Whether you're growing on a rooftop, porch, patio or fire escape, it’s essential to choose the right tomato varieties when growing in containers. The ideal varieties to choose are either determinate or semi-determinate, meaning that they have a more concentrated fruit set and compact habit (unlike the indeterminate varieties, which will easily grow vines 10 feet long). It’s also best to look for varieties that start producing early – so you can get the most out of your containers – and look for those described as productive, reliable and disease-resistant. Make sure your containers are big enough – 3-5 gallons is the minimum – and that they have holes in the bottom to ensure good drainage. We like 5-gallon buckets, which give the plants plenty of space and have helpful handles. Also keep in mind that semi-determinate (and sometimes even determinate) varieties will probably need a cage, stake, or other method of providing support once the plants are about 24” tall and starting to produce fruit. The best time to install a trellising system is as soon as possible after planting, which avoids potential broken branches later. With regular watering and monthly fertilizing, you can grow a bumper crop of tomatoes just about anywhere that gets at least 6 hours of sun. 1. Glacier Tomatoes are a favorite in the North and beyond for their exceptionally early maturity and great tomato flavor. The 2-3” saladette-sized fruits consistently win our early-season taste tests. The potato-leaved plants start setting fruit at 24" and are semi-determinate, meaning that they will produce an early, heavy flush of flowers and fruit, but will then continue to produce until the end of the season (unlike standard determinate varieties, which produce all of their fruit at once). Also ideal for smaller gardens and raised beds. 55 days     2. Moskvich is beloved for its impressively early yields of deep red, slightly flattened 4-6 oz fruits with rich, luscious flavor. This Russian heirloom tolerates cool conditions and produces high quality, crack-resistant fruits that rival hybrids. Also performs well in greenhouses. Excellent for fresh eating, sauce or canning. A semi-determinate variety that will produce an early, heavy crop of fruit and continue producing all season. 60 days       3. Gold Nugget produces beautiful bright yellow cherry tomatoes early and abundantly on compact plants. The one inch fruits are juicy, mild and sweet – excellent if you prefer a low-acid tomato – with marvelously thin yet crack-resistant skin. This determinate variety was developed at Oregon State University. An excellent choice for hanging baskets, upside-down planters and more! 60 days    
4. Marmalade F1 produces perfect large orange slicing tomatoes. The slightly flattened 8-10 oz fruits are firm and unblemished – and just as sweet as red tomatoes! Superior crack-resistance; performs well in the greenhouse. A unique variety bred by Dr. Brent Loy of the University of New Hampshire, produced on the High Mowing seed farm and available exclusively from High Mowing. A semi-determinate variety that will produce an early, heavy crop of fruit and continue producing all season. Resistant to Fusarium Wilt and Verticillium Wilt. 78 days  
5. Indigo Rose offers the best of both worlds – an exotic edible fruit that grows on a beautiful ornamental plant. Clusters of 6-8 firm 2 oz fruits ripen to jet black with red undersides and aromatic flavor. The sturdy plants are vigorous and disease-resistant with a compact habit and purple-tinged foliage that is absolutely stunning in ornamental plantings. Indigo tomatoes are rich in the antioxidant anthocyanin. A semi-determinate variety bred by Dr. Jim Myers in the high-flavonoid breeding program at Oregon State University. 75-80 days