30 Best Windowsill Tomato Varieties (Maximize Small Spaces!)
People who live in small apartments and condos are often discouraged from growing edible plants at home. But, in reality, numerous smaller tomato varieties are perfect for growing in small spaces—even a windowsill or windowbox will do!
Ideal tomato varieties to grow on windowsills are
- 42 Days
- Banana Legs
- Bellestar
- Betalux
- BHN 785
- Chello
- Cream Sausage
- Fantastico
- Green Grape
- Green Sausage
- Lime Green Salad
- Lunch Box
- Minibel
- Orange Pixie
- Plum Crimson
- Polar Star
- Prairie Fire
- Rambling Red Stripe
- Red Robin
- Skorospelka
- Subarctic
- Sunrise Sauce
- Sunset Falls
- Taxi
- Tiny Tim
- Tip-Top
- Tom Thumb
- Vilma
- Washington Cherry
- Yaqui
I’d like to point out that not all determinate tomatoes are great for growing on sunny windowsills. You have to consider the size of their fruit as well. Find out what makes tomatoes ideal for growing by windowsills!
1. 42 Days
The 42 Days tomatoes are a small-fruiting variety that can be grown on well-lit windowsills.
Plant Height: 2–3 ft (approx. 60–90 cm)
Tomato Size: 1–4 oz (approx. 28–113 g)
Fruit Color: Red
Like the rest of the varieties and cultivars I will be mentioning in this list, 42 Days tomatoes are determinate.
Determinate tomatoes only grow up to a certain height, many of which are compact and perfect for container gardening. Smaller cultivars and varieties can be grown by windowsills.
As its name suggests, 42 Days mature in as little as only 40–50 days. So you can expect to see this tomato variety set delicate yellow flowers in about 1–2 months.
If you want to harvest small sweet round red tomatoes—with few seeds—very early in the season, this is the right pick for your windowsill!
2. Banana Legs
Compact heirloom tomatoes like Banana Legs can produce elongated yellow fruits even when grown on a windowsill.
Plant Height: 3 ft (approx. 90 cm)
Tomato Size: 2–3 oz (approx. 56–85 g)
Fruit Color: Yellow
True to its name, Banana Legs tomatoes look like tiny but chubby little bananas!
Banana Legs will start producing its golden fruits late in the season. Don’t worry about frost though!
You can keep this indoors, right by a sunny windowsill away from unfavorably low temperatures. In short, you can continue getting their meaty fruits even if it’s frosty outside.
3. Bellestar
Grow plum-shaped Bellestar tomatoes indoors by a windowsill with full sun exposure.
Plant Height: 3 ft (approx. 90 cm)
Tomato Size: 4–5 oz (approx. 113–141 g)
Fruit Color: Red
Looking for a crack-resistant and compact tomato that’ll be the perfect alternative to a San Marzano? Go for Bellestar—also called Bellstar.
The oval-shaped red fruits of this variety are a product of the work of Dr. Jack Metcalf. Without him, the Bellestar tomato would be non-existent!
Use this for purees and pastes to avoid having wasted fruits as they are quite a heavy producer. Get your organic Bellestar seeds here on Restoration Seeds.
4. Betalux
Fruits produced by dwarf Betalux tomatoes can grow well into flattened red globes on windowsills.
Plant Height: 1.3–2 ft (approx. 40–60 cm)
Tomato Size: 2–4 oz (approx. 56–113 g)
Fruit Color: Red
Another heirloom variety that’s very meaty and has very few seeds is Betalux!
I personally haven’t tasted it myself but my friends who have grown this at home have mixed opinions about its flavor.
One friend said that it has a strong tomato flavor with a faint tanginess while the other said it was blander than she’d expected. She added that it was a bit too watery for her taste.
5. BHN 785
BHN 785 tomatoes are a hybrid resistant to fusarium wilt that can be grown on warm windowsills to harvest firm grape-shaped fruits.
Plant Height: 2–3 ft (approx. 60–90 cm)
Tomato Size: 0.5–0.75 oz (approx. 14–21 g)
Fruit Color: Red
Similar to cherry tomatoes, flavorful grape tomatoes such as BHN 785 are great for fresh salads and for snacking on. It’ll produce small smooth grape-like fruits mid-season.
If you’re in the South and have been having issues with fusarium wilt, then this is a great new variety you should consider growing at home. BHN 785 tomatoes are also resistant to nematodes and other common plant diseases particular to tomatoes.
6. Chello
Compact cherry varieties like Chello tomatoes can easily be grown on a sunny windowsill for early harvest.
Plant Height: 2–3 ft (approx. 60–90 cm)
Tomato Size: 1 oz (approx. 28 g)
Fruit Color: Yellow, orange
Despite being legally considered vegetables, fruity Chello cherry tomatoes are some of the super sweet varieties I would argue could be eaten as a dessert!
Pick handfuls of these cute little juicy golden nuggets from your windowsill garden early in the season and turn them into a vibrant jam you can enjoy for the rest of the year!
Learn more about growing cherry tomatoes from seeds!
7. Cream Sausage
The compact Cream Sausage tomato can be grown by windowsills to produce light-colored elongated fruits.
Plant Height: 2–3 ft (approx. 60–90 cm)
Tomato Size: 2–3 oz (approx. 56–85 g)
Fruit Color: Pale yellow, white
At first glance, I actually mistook Cream Sausage tomatoes for teeny tiny Philippine Mangos—especially because of their pointed ends!
It has a nice sweetness as well as tanginess to it that you won’t get tired of easily. Add these pale tomatoes to savory sauces and dishes for a more complex flavor profile.
8. Fantastico
Deep red grape-sized fruits of Fantastico will form in tight clusters even when grown indoors on a windowsill.
Plant Height: 2–3 ft (approx. 60–90 cm)
Tomato Size: 0.5–1 oz (approx.14–28 g)
Fruit Color: Deep red, red
Fantastico tomatoes are another very compact grape variety that’s perfect for growing in tiny containers in tight spaces—like a windowsill.
Get twice the normal yield—which is already pretty high as it is—by planting them twice in a single year.
Plant them early in the season for the first harvest, and grow them again around summer for a second harvest. You’re sure to love the sweet-and-sour taste of Fantastico grape tomatoes.
9. Green Grape
Hardy green grape tomatoes can thrive on windowsills in cooler regions but they grow best in warmer areas.
Plant Height: 3 ft (approx. 90 cm)
Tomato Size: 1–2 oz (approx. 28–56 g)
Fruit Color: Green, yellow-green
With a hint of citrusy flavor, sweet Green Gape tomato is a great variety you should try your hand at cultivating.
Some consider it a determinate tomato while others say that it’s more likely a semi-determinate variety.
Either way, you can grow it at home even if you have limited space available for gardening. Since it prefers full sun though, you should use a grow light if you live in colder zones.
10. Green Sausage
Long-fruited Green Sausage tomatoes can be planted indoors and kept on sunny windowsills.
Plant Height: 3 ft (approx. 90 cm)
Tomato Size: 2–3 oz (approx. 56–85 g)
Fruit Color: Dark green, green, yellow-green, green orange
To me, the thin but firm fruits of Green Sausage tomatoes closely resemble long peppers.
So the first thought that actually popped into my mind when I first saw them was that they’d be great for salsa verde!
But their striking bright streaks make them also great as unique temporary ornamental plants by your windowsill.
Each Green Sausage tomato can come in a variety of colors and can grow up to 4 in (10 cm) in length.
11. Lime Green Salad
Fruits of Lime Green Salad tomatoes are a compact but high-yield variety that will grow well on a windowsill.
Plant Height: 2–3 ft (approx. 6–90 cm)
Tomato Size: 2.5–4 oz (approx. 70–113 g)
Fruit Color: Pale green, yellow-green, green orange
Although the skin of Lime Green Salad tomatoes can turn into a golden orange color once fully ripe, their flesh will generally remain a bright and appetizing green.
This is a compact plant that you can grow with little to no problem near a window that gets a lot of sun during the day.
12. Lunch Box
Also known as German Lunbox, the Lunch Bos tomato variety produce crisp sugar-sweet fruits even when grown indoors by a sunny window.
Plant Height: 2–3 ft (approx. 60–90 cm)
Tomato Size: 3 oz (approx. 85 g)
Fruit Color: Red, red-orange, dark pink
This bushy heirloom tomato plant can grow higher than 3 ft (90 cm) when grown in large pots outdoors.
So once you do get to move into a larger space, you can easily transplant your Lunch Box tomato plants outdoors!
Their small egg-shaped fruits have a candy-like fruitiness and sweetness, making them a great addition to savory lunches—and even dinners.
13. Minibel
The dwarf Minibel cherry tomato variety can grow prolifically on a windowsill and produce sweet juicy fruits.
Plant Height: 1–3 ft (approx. 30–90 cm)
Tomato Size: 0.5–2.85 oz (approx. 14–80 g)
Fruit Color: Red
Minibel, a variety from the Netherlands, is perfect for very small containers. You can even cultivate it through simple hydroponic systems such as the ebb and flow!
It puts out tons of cute and incredibly sweet little red tomatoes—even when the whole plant stays relatively small.
Find out more about this system in our article on clogging in the ebb and flow hydroponics!
14. Orange Pixie
One other dwarf tomato variety that can be grown in small containers near sunny windows is the Orange Pixie.
Plant Height: 1.5–3 ft (approx. 45–90 cm)
Tomato Size: 3–5 oz (approx. 85–141 g)
Fruit Color: Dark orange, orange, yellow-orange
Resembling pumpkins, the Orange Pixie is a great tomato to grow at home when you’re in search of a variety with a striking bright fruit!
Despite being meaty and firm, Orange pixie tomatoes have an undeniably rich flavor profile. Their fruits also don’t have a lot of seeds.
15. Plum Crimson
Plum Crimson tomatoes are a popular plum variety often grown by local farmers but they can easily be grown indoors by a windowsill too.
Plant Height: 3 ft (approx. 90 cm)
Tomato Size: 2.5–4 oz (approx. 70–113 g)
Fruit Color: Dark red, red
If you’re looking for a great plum tomato that’s on the more compact side, then try and see if nurseries and seed companies in your area have Plum Crimson in stock.
Because this hybrid is grown commercially, that shouldn’t be too hard of a task.
Don’t worry, though! A durable container with drainage holes and a warm and bright south-facing window is all you need to grow them at home.
16. Polar Star
The Polar Star is a cold-tolerant variety of tomatoes that can be grown on a windowsill.
Plant Height: 1.5–2.5 ft (approx. 45–76 cm)
Tomato Size: 2–4 oz (approx. 56–113 g)
Fruit Color: Red
Honestly, I haven’t come across a lot of tomato cultivars and varieties that can withstand really cold temperatures even when they’re cultivated in a greenhouse.
But tangy sweet Polar Star tomatoes are different. This variety is perfect if you live in an area that’s considerably cold all year round because this is native to Alaska!
17. Prairie Fire
Rapid-growing Prairie Frie tomatoes can produce medium-sized red fruits very early in the season, even as they are ground indoors by a brightly lit window.
Plant Height: 2 ft (approx. 60 cm)
Tomato Size: 4 oz (approx. 113 g)
Fruit Color: Red, red-orange
Even though it’s the product of crossbreeding Subarctic tomatoes with a beefsteak tomato variety, this plant grows pretty short.
Both the round or elongated Prairie Fire fruits are extremely sweet. They would make a better and healthier snack for your little ones over candy bars if they have a sweet tooth!
18. Rambling Red Stripe
Even when grown on a windowsill, the fruits of Rambling Red Stripe tomatoes grow in abundance.
Plant Height: 2–3 ft (approx. 60–90 cm)
Tomato Size: 1–2 oz (approx. 28–56 g)
Fruit Color: Red and green, red-orange and green
The eye-catching colors and patterns on Rambling Red Stripe tomatoes are not only a feast for the eyes!
Rambling Red Stripe tomato plants develop narrow leaves sparsely, but they set out tons of deliciously tangy and sweet bi-colored fruits in the middle of the growing season.
Grow it in a small container or a hanging basket right by a very sunny window.
19. Red Robin
Dwarf but prolific cherry varieties like Red Robin tomatoes can grow very well on a warm and sunny windowsill.
Plant Height: 0.66–1 ft (approx. 20–30 cm)
Tomato Size: 1–2.5 oz (approx. 28–70 g)
Fruit Color: Red
This is, by far, one of the smallest tomato plants you could ever grow at home. In other words, they’re perfect for tiny gardening spaces—in fact, they’ll do just fine on windowsills.
Despite their small size, the cherry tomatoes from Red Robins pack quite a flavorful punch.
Some of my friends even say that it has a stronger savory flavor than many other cultivars and varieties they’ve grown at home.
20. Skorospelka
Skorospelka plants will continue producing small globular tomatoes when grown on a windowsill.
Plant Height: 1.65–2.5 ft (approx. 50–76 cm)
Tomato Size: 2–4 oz (approx. 56–113 g)
Fruit Color: Red
Although largely unfamiliar to most people I know, you won’t be disappointed if you get the chance to grow your very own Skorospelka tomato plant.
This low-growing heirloom tomato will develop slightly flat globular fruits by mid-season. It produces fruity sweet small to medium-sized tomatoes.
Just bear in mind that this isn’t frost-hardy and it won’t grow much fruit in cool temperatures.
21. Subarctic
Tight clusters of tart red fruits can still develop on hardy Subarctic tomatoes when grown on a windowsill.
Plant Height: 3 ft (approx. 90 cm)
Tomato Size: 2–3 oz (approx. 56–85 g)
Fruit Color: Red, red-orange
Subartctic—interchangeably called Sub-arctic and Sub Arctic—tomatoes aren’t an audience favorite as they lack the strong sweetness often attributed to other tomatoes of similar size. But they’re delicious nonetheless!
With proper fertilizer feeding, this compact variety will start producing packed clusters of round red fruits quite early in the season.
But don’t feed it with too much nitrogen. Otherwise, it with produce an abundance of leaves but little to no tomatoes at all.
22. Sunrise Sauce
Harvest orange-colored fruits from compact Sunrise Sauce tomato plants indoors by growing them in containers on southern windowsills.
Plant Height: 2–3 ft (approx. 60–90 cm)
Tomato Size: 3–4 oz (approx. 85–113 g)
Fruit Color: Dark orange, orange, yellow-orange
Just like its name, Sunrise Sauce produces plum-shaped fruits with a color reminiscent of the golden hour!
Similar to many regular plum tomatoes, freshly picked Sunrise Sauce tomatoes are tangier than they are sweet.
It’s the perfect variety for cooking savory dishes since its natural tartness adds brightness to rich savory dishes such as meat and vegetable stews.
23. Sunset Falls
A Sunset Falls tomato plant can produce mildly sweet bi-colored fruits in containers indoors by a sunny window.
Plant Height: 1–3 ft (approx. 30–90 cm)
Tomato Size: 1–2 oz (approx. 28–56 g)
Fruit Color: Red and yellow, red and orange
You can cultivate this compact tomato variety in regular or hanging containers—whichever would fit by your windowsill!
Add Sunset Falls tomatoes to your sandwich or salad for an added boost in color and nutrients, without overpowering your favorite dressing or vinaigrette.
24. Taxi
Windowsill-grown taxi tomatoes will produce round bright yellow fruits early in the growing season.
Plant Height: 2–3 ft (approx. 60–90 cm)
Tomato Size: 4–5 oz (approx. 113–141 g)
Fruit Color: Yellow, pale yellow
Now, if you’re looking into adding more tomatoes to your diet for their nutritional value but you’re not a fan of intensely flavored tomatoes, choose the Taxi variety.
Taxi tomato plants are another compact variety that rarely grows taller than 24 inches or 60 cm when planted in containers. Their moderately sized meaty fruits are mildly flavored.
Once you’ve developed a taste for this tomato, you can transplant yours outdoors for even bigger yellow fruits!
25. Tiny Tim
The very compact Tiny Tim variety of tomatoes can be grown in a small pot right next to a sunny windowsill.
Plant Height: 1–1.65 ft (approx. 30–50 cm)
Tomato Size: 2–3 oz (approx. 56–85 g)
Fruit Color: Red
Even though it’s one of the smallest varieties on the entire list, Tiny Tim tomato plants don’t slack off when it comes to producing juicy fruits!
A few of my friends have managed to get perfect little cherry-like tomatoes after growing this dwarf variety in pots as small as 5–6 inches (approx. 12–15) in diameter.
Compared to other cherry tomatoes, this plant’s fruits aren’t as sugary. Tiny Tim tomatoes have a nice balance between sourness and sweetness.
26. Tip-Top
Large clusters of red pointy plum-shaped fruits can still grow on Tip-Top tomato plants when grown on a warm windowsill.
Plant Height: 2 ft (approx. 60 cm)
Tomato Size: 3 oz (approx. 85 g)
Fruit Color: Red
Tip-Top tomatoes are another lesser-known variety that is an uncommon choice for home gardeners. It’s a plum tomato that’s on the smaller side of the spectrum.
However, if you want to start cultivating a somewhat crack-resistant tomato variety, this would be ideal.
Besides that, it’s also really juicy and tasty!
27. Tom Thumb
Fruits from Tom Thumb plants typically only measure around 1 in or 2.5 cm but are flavorful even when grown on a windowsill.
Plant Height: 0.66–2 ft (approx. 20–60 cm)
Tomato Size: 1–2.5 oz (approx. 28–70 g)
Fruit Color: Red
Also referred to as Micro Tom, this dwarf cherry tomato is named after a small American showman named Charles Stratton—one of the “attractions” at P.T. Barnum’s circus.
Depending on how you plan to grow them, this variety can stand upright with the help of some stakes or cages. Alternatively, it could drape down beautifully from hanging containers.
Want to produce many micro cherry tomatoes while taking up as little space as possible and using very few resources? Grow your Tom Thumb plants on an aeroponic tower.
28. Vilma
Micro-dwarf varieties such as Vilma tomatoes can grow well on a sunlit windowsill, with clusters of 5–7 cherry-sized fruits.
Plant Height: 0.66–2 ft (approx. 20–60 cm)
Tomato Size: 0.5–0.75 oz (approx. 14–21 g)
Fruit Color: Dark red, red
Like the Tom Thumb, Vilma cherry tomatoes are also categorized as micro-dwarf varieties.
It’s bred specifically to thrive even when cultivated in a pretty small pot no wider than 7 inches or around 17 cm. In other words, they can grow lush in nursery pots that are only 0.5–2 gal like the one below from Amazon!
So even if you’re only renting a tiny apartment with only a window or two, you can grow the bushy little Vilma tomato right on the windowsill. Then, you’ll have rich and sweet fruits!
29. Washington Cherry
Compact Washington cherry tomato plants grow numerous thick-skinned fruits even when kept indoors on a sunny windowsill.
Plant Height: 2–3 ft (approx. 30–60 cm)
Tomato Size: 0.75–1.25 oz (approx. 21–35 g)
Fruit Color: Red
If you haven’t figured it out yet, this particular tomato variety was produced at Washington State University.
For the best taste, let it ripen fully on the vine. By doing so, you can enjoy Washington Cherry tomatoes at their peak quite early in the growing season.
You can use them whole for salads. Just make sure to rinse them well first, especially if you used any pesticides on them to keep the pesky insects away while they were still growing.
30. Yaqui
The Yaqui plum tomato is a hardy hybrid variety that can be easily grown at home on a warm and sunny windowsill.
Plant Height: 3 ft (approx. 90 cm)
Tomato Size: 3–4 oz (approx. 85–113 g)
Fruit Color: Red
Another great hybrid tomato variety that’s easy to grow at home is Yaqui.
Its moderately sized plum-shaped fruits are pretty flavorful and sweet. So there’s great for pastes and purees!
Much like regular hybrid cultivars and varieties, Yaqui tomatoes are disease resistant.
You’re unlikely to have trouble with fusarium wilt or verticillium wilt—just to name a few—if you choose to grow this.
FAQs
How to grow tomatoes on a windowsill?
Compact tomatoes can readily grow on a windowsill if it’s receiving 6–16 hours of natural and/or artificial light, are kept in moist but well-draining soil, supported by a sturdy cage to keep fruits off the ground, and fed with fertilizer 1–2 times a month, depending on the cultivar or variety’s specific needs. Rotate pots regularly for uniform growth.
Can you also grow indeterminate tomatoes on windowsills?
Most, if not all, tomato varieties and cultivars can grow and get started from seeds on south or southwest-facing windowsills, regardless if they’re indeterminate, determinate, or semi-determinate. However, larger vining indeterminate tomatoes will generally need to be transplanted to much larger pots for good growth and harvest.
How big should windowsill tomato pots be?
Most windowsill tomato varieties can grow well in plastic pots and planters measuring 2–5 gallons (here on Amazon). Some very compact dwarf tomato cultivars and varieties, such as Vilma, can also grow large enough to reach maturity in containers as small as 0.5–1 gallon. Regular food-grade buckets can also be converted into windowsill tomato pots.
Summary of Best Windowsill Tomato Varieties
Determinate tomatoes that grow no higher than 3 ft (approx. 90 cm) and produce fruits no heavier than 5 oz (approx. 141 g) are the ideal cultivars and varieties to grow indoors by or on windowsills. They can also be grown outdoors on window boxes.
Grow 42 Days, Banana Legs, Bellestar, Betalux, BHN 785, Chello, Cream Sausage, Fantastico, Green Grape, Green Sausage, Lime Green Salad, Lunch Box, Minibel, Orange Pixie, Plum Crimson, Polar Star, and Prairie Fire tomatoes on windowsills.
Rambling Red Stripe, Red Robin, Skorospelka, Subarctic, Sunrise Sauce, Sunset Falls, Taxi, Tiny Tim, Tip-Top, Tom Thumb, Vilma, Washington Cherry, and Yaqui are also great windowsill tomatoes.
Sources
- “Growing Tomatoes in the Home Garden” by Steve Reiners and Peter Nitzsche in Rutgers Cooperative Extension
- “Tomato Varieties” by n/a in Rutgers Cooperative Extension
- “Heirloom Tomato Varieties available at the 2014 Great Tomato Plant Sale ” by the Contra Costa Master Gardeners in the University Of California Cooperative Extension
