Little Bing Tomato Care and Info
Little bingTomato is an adorably looking minuscule tomato variety that grows in compact bushes. It is a hybrid cherry tomato with a high fruit-bearing affinity.
Little Bing Tomato Profile
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Little bing tomato is an early variety that ripens in 60 to 65 days in mid-summer. It is also a determinate variety, which means that it produces a full crop in a short period of time.
The advantage of the little bing tomato over big, “ordinary” tomatoes and indeterminate cherry tomato varieties is its shrub-like growing habit.
This plant usually grows from 24 to 36 inches in height and 20 to 24 inches in width, making it quite suitable for growing in pots and hanging baskets, not just in gardens and greenhouses.
The modest space requirements are especially important for people who live in apartments but still want to grow these plants with lots of tiny red delights loaded with antioxidants and vitamins.
The way the fruits grow – in clusters of little balls explains this variety’s name. Besides firm ping-pong ball-shaped fruits, the plant is adorned with almost dark green leaves. When the plant is fully mature, this combination of colors paired with the plant’s bushy appearance can add to the aesthetics of a balcony or patio.
Little Bing tomato taste
Little bing tomatoes are famous for their exquisite aroma and sweet flavor, resulting from a more favorable ratio of sugars and acids. The inside of the smooth-skinned fruit is juicy and savory.
Due to their great hardiness, cherry-like, uniform fruits are not susceptible to cracking and can stand on the plant longer than usual. They grow 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter and weigh around 1 ounce.
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How to Care for Little Bing Tomato
This hybrid cherry variety is a very strong and sturdy plant and very easy to maintain because it does not require any special care. The plant’s low neediness combined with its growth habit and size and its fruit’s exceptional taste give enough reasons for every gardener to grow at least one specimen in their garden.
When to start the Little Bing Tomato
Little bing tomatoes are susceptible to low temperatures, so planting seeds or seedlings should be planned for a time when there is no more danger of frost. You can sow the seeds in the house or a heated greenhouse in mid-March.
If you opt for sowing outdoors, you should wait until the soil temperature reaches 65 F, usually at the end of April.
Soil
Like many other cherry tomatoes, this variety is not too picky when it comes to soil. However, this does not mean that you should plant them just anywhere.
To get the best results in terms of yield, make sure to provide them with nutrient-rich and well-drained soil.
Light
While you might get away with neglecting their soil preferences, light is absolutely crucial for proper growth. These tomatoes are sun-loving plants, so be careful not to plant them somewhere where they might get shaded throughout the day.
Fertilization
Fertilization should first be done at the time of planting seedlings. After that, apply fertilizer when the plant forms four to five leaves, or when it grows 4 to 5 inches, and during its growing season every 15 to 21 days or so unless the soil is very nutrient-rich.
Little bing tomato reacts best to fertilizers with a balanced composition (N :P: K – 10:10:10) or slightly increased phosphorus content (N: P: K – 2: 3: 1)
If you plan to grow them in a container, due to limited sources in the pot, you can apply additional nutrients every 15 days.
Water
Last but not least, you should thoroughly water them every 2 to 5 days as they like consistent moisture.
However, do not apply water directly to the foliage but rather to the root zone to avoid the spread of tomato diseases.
Like fertilizing, watering should be done even frequently when little bing tomatoes are grown in containers since soil tends to dry out faster than soil in the garden.
Little Bing Tomato Usage
Little bing tomatoes are a very versatile variety when it comes to application in cuisine. But, of course, what probably first comes to mind is snacking and fresh eating when the refreshing sweetness of these tomatoes comes to the fore.
Whether you eat them alone or combine them with other in-season vegetables, herbs, and grains, it is impossible to make a mistake.
If you like little bing’s taste but want to balance it with some strong flavors, consider pairing them with cheeses such as feta or goat cheese.
Another way to indulge in their natural sweetness is roasting or grilling them, which explains why they are frequent “guests” at barbecues and grills.
And, if you are looking for yet another way to intensify the flavorful and sweet taste of these tiny tomatoes, consider peeling the skin and cooking them down to a delicious sauce or a tomato broth.
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