 36 inches tall. Tolerant of late blight, the pretty plants are easily grown in containers, hanging baskets, or directly in the garden. You can pick up seeds at Burpee.
4. Tiny Tim (Heirloom)
An early-maturing heirloom cultivar, ‘Tiny Tim’ produces an abundance of deep red, four-ounce fruits. ‘Tiny Tim’ Fruit matures in just 55 to 60 days. Compact plants grow to a mature height of 12 to 16 inches, with a width of just six inches. Ideal for container-growing on the patio, or in hanging baskets, ‘Tiny Tim’ will tolerate a little shade. This variety was first brought to market by the University of New Hampshire in 1945.
Indeterminate
Indeterminates grow freely, with tall, bushy habits that require more space for cultivation, and branches typically need cages or stakes for support.
5. Black Cherry (Heirloom)
An heirloom variety, ‘Black Cherry’ has a complex, sweet flavor and firm texture packed into bite-size treats. The one-inch fruits ripen to a deep mahogany brown and plants produce consistently throughout the hot summer months. ‘Black Cherry’ Plants grow to approximately 60 inches and mature in 64 days. Delicious and exotic, these little gems are great for snacks and add rich flavor to bruschetta, pizzas, and salsas. This variety is naturally disease resistant, and seeds can be collected for propagation. You can find seeds available at Burpee.
6. Black Pearl (Heirloom Hybrid)
‘Black Pearl’ has a beautifully rich, deep mahogany color and its heirloom heritage as a cross of ‘Black Cherry’ provides a delightful, complex flavor – sweet with a rich, tangy bite. ‘Black Pearl’ The vigorous vines are laden with dark clusters of one-and-a-half-inch tomatoes that are produced until fall. Plants grow to 60 inches and require cages or stakes for support. Fruits are tasty for snacking or lovely in bruschetta and pizza, and they mature in 65 days. Seeds can be purchased at Burpee.
7. Green Envy (Hybrid)
A sweet, juicy option with a delicate flavor, the ovate, one-inch fruits of ‘Green Envy’ ripen to a deep, translucent emerald green. Plants produce continuously until fall. The firm and meaty tomatoes are well suited to grilling or roasting, and add a light, fresh flavor to salads and salsas. ‘Green Envy’ Fruits mature in 60 to 70 days on plants that grow 63 to 67 inches. A cage or stakes are needed for support. Seeds and three-packs of plants are available at Burpee.
8. Italian Ice (Hybrid)
Sugary sweet with a mild, low-acid taste, ‘Italian Ice’ is a prolific plant with large clusters of one-inch fruits in a soft, creamy yellow hue. Large clusters set throughout summer until plants are killed by frost. ‘Italian Ice’ Delicious chilled for a cooling salad or snack, the fruits also pair well with pasta or can be made into a mild green relish. Plants grow 60 to 72 inches and fruits can be harvested in 65 days. Seed packets are available at Burpee.
9. Midnight Snack (Hybrid)
Dark, handsome, and delicious, ‘Midnight Snack’ is one of the tastiest purple tomatoes. When grown in full sun, the fruit features dramatic purple-black shoulders with an olive-purple underside. ‘Midnight Snack’ The deep coloring comes from the presence of anthocyanin pigments – healthy antioxidants that make for a tasty, guilt-free snack. The high-yielding plants produce one-and-a-half-inch fruits with a pronounced, balanced taste and meaty texture that are ideal for salads and the grill. The vines grow 72 to 84 inches and fruit can be harvested in 65 to 70 days. Pick up seeds at Burpee.
10. Mirabelle Blanche (Heirloom)
The pretty one-inch globes of ‘Mirabelle Blanche’ ripen to a translucent pale yellow with a hint of blush pink, and grow in massive clusters. ‘Mirabelle Blanche’ Fruits have a unique, sweet flavor with a nice acidic bite that makes them ideal for dehydrating, salads, or the grill. An open-pollinated heirloom variety, the seeds can be successfully stored for propagation. Plants reach a height of 40 to 48 inches and mature in 75 to 80 days. Seed packets are available at Burpee.
11. Orange Sunsugar (Hybrid)
One of the sweetest cherries available, the orange one-inch fruits of ‘Orange Sunsugar’ glow like mini setting suns on vigorous, hearty vines. ‘Orange Sunsugar’ Highly nutritious with a high vitamin A content, the fruit is thin skinned but with excellent crack resistance. They’re also resistant to fusarium wilt and tobacco mosaic virus. The robust vines are large, growing 84 to 108 inches, and require caging for support. Fruits mature in 62 days. Seeds can be purchased from True Leaf Market.
12. Power Pops (Hybrid)
Sweet and flavorful, ‘Power Pops’ produce bright red one-inch fruits that ripen two weeks before other cherry types. Part of Burpee’s Boost Collection of veggies, plants are bred for higher levels of antioxidants – with 40 percent more carotenoids and 55 percent more lycopene than your typical commercial tomato. ‘Power Pops’ This cultivar grows only nine to 12 inches high but has a full, cascading habit that makes it a natural in patio pots and hanging baskets. And fruits ripen in only 45 days, making it a good choice for gardeners with short summer growing seasons.
13. Sunchocola (Hybrid)
‘Sunchocola’ has juicy one-inch fruits in a gorgeous, deep brick red with a full flavor that’s both smoky and sweet. A productive plant, it sets large clusters of fruit all summer. ‘Sunchocola’ Tasty fresh off the vine or roasted on the grill, they also make a good choice for sun drying or dehydrating. Fruits ripen in 67 days on plants that grow to 70 inches and are resistant to mosaic virus. Cages or trellises are required for support. Seeds are available at Burpee.
14. Sungold (Hybrid)
One of the most popular cherries, ‘Sungold’ has tangerine-orange fruits with firm flesh that form in long, hefty clusters on highly prolific vines that set until fall. The one-inch globes have a delicious, sweetly tropical taste. ‘Sungold’ Scrumptious fresh off the vine, on the grill, and in salads, fruits ripen in 57 days. Plants grow 48 to 60 inches and are resistant to fusarium wilt, nematodes, tobacco mosaic virus, and verticillium wilt. Caging or staking is required. Seeds can be purchased at True Leaf Market.
15. Supersweet 100 (Hybrid)
Sweet and flavorful with a long season, ‘Supersweet 100’ bears long, large clusters of bright red one-inch fruits all through summer and into fall. ‘Supersweet 100’ A sweet favorite for the grill, salsa, salads, and snacks, this prolific plant can reach 90 to 144 inches and requires sturdy caging – vines will grow up and over the top and back down the other side. It’s resistant to fusarium wilt, nematodes, and verticillium wilt. Fruits mature in 65 days and are perfect for drying, snacks, salads, and even juice. Seeds can be purchased at True Leaf Market. Find tips on growing ‘Supersweet 100’ here.
16. Sweetie (Organic Heirloom)
A flavorful favorite thanks to its high sugar content, ‘Sweetie’ produces large clusters of fruit early and abundantly over a long season. The one to two-inch globes are very sweet and can be used for juice and preserves without any additional sugar. ‘Sweetie’ Delectable as a snack straight off the vine, on the grill, in juice, and in preserves, fruits mature in 65 to 70 days. Plants require support, and seeds may be collected in late summer. Naturally resistant to stem canker, the vines grow 48 to 60 inches. Purchase seeds at Burpee.
17. Yellow Pear (Heirloom)
An old-fashioned garden favorite, ‘Yellow Pear’ is highly productive and features one to two-inch bright yellow fruits. With a mild, sweet flavor, the fruits are shaped like pears and appear in abundance throughout the summer. ‘Yellow Pear’ The fruits ripen in 80 days and are delicious fresh, on the grill, or made into preserves. The long vines grow up to 90 inches and require cages or stakes for support. Seeds can be collected and stored for propagation. Seed packets are available at Burpee.
A Pretty, Bountiful Crop
Fun and easy to grow on vigorous vines, these bite-sized gems make a pretty, bountiful crop. And they’re perfect for a healthy snack – a win/win veggie! For small decks or patio gardens, choose the compact, determinate varieties. And where they have more room to grow, select indeterminate ones – but remember to provide supports like cages or trellises when you plant. Whatever you choose, there’s something suitable for every location in our collection of the best cherry tomatoes to plant in your garden. Tell us about your favorites in the comments below. And for more tomato know-how, check out these guides next:
The Top 10 Reasons to Love Tomatoes and Add More to Your DietHow to Grow and Care for Tomatoes in Your GardenHow and When to Compost Tomato Plants
