My personal observation is that stressed plants will often produce smaller than normal fruit. I'm thinking your container situation may not be optimal for these plants. Since you've grown them successfully in containers before, have you done *anything* differently? Are you reusing potting mix?

Stress makes sense. But nope, nothing different this year, and fresh mix. It has been a lot hotter.

Some of the plants are perfectly happy though. You just made me think though - one thing I need to check - some of the plants came from a nursery that unknown to me was basically organic. Those plants came with bugs, were too big for the container/planting time, and had various problems starting off. I'm now thinking those may be the ones I'm still having trouble with - I'll have to check my records.

Thanks

And after a records check, all of the plants that seem to be struggling and/or have small tomatoes came from that same nursery. So did Lemon Boy, who's doing terrific - but I don't think anything can stop that plant.

Another reason to start my own seed next year :)

My tomatoes do better in self-watering containers, that way they have constant moisture. Been getting some very large fruit this year. I read somewhere that tomatoes should never be allowed to wilt, which is very difficult in this gosh awful heat we're having. Rigging up a 55 gallon drum with lines to each container. Trying to eliminate having to add water everyday to the reservoirs. It looks promising.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomatoes

Those plants may have been in their little containers longer, thus singnally the plant limited space so make everything smaller.

I agree with t-bird. Likely the plants were somewhat or quite rootbound which tomatoes struggle to overcome.

I start from seed and my toms are so much healthier than what I see at some of the nurseries. Its the personal care that they get and I move my toms up several times before they get to their final container.

BTW, my sungold, in 10 gal pots, are larger than ever and so tasty. The seeds are the same from a few years ago when they were in 5 gal pots with much smaller fruit.

What's your weather like this season in IL? Here in the South we're having lots of heat. It's been in the 90's since early June with little to any break. That definitely has caused less than normal fruitset, which I was expecting, but for me anyway, I think the heat is the culprit for my small tomato problem. As Tam91 said, almost every one - except for the first to set, is small. It's so noticible that my Aunt Ruby's German Greens, which are supposed to be a 1 pound beefsteak, are coming out as 2-3oz salad tomato size. All other varieties seem to be stalling out at half normal size.

The plants are all grown from seed, in the same raised beds as last year. Planted with the Earl's hole method and everything else remains the same. I did have some damage from tomato fruitworms this year, which may also be a contributing factor, but not so much that I'd expect such a dramatic result.

Do any of the experts know what's really going on here? Am I correct that the heat is the primary issue leading to the significantly smaller fruit size? Is this a typical phenomenon?

Susan

LOL! You think your tomatoes are small?

It has been unsually hot. I am getting some big ones now, just some varieties seem a little smaller than expected. Plenty to eat though, so I shouldn't complain.

Those are cute little itty bitty guys!

Now replace that penny with a Susan B Anthony dollar coin and we'll really have something to gawk at.

Funny, my sungolds are unusually large this year. Unfortunately, they also have a much thicker skin and very little sweetness compared to other years. Maybe it's because I bought cheap Burpee seeds at an outlet store. Won't do that again.

Actually those little guys are an F3 jelly bean grape tomato which tells me one of the parents was possibly a current tomato. I'm actually getting 3 different shapes off this plant. The other 2 are grape and pear and they all taste slightly different.

Ok, I hate to dig up a 5 yr old thread, but I came across this and have to comment on the "root bound" comment. :)

There is no need to worry over root-bound tomatoes. They actually do overcome this easily if you do it right. Just break up the root ball carefully by massaging/cutting until the roots are loose (ok to break them, just try to keep some big ones intact) AND bury most your plant (~2/3). If you've ever left a tomato stem on the ground too long, you'd see they grow roots out of any part of them that touches soil. Burying them greatly increases the number of roots and so helps improve stability and water/nutrient absorption. In containers they can be put on their sides with the stem pointed up.

Instead of cutting the roots, you can soak it in water (after removing from the pot). Shake it a bit and the roots should untangled. Then plant it by filling/covering the roots with some fine potting mix.

Water it well to the point of flooding so the roots come in a good contact with the soil.

On the subject:

I will have 3 small varieties:

== Hahms Gelbe Topftomate ( yello cherry)

== Riesentraube

== An this one shown in the picture (No name. I will called it Purple Grape)

I added another small tomato : It is called TIDY TREATS.

I bought the plant at HD, with fruits and flowers on it. It looked like a micro dwarf but apparently it is not. They say it grows up to 3 -5 ft tall. But this one looks more like real dwarf..

Has anybody grown it?

A picture from the net.

UPDATE:5/3/16

Here a pictures of my own Tidy Treats.

The little thong is loaded w/flowers and tomatoes.More tomatoes are hidden under the leaves.

And my Hahms Gelbe T. has buds too