Photo by Sigfrid Lundberg (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum

Common Name: Tomato 'Tiny Tim'

Origin

Tiny Tim is a modern heirloom variety, first introduced in 1945 and bred at the University of New Hampshire in the USA.

Uses

The 2cm wide, round cherry tomatoes produced by this variety are bursting with flavour and ideal for snacking on or adding whole or sliced in half to salads and pasta dishes.

Germination

Sow tomato seeds 6mm deep.  In temperate regions of Australia sow Tiny Tim tomato seeds from September to November.  In frost-free subtropical regions sow from March to September, if your area receives frost instead sow from September to November.  In tropical regions sow during the dry season from May to July.  Tomato seeds take between 7 and 13 days to germinate.

Cultivation

Tiny Tim tomato plants can be spaced much closer together than non-dwarf varieties, aim to keep about 30cm between plants.  Choose a growing location that receives full sun for optimal fruit production, tomatoes will also grow well in part shade but fruits may be smaller and less numerous.  Tiny Tim will also be more leggy when grown in the shade, loosing some of it's compact growth habit.  When planting-on tomato seedlings bury them deeply, the hairs on the stem will grow into extra roots resulting in a larger root-system and a sturdier, well anchored plant.   If growing in pots be sure to choose a quality, free-draining potting mix.  Don't re-use old growing media as it will be depleted of the nutrients required for a good tomato crop.  As Tiny Tim is a compact dwarf cultivar only reaching about 40cm tall with an upright growth habit it generally doesn't require staking for support.  Avoid watering tomato leaves to prevent leaf blight and other fungal diseases, the lower leaves can be pinched off as the plants grows so that any splash-back from the soil when watering doesn't land on the leaves.  Tiny Tim is an early variety, taking between 9 and 10 weeks to begin producing ripe tomatoes.