Roma vs. cherry tomato for a south-facing balcony - I picked wrong

I spent 2 months last summer debating between Roma and cherry tomatoes for my 4x3 balcony in Phoenix. I went with Romas because I wanted them for sauces and thought the bigger fruit would be worth it. Bad call - they got huge and leggy, snapped two trellises, and only gave me 8 tomatoes total by September. My neighbor had cherry tomatoes in basically the same setup and got like 40 tiny ones off one plant. Anyone tried determinate varieties on a hot balcony or should I just give up and stick with herbs?

2 comments

2 Comments

oliviabennett8d ago

You mentioned "Romas because I wanted them for sauces" but that's exactly the problem. Romas need more room and stable support than a small balcony can give, and determinate types like Bush Early Girl would have done way better in pots with their compact growth. Cherry tomatoes are just more forgiving for small spaces and you get way more fruit for your effort.

christopher678d ago

Used to be all about Romas for sauce too since I love making big batches. But you make a solid point about space and support, I never really thought about how cramped they get on a balcony. Might have to give Bush Early Girl a shot next season.