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vegetable

Totem Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum 'Totem'

 

 
Totem Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum 'Totem') at Tagawa Greenhouse

Totem Tomato fruit

Totem Tomato fruit

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  18 inches

Spacing:  8 inches

Sunlight:  full sun 

Hardiness Zone:  (annual)

Group/Class:  Cherry/Grape-Determinate

Description:

A beautiful early season, dwarf variety that produces clusters of bright red small cherry tomatoes; perfect for patio containers, hanging baskets and small gardens; perfectly sweet, great for salads, snacking and roasting

Edible Qualities

Totem Tomato is an annual vegetable plant that is typically grown for its edible qualities. It produces clusters of red round tomatoes (which are technically 'berries') with red flesh which are usually ready for picking from mid summer to early fall. This is a determinate variety, which means it bears a full crop all at once. The tomatoes have a sweet taste with a juicy texture and a distinctive fragrance.

The tomatoes are most often used in the following ways:

  • Fresh Eating
  • Eating When Cooked/Prepared
  • Cooking
  • Baking
  • Canning

Planting & Growing

Totem Tomato will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 inches. When planted in rows, individual plants should be spaced approximately 8 inches apart. This fast-growing vegetable plant is an annual, which means that it will grow for one season in your garden and then die after producing a crop.

This plant can be difficult to integrate into a landscape or flower garden, and is best grown in a designated vegetable garden. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Totem Tomato is a good choice for the vegetable garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing the canvas against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Garden  Container  Basket 
Applications
Vegetable 
Ornamental Features