What Is A Patio Tomato – Learn How To Grow Patio Tomatoes

(Image credit: andreasgaertner)

Tomatoes famously come in all shapes and sizes – this is true for both the plants and the fruits themselves. Whatever the space you have and the kind of tomatoes you want to grow, there ought to be something to meet your needs. This is true even for gardeners who want to grow in containers. One of the best container varieties is the Patio tomato plant. Keep reading to learn more about Patio tomato care and how to grow Patio tomatoes at home.

Patio Tomato Plant Info

What is a Patio tomato? “Patio” isn’t just a generic name for a plant that can be grown in a pot. It’s actually the name of a specific cultivar that’s been bred with container life in mind. A dwarf variety, the Patio tomato plant grows to just 2 feet (60 cm.) in height. It is a very bushy determinate variety, which means it usually doesn’t even require any staking. Like all tomatoes, however, it can get a little floppy, especially when it’s covered with fruit, so some support won't go amiss. It is very productive for its size and will usually produce around 50 fruits per plant over an 8-week harvest period. The fruits are round, 3 to 4 ounces (85-155 g.), and very flavorful.

How to Grow Patio Tomatoes

Patio tomato care is very easy and no different than what you would give them out in the garden. The plants need full sun and should be placed somewhere that receives at least 6 hours per day. They like fertile, well-drained soil and should be planted in containers that are a minimum of 12 inches (30 cm.) across. Like all tomatoes, they are very frost sensitive. Since they live in containers, however, it’s possible to bring them indoors on cold nights in order to extend the growing season somewhat.

Liz Baessler
Senior Editor

The only child of a horticulturist and an English teacher, Liz Baessler was destined to become a gardening editor. She has been with Gardening Know how since 2015, and a Senior Editor since 2020. She holds a BA in English from Brandeis University and an MA in English from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. After years of gardening in containers and community garden plots, she finally has a backyard of her own, which she is systematically filling with vegetables and flowers.