minimato

piegirl · October 5, 2009

While in the neighborhood grocery store late this afternoon I spotted tomato plants - gulp! A closer look - something called the minimato complete with flowers, fruit set, some ripe ones even. This is a potted tomato that the info says 'have fresh tomatoes all year' etc., instructions on growing, watering. Didn't see a price. Nice looking fruit - rich red looking cherry tomatoes. The plants were quite nice looking, rich dark green foliage, slight damage from shipping, no diseased looking branches. Plants are about 18" high by 12-15" wide. The web site is: www.minimato.com haven't checked it out yet. About the end of January I would sure be tempted. Anyone else see these? piegirl

tuttimato · October 6, 2009

It looks like the Totem or Red Robin I grew last winter. I started them in November and they stayed in a bright window all winter. As soon as the days were in the 50s I would carry them out for sun and back in at night. I got some ripe ones in early April and would have had them sooner if I had a sunny window for them. They both put out an amazing production for their size and just kept going until I got overloaded with the regular ones and stopped caring for them.

If you'd like seeds, PM me.

**carolyn137** · October 6, 2009

The late Chuck Wyatt used to send me several plants of Red Robin around Thanksgiving time each year. At the time I had no light set up where I was living so had to put them not on the windowsill b'c that was too cold and drafty in the old farmhouse where I was at the time, but ontop of the metal casing of a hear register in from of the window.

Yes, they'd produce maybe into January/February, but I finally decided that for everything there's a season and what I really wanted were some of my own tomatoes grown in the dirt and ripened in the sun outside.

And some of the grape tomatoes at the store or the on the vine Desert ones flown in from Israel, and still are, weren't that bad tasting, so I thanked Chuck ever so much and stopped growing those Red Robins and now that I remember it I think I even tried with Tiny Tims for a year or two myself. Same conclusion.

if the price is right though, I see no reason not to buy plants of Tiny Tim or Red Robin or the like, or even raise them from seed, and see how they do.

Bright red fruits in mid-winter makes the snow outside look whiter.

October 5, 2009	#1
piegirl Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 791	minimato While in the neighborhood grocery store late this afternoon I spotted tomato plants - gulp! A closer look - something called the minimato complete with flowers, fruit set, some ripe ones even. This is a potted tomato that the info says 'have fresh tomatoes all year' etc., instructions on growing, watering. Didn't see a price. Nice looking fruit - rich red looking cherry tomatoes. The plants were quite nice looking, rich dark green foliage, slight damage from shipping, no diseased looking branches. Plants are about 18" high by 12-15" wide. The web site is: www.minimato.com haven't checked it out yet. About the end of January I would sure be tempted. Anyone else see these? piegirl

October 6, 2009	#3
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	The late Chuck Wyatt used to send me several plants of Red Robin around Thanksgiving time each year. At the time I had no light set up where I was living so had to put them not on the windowsill b'c that was too cold and drafty in the old farmhouse where I was at the time, but ontop of the metal casing of a hear register in from of the window. Yes, they'd produce maybe into January/February, but I finally decided that for everything there's a season and what I really wanted were some of my own tomatoes grown in the dirt and ripened in the sun outside. And some of the grape tomatoes at the store or the on the vine Desert ones flown in from Israel, and still are, weren't that bad tasting, so I thanked Chuck ever so much and stopped growing those Red Robins and now that I remember it I think I even tried with Tiny Tims for a year or two myself. Same conclusion. if the price is right though, I see no reason not to buy plants of Tiny Tim or Red Robin or the like, or even raise them from seed, and see how they do. Bright red fruits in mid-winter makes the snow outside look whiter. __________________ Carolyn

October 6, 2009	#2
tuttimato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Gulf Coast USA Posts: 17	It looks like the Totem or Red Robin I grew last winter. I started them in November and they stayed in a bright window all winter. As soon as the days were in the 50s I would carry them out for sun and back in at night. I got some ripe ones in early April and would have had them sooner if I had a sunny window for them. They both put out an amazing production for their size and just kept going until I got overloaded with the regular ones and stopped caring for them. If you'd like seeds, PM me.