Container Choice Red
Solanum lycopersicum 'Container Choice Red'
Specifically bred for container growing, this compact determinate variety produces full-sized slicing tomatoes on a plant that stays under 20 inches tall. Perfect for apartment dwellers and small space gardeners who don't want to sacrifice fruit size for plant size. No caging or staking required.
Harvest
70-75d
Days to harvest
Sun
Blossom-End Rot of Tomato
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Container Choice Red in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 tomato →Zone Map
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Container Choice Red · Zones 10–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April – April | June – July | — | August – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 5 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March – March | May – June | — | July – September |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February – February | April – May | — | June – August |
| Zone 9 | January – January | March – April | — | May – July |
| Zone 10 | January – January | February – March | — | May – July |
Complete Growing Guide
Light: Blossom-End Rot of Tomato, Pepper, and Watermelon. Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Water: Blossom-End Rot of Tomato, Pepper, and Watermelon. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 3 feet-6 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: High. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
The fruits are smooth, shiny, glossy, and are classified as berries. The size, shape, and color will vary depending on the variety or cultivar. The color of the fruits may be red, yellow, orange, green, purple, or pink. The fruits may contain over 100 yellow to light brown seeds.
Color: Gold/Yellow, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple/Lavender, Red/Burgundy, Variegated. Type: Berry. Length: > 3 inches. Width: > 3 inches.
Garden value: Edible, Showy
Harvest time: Fall, Summer
Bloom time: Fall, Summer
Edibility: The fruits or berries of the tomato are edible. They may be eaten raw, cooked, dried, or processed. They are a rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants. Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives the tomato its rich red color. Many plants will drop fruit when ripe or the fruit will come off easily. Tomatoes will continue to ripen once picked. Store them at room temperature.
Storage & Preservation
Fresh Container Choice Red tomatoes keep best at room temperature (65-70°F) for 5-7 days, developing peak flavor as they fully ripen. Never refrigerate unless fully ripe, as cold temperatures below 55°F destroy flavor compounds and create mealy texture.
Once fully ripe, refrigerate in the crisper drawer for up to 10 days, bringing to room temperature 30 minutes before eating to restore flavor. Store stem-side down to prevent moisture loss.
For preservation, the balanced sweet-acid flavor makes these excellent for freezing whole (blanch 1 minute, peel, freeze in bags) or as sauce. The full-sized fruits are perfect for water bath canning as crushed tomatoes or sauce — follow tested recipes for safe acidity levels. Dehydrating creates intensely flavored tomato leather or dried pieces for winter cooking. Avoid pressure canning whole due to the dense flesh texture.
History & Origin
Container Choice Red emerged from the modern breeding revolution focused on small-space gardening, developed in the early 2000s as urban and apartment gardening gained momentum. This hybrid represents a breakthrough in tomato breeding — combining the compact, determinate growth habit necessary for containers with the fruit size that home gardeners demand.
Traditional container tomatoes were limited to cherry varieties or produced disappointing small fruits. Plant breeders recognized the growing market of space-constrained gardeners who wanted full-sized slicing tomatoes without dedicating entire gardens to sprawling plants.
The variety was specifically engineered to address the unique challenges of container growing: consistent production in limited root space, natural disease resistance for the stressful container environment, and determinate growth that concentrates the harvest. This breeding focus reflects the broader shift toward intensive, small-space food production that began gaining popularity in the 2000s as more people moved to urban areas but still wanted to grow their own food.
Advantages
- +Attracts: Bees, Pollinators, Predatory Insects
- +Wildlife value: The plant is pollinated by bees, especially bumblebees.
- +Edible: The fruits or berries of the tomato are edible. They may be eaten raw, cooked, dried, or processed. They are a rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants. Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives the tomato its rich red color. Many plants will drop fruit when ripe or the fruit will come off easily. Tomatoes will continue to ripen once picked. Store them at room temperature.
- +Fast-growing
Considerations
- -Toxic (Leaves, Stems): Medium severity
- -High maintenance
Companion Plants
Plant Together
Basil
Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve tomato flavor and growth
Marigolds
Repel nematodes, aphids, and whiteflies while attracting beneficial insects
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects and helps repel tomato hornworms
Chives
Repel aphids and may improve tomato flavor and growth
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, repel whiteflies
Oregano
Repels aphids and provides ground cover to retain soil moisture
Carrots
Help break up soil and don't compete for nutrients with tomatoes
Lettuce
Grows in tomato shade and helps maximize container space efficiently
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Releases juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and stunted growth
Fennel
Inhibits tomato growth through allelopathic compounds
Brassicas
Compete heavily for nutrients and may stunt tomato growth in containers
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #321360)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Resistant to verticillium wilt and fusarium wilt
Common Pests
Aphids, whiteflies, spider mites in container conditions
Diseases
Blossom end rot (from inconsistent watering), early blight