tumbling toms

[Naomi]

Hiya, I recently saw an ad in a seed catalogue for an offer on a hanging basket with tumbling tomato plants. What took my fancy was the claim that the plant produced 'thousands' of tiny bite sized sweet fruits. It looked gorgeous, and the toms looked no bigger than a grape! but it didnt give the variety of the tomato plant, could anyone help me? I would like to also try yellow toms in a hanging basket, any ideas?

[SueA]

Hi Naomi, it might have been 'Sweet Million' which has hundreds of grape sized fruits. I haven't grown it myself but have heard of it. Here's a link to Johnson's seeds who have it (scroll down the page).
Johnsons Seeds Tomatoes
For yellow tomatoes in a basket there is a yellow 'Tumbling tom' available.Here's a link to Suttons who have it.
Suttons Seeds: Vegetable Seeds: Tomato Tumbling Tom Yellow Seeds
I've grown those in the past along with the red ones & also 'Tumbler' & they're all fine in baskets.

[veg4681]

Hiya, I recently saw an ad in a seed catalogue for an offer on a hanging basket with tumbling tomato plants. What took my fancy was the claim that the plant produced 'thousands' of tiny bite sized sweet fruits. It looked gorgeous, and the toms looked no bigger than a grape! but it didnt give the variety of the tomato plant, could anyone help me? I would like to also try yellow toms in a hanging basket, any ideas?

I grew Tumbling Tom last year but can't comment how good they are as mine never forgave me for transplanting them after they had settled in one overcrowded pot. I remember they had endless flowers (like you've described) and I managed to harvest a few fruits but the taste wasn't good...maybe because the plants were poorly.

There are other tumbling/trailing type tomatoes for hanging basket and Alan Romans sells the Balconi and Garten Perle and MoreVeg has red and yellow Tumbling Tom, most are 50p each packet so I wouldn't pay more than a quid for these seeds. BTW I paid £1.99 for mine though because I was price naive then. Then there is Tumbler F1. Take your pick!

Hanging Basket Tomato :
Tumbling Tom (red/yellow)
Balconi (red/yellow)
Gartenperle
Maskotka
Tumbler F1

[zazen999]

I always grow some tumbling types as if the others get blight, these seem to avoid it [so far, anyway]. Mine cropped for absolutely months last year, whilst all the expensive seed tom plants had to be ripped out. Not bad for a free packet of seeds!
I grow mine upside down, so sow them into the holes in the bottom of a large-ish pot and when they are about 3 inches high hang the pot up; and this year will put another in the top of the pot - it seemed to work if you get the watering right [you have to stop it draining straight out but I am too tight to actually buy a hanging basket so I'll have to persist with working out watering methods without the pot looking too chavvy].

[Herbgardener]

Will be trying some garten perle in baskets this year... nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say !

[smallblueplanet]

Will be trying some garten perle in baskets this year... nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say !

We grow garten perle aka garden pearl in pots, they're a kind of pinky red colour, good flavour too. Don't make the mistake of thinking they're indeterminate/cordon and take the side-shoots out like we did 1st time!

[veg4681]

We grow garten perle aka garden pearl in pots, they're a kind of pinky red colour, good flavour too. Don't make the mistake of thinking they're indeterminate/cordon and take the side-shoots out like we did 1st time!

Oh gawd, how did you manage that . The foliage is so bushy and the numerous leaves tiny. The seed packet should tell you this as mine did for the Tumbling Tom.

[smallblueplanet]

Oh gawd, how did you manage that . The foliage is so bushy and the numerous leaves tiny. The seed packet should tell you this as mine did for the Tumbling Tom.

They were smallish when the 'accident' happened, in a row with lots of others - didn't take note of the name tag, easy done.

[Naomi]

Thanks for all the relies, I shall go and browse the aisles for seeds, and will ask my dad to put up some hanging baskets!

[bluemoon]

We grow Tumbling Tom in both red and yellow - our grandson loves them. I've tried Gartenperle, but they've never got further than the two true leaf stage. I don't know why as I never usually have problems with toms and they were growing next to other varieties. But, that's gardening for you.

[Alison]

Tumbling toms look good and produce well but there are ones with nicer flavour. Grew 3 baskets full last year, one yellow tumbling, one red and another one - the other one was by far the sweetest and tastiest, unfortunately I can't remember what type it was - need to search through my old seed packets as am pretty sure I've got some left for this year! - not looked at tom seeds yet as won't be sowing for a couple of months.

[sarahspatch]

I have to agree with Alison, the tumbler toms are very productive but not the tastiest tom in the world, but hey, trying them out is half the fun!

By the way Alison, if you ever find out what that tomato variety was, please let me know! (Don't know how to quote yet oops)

[gojiberry]

I grow tumbling tom every year and quite like the flavour. I usually put three plants in a 16" basket and get a good crop. They aren't the smallest of cherry toms but are smaller than the normal salad tom. I personally don't like my tomatoes to sweet and tumbling tom has a bit of acidity, it can also have a little bit of a thick skin for some peoples liking. The only way I eat tomatoes is straight off the vine and it is supprising how many toms one can eat when spending an hour or so in the greenhouse. I will be trying the yellow tumbling tom this year as well.

[bluemoon]

Perhaps I should have explained that the reason my grandson loves Tumbling Toms is because his name is Tom, (anything to get them to eat a little extra fruit and veg). Personally I wouldn't go overboard for them.

[veg4681]

Tumbling toms look good and produce well but there are ones with nicer flavour. Grew 3 baskets full last year, one yellow tumbling, one red and another one - the other one was by far the sweetest and tastiest, unfortunately I can't remember what type it was -need to search through my old seed packets as am pretty sure I've got some left for this year!

Sorry for reviving this thread but I think I know which tomato you're referring to. Could it by any chance be one called Cherry Tomatoe Maskotka? It's described as even better tasting than Gartenperle but I don't know what Balconi or Tumbler F1 taste like. I would also be interested in growing one best tasting hanging basket tomato. Also would be interested to hear from anyone who's grown this Maskotka before.