Crops › Patio Tomato
How to grow Patio Tomato
in the US
Sow February to March, plant out April, harvest April to May. About 60 days from seed to plate.
Shown for zone 6. Zone table further down.
Right, listen up everyone. If you've got a bit of sun and even a tiny bit of space, you can grow your own tomatoes. These patio sorts, they're just cracking for pots and smaller plots, honestly, bringing that fresh taste right to your back door.
Sowing
For my plot, I'd usually be thinking about February or March to get these started indoors. You'll want to sow your seeds about a quarter-inch deep in good seed-starting mix, then keep 'em warm, around 70-75°F (21-24°C) if you can manage it. Up in USDA zone 5, you're looking at March or April, but down in zone 9, you can get going as early as January. Give 'em a bit of light, mind, a sunny windowsill or under a grow light works a treat. They grow quick, you know, you're looking at fruits in about 60 days.
Growing on
Once your little seedlings have their first proper leaves, that's when you prick 'em out, carefully mind, into their own small pots. Don't rush 'em outside though; they're tender things. You'll need to harden them off for a week or two, gradually getting them used to the outdoors before the last frost has passed for your area. These patio types are happy in 12-18 inch (30-45 cm) containers, so make sure they've got plenty of room for their roots and a short stake or cage for support.
Looking after it
Tomatoes are proper hungry and thirsty plants, even the patio ones. Use a quality potting mix, like I say, and start feeding 'em regularly once they're established. In hot weather, you'll be watering daily, sometimes twice, especially in containers. Full sun is a must, no messing about there.
What goes wrong
Slugs can be a bother, of course, but for tomatoes, you'll mainly be watching out for hornworms munching on the leaves and those pesky aphids or whiteflies underneath. Cutworms can get the young plants too, so keep an eye out. Pick off hornworms by hand, and a good blast of water can shift aphids, you know what I mean.
Harvest
You'll be chuffed to bits when those first fruits start to show their color. Pick 'em when they're mostly colored, but still a bit firm. If you need to, you can bring 'em inside to finish ripening on the counter. Enjoy 'em fresh, mind, that's what they're for, straight from the plant within a few days.
Honestly, the best thing you can do for a patio tomato is to feed it regularly. They're like teenagers, always hungry, and it makes all the difference to the yield.
Dates for your plot
Type your zone and the plant-out advice shifts to your frost dates.
Varieties, and whether the club would grow them again
| Variety | Club verdict |
|---|---|
| Better Bush This one's a sturdy, compact plant that gives you nice medium-sized fruits. It's a reliable choice if you want decent slicing tomatoes without a huge sprawling plant. | No club votes yet |
| Bush Celebrity A proper container-friendly tomato with a determinate habit, meaning it grows to a set size. You'll get good yields of tasty fruits from this one, perfect for a sunny spot on the patio. | No club votes yet |
| Tiny Tim If you're short on space, this dwarf cherry tomato is brilliant for pots and even window boxes. It's a cracking little plant that produces loads of sweet, bite-sized tomatoes. | No club votes yet |
| Patio Princess This is a clever cherry-slicer hybrid, bred specifically for containers, so it stays nice and compact. You get sweet cherry tomatoes that are big enough to slice, which is proper handy. | No club votes yet |
| Tumbling Tom Now, this one's a bit different, it's a trailing cherry tomato that looks fantastic spilling out of hanging baskets. You'll get plenty of sweet little fruits, just begging to be picked. | No club votes yet |
Votes are members rating varieties in their Seed Tin, one vote per gardener. Tap a variety for the full page and where to buy.
Buy Patio Tomato seeds
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Sowing by USDA zone
| Zone | Sow / plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | January to April | March to June |
| Zone 4 | January to April | March to June |
| Zone 5 | March to April | May to June |
| Zone 6 | February to March | April to May |
| Zone 7 | February to March | April to May |
| Zone 8 | January to February | March to April |
| Zone 9 | January to February | March to April |
| Zone 10 | January to April | March to June |
Cook the harvest
When patio tomatoes come in fast and furiously from container plants, this soup uses them up brilliantly. Roasting first concentrates their sweetness; blending gives a silky, deep-flavored result. Serve with a grilled cheese on the side for one of the most satisfying simple meals imaginable.
55 min · easyContainer gardeners who grow patio tomatoes often have a bowl of small-medium tomatoes at peak ripeness — this bruschetta is the perfect way to celebrate them. Diced and dressed with garlic, olive oil, and fresh basil, then piled onto grilled bread, this is exactly the kind of recipe that makes growing your own feel completely worth it.
20 min · easyThe Tuscan bread salad where stale bread soaks up the juices of tomatoes and a garlicky dressing to become something entirely new and wonderful. Patio tomatoes — smaller, denser, and full of flavor — work beautifully because they release their juice without becoming mushy. A great use for yesterday's bread.
30 min · easySweet patio tomatoes cooked down into a quick, chunky sauce in a cast-iron skillet, then eggs nestled into the sauce and baked until the whites are set and the yolks are still beautifully runny. This is essentially a patio-tomato shakshuka — a one-pan breakfast or brunch dish that comes together in 30 minutes and makes the most of summer tomatoes still on the vine. Eat it straight from the pan with thick slices of toast.
35 min · easyWatch for, and grow alongside
Companions: Basil, Marigolds, Carrots, Onions
Questions people ask
When do you sow Patio Tomato in the US?
Sow Patio Tomato from February to March in zone 6, earlier or later by zone. Plant out April, after the last frost.
How long does Patio Tomato take from sowing to harvest?
Roughly 60 days, with the harvest April to May.
Which Patio Tomato varieties do gardeners grow again?
Club members rate every variety they grow. This page shows the grow-again votes for Better Bush, Bush Celebrity, Tiny Tim, Patio Princess and more.
Track your Patio Tomato from packet to plate
Sowing reminders and harvest forecasts for your own frost dates, the Seed Tin, Scan Centre for any label or packet, and the Potty Mouth Garden Club. Free to start.
Allotment keeper in the North East of England, the voice behind the Tony C Smith YouTube channel, and the gardener who built GrowMore CookMore. Club numbers on this page update as members log their plots. Last updated 3 September 2026.