Piccolo Grape Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum 'Piccolo'
An award-winning cherry tomato that produces clusters of incredibly sweet, bite-sized fruits with exceptional disease resistance. This vigorous indeterminate variety keeps producing throughout the season, making it perfect for continuous harvesting. The perfectly balanced sweet flavor and crack-resistant skin make these ideal for snacking straight from the vine.
Harvest
65-75d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Piccolo Grape Tomato in USDA Zone 10
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Piccolo Grape Tomato · Zones 10–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 10 | — | March – April | — | — |
| Zone 1 | May – May | July – August | — | September – August |
| Zone 2 | April – May | June – July | — | September – September |
| Zone 11 | January – January | January – February | — | April – June |
| Zone 12 | January – January | January – February | — | April – June |
| Zone 13 | January – January | January – February | — | April – June |
Complete Growing Guide
Piccolo Grape Tomato thrives when started indoors about six to eight weeks before your last spring frost date. Sow seeds quarter-inch deep in seed-starting mix, keeping soil moist but not waterlogged until germination occurs in five to ten days. Once seedlings develop true leaves, provide bright light and maintain temperatures around 70°F. You can also direct sow after soil has warmed to at least 60°F, though indoor starting gives you a head start on the extended 65 to 75-day harvest window. Harden off transplants gradually over a week before moving them outside after all frost danger has passed.
Space Piccolo plants 24 to 36 inches apart, as this vigorous indeterminate variety will reach 6 to 10 feet tall with proper support and can become quite bushy. Plant deeper than the original soil level—up to the first true leaves—since tomatoes root along buried stems. Prepare soil with plenty of organic matter, aiming for rich, well-draining conditions with a pH between 6.0 and 6.8. Add balanced fertilizer or compost into planting holes to establish strong root systems.
Water deeply and consistently, providing about one to two inches weekly through drip irrigation or soaker hoses rather than overhead watering. This prevents disease splash and keeps foliage dry. Once flowering begins, maintain steady moisture to prevent blossom-end rot, which appears as dark, sunken spots on fruit bottoms—a particular concern for this variety in inconsistent watering conditions. Feed every two to three weeks with balanced fertilizer once plants establish, then switch to lower-nitrogen formula once flowering begins to encourage fruiting rather than excessive foliage.
Piccolo's exceptional disease resistance makes it relatively trouble-free, but monitor closely for tomato hornworms, which can defoliate plants quickly, and spider mites, which thrive in hot, dry conditions. Inspect leaf undersides regularly and remove hornworms by hand when spotted. Keep humidity moderate and avoid water stress to discourage spider mites. While this variety shows good resistance to early and late blight, ensure adequate air circulation by removing lower leaves and maintaining proper spacing.
Since Piccolo is indeterminate and produces prolifically through season's end, consistent pruning of suckers—shoots growing between main stems and branches—helps direct energy into fruit production rather than excessive vegetative growth. This also improves air circulation. Sturdy caging or staking is essential given the height and heavy fruit production. For continuous harvests, consider succession planting every two to three weeks through early summer, timing the last planting so fruit matures before the first fall frost.
The most commonly overlooked aspect of growing Piccolo successfully involves understanding its crack-resistant skin requires consistent moisture. Gardeners often assume cherry tomatoes tolerate drought better than larger varieties, but Piccolo actually needs regular watering to express its superior skin integrity and that signature balanced sweetness.
Harvesting
Harvest Piccolo Grape Tomatoes when they reach deep red color throughout with a slight give when gently squeezed, typically measuring around the size of a large grape. Because this indeterminate variety produces continuously throughout the season, plan for ongoing harvesting rather than a single pick, checking plants every 2-3 days during peak production. The crack-resistant skin is forgiving, but for maximum sweetness, allow fruits to fully color on the vine before picking. A valuable timing tip: harvest in early morning when temperatures are coolest, as this preserves the fruits' sugar concentration and extends shelf life compared to afternoon picking.
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
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
Piccolo tomatoes store best at room temperature (68-72°F) away from direct sunlight, arranged stem-side down in a single layer on a breathable surface like a cardboard box lined with paper. Avoid refrigeration, which dulls their concentrated sweetness and degrades texture. Under these conditions, expect a fresh shelf life of 5-7 days for fully ripe fruits. For preservation, freezing works well for cooking applications—whole or halved fruits freeze reliably and thaw suitable for sauces and soups. Drying intensifies their natural sweetness remarkably; use a dehydrator at 135°F for 24-36 hours, creating chewy gems perfect for winter snacking or salad toppers. Canning is viable using standard hot-water bath methods for whole or quartered fruits. Given their small size and thin skin, these tomatoes dry faster than beefsteak varieties, making dehydration the standout preservation method for capturing peak flavor concentration.
History & Origin
Piccolo Grape Tomato emerged from modern cherry tomato breeding programs, though detailed documentation of its specific breeder and introduction year remains limited in widely available horticultural records. The variety represents the commercial cherry tomato lineage developed throughout the late 20th century, building on decades of selection for small fruit size, disease resistance, and concentrated sweetness. Its parentage likely traces to foundational cherry and grape tomato germplasm improved through conventional breeding at seed companies specializing in premium vegetable varieties. The "Piccolo" designation suggests European influence, particularly Italian breeding traditions emphasizing intensely flavored small tomatoes, though its exact origin story and breeding institution require deeper archival research to document conclusively.
Origin: Peru
Advantages
- +Award-winning variety produces intensely sweet, concentrated flavor ideal for snacking
- +Crack-resistant skin prevents splitting common in other cherry tomato varieties
- +Vigorous indeterminate plants yield continuous harvests throughout the entire growing season
- +Excellent disease resistance to late blight and early blight reduces fungicide needs
- +Early maturity at 65-75 days allows multiple harvests before season end
Considerations
- -Susceptible to tomato hornworms and spider mites requiring regular pest monitoring
- -Indeterminate growth requires consistent pruning and sturdy staking or trellising support
- -High vigor can lead to excessive foliage shading fruits in humid climates
Companion Plants
Basil is the standard pairing here, and it pulls its weight. The pest-confusion argument — that basil's volatile oils disorient aphids and thrips — has real basis, though the practical benefit you'll notice most is having usable basil within arm's reach at harvest time rather than across the garden. Marigolds, specifically Tagetes patula (French marigold), do something more concrete: their roots exude alpha-terthienyl, a compound that suppresses root-knot nematodes in the surrounding soil. That's a meaningful benefit for any tomato you plan to grow in the same general rotation. Nasturtiums work as a trap crop for aphids — the insects colonize them preferentially, giving you an early-warning flag and a sacrificial plant you can pull without touching your Piccolo.
Carrots and chives tuck in without competing hard for the same root zone. Chives' sulfur compounds are thought to deter some aphid pressure, and at 6-8 inches tall they won't shade anything. Borage is worth adding if you have room — it draws predatory wasps and is one of the better-documented bee attractors for improving fruit set on small-fruited varieties like this one.
Fennel is the companion to exclude most firmly. It produces anethole, an allelopathic compound that suppresses root development and germination in neighboring plants — tomatoes are particularly sensitive. Brassicas create unnecessary competition for soil resources and can relay shared fungal pressure when planted in the same bed. Black walnut produces juglone, which is toxic to Solanum species; keep Piccolo outside the drip-line radius of any established walnut, which on a mature tree can extend 50-60 feet.
Plant Together
Basil
Repels aphids, thrips, and hornworms while potentially improving tomato flavor
Marigolds
Deters nematodes, whiteflies, and other harmful insects with strong scent
Carrots
Loosens soil for tomato roots and doesn't compete for nutrients
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps
Nasturtiums
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Chives
Repels aphids and may help prevent fungal diseases
Lettuce
Provides ground cover to retain moisture and doesn't compete for space
Borage
Attracts pollinators and may deter hornworms and cabbage worms
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and stunted growth
Fennel
Inhibits tomato growth through allelopathic compounds
Brassicas
Compete for nutrients and may stunt tomato growth when planted nearby
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #170457)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
High resistance to tobacco mosaic virus, fusarium wilt, and verticillium wilt
Common Pests
Tomato hornworm, aphids, spider mites
Diseases
Late blight, early blight (good resistance)
Troubleshooting Piccolo Grape Tomato
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Foliage suddenly turns gray-green and wilts across large sections of the plant, sometimes with dark water-soaked spots on fruit
Likely Causes
- Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) — spreads fast in cool, wet conditions and can wipe out a planting in days
- Overhead watering that keeps foliage wet for extended periods
What to Do
- 1.Remove and bag affected plant material immediately — don't compost it
- 2.Switch to drip irrigation or water at the base only, early in the morning
- 3.Rotate out of this bed for at least 3-4 years; NC State Extension notes the rotation window for some tomato diseases may run 5-7 years under serious soil-borne pressure
Stem near the soil line turns dark and soft, plant wilts even when soil is moist
Likely Causes
- Southern stem blight (Sclerotium rolfsii) — very common in warm climates; NC State Extension notes no resistant tomato varieties are currently available to home growers
- Southern bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) — also soil-borne, also causes rapid collapse
What to Do
- 1.Dig up and destroy affected plants including the roots — don't leave them in the bed
- 2.Try wrapping the lower 2-3 inches of the stem in aluminum foil at transplant time as a physical barrier against southern stem blight
- 3.If this bed keeps losing plants, move to containers with fresh potting mix and make sure the container soil never contacts native garden soil
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.