Tomato
Seed # 209
Basic Information
- Seed Number
- 209
- Seed Name
- Tomato
- Variety
- Little Red Corvette
- Category
- Vegetable
- Plant Family
- Solanaceae
- Plant Type
- Compact indeterminate cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
- Planting Method
- Transplant
- Seed Status
- In Seed Bank
- Created
- 2026-08-14 00:50:34
- Updated
- 2026-08-19 15:35:29
Planting Information
- Start Planting Date
- Mar 24
- Last Recommended Planting Date
- Jun 1
- Plantable Months
- March, April, May, June
- Indoor Start
- Mar 24 – Apr 7
- Direct Sow
- Not Recommended
- Transplant
- May 12 – Jun 1
- Indoor Start Weeks Before Frost
- 6 weeks
- Transplant Weeks After Frost
- 1 weeks
- Germination Days
- 5–7 days
- Harvest/Maturity
- 75 days early to mid-season; exact days not reliably verified
- Succession Planting
- Not recorded
Growing Conditions
- Ideal Soil Temperature
- 75-85°F
- Planting Depth
- 1/4 in
- Plant Spacing
- 18-24 in
- Row Spacing
- 36-48 in
- Thin-To Spacing
- Not recorded
- Sun Requirements
- Full sun
- Water Needs
- Maintain regular, even moisture
- Soil Preference
- Medium-rich, well-drained soil; approximately pH 6.0-6.8
- Minimum Container Size
- 7–10+ gal with support
- Plant Height
- About 4 ft
- Perennial/Biennial Status
- Annual
- Container Friendly
- Yes
- Trellis/Support Needed
- Yes
- Frost Tolerant
- No
- Heat Tolerant
- Yes
- Drought Tolerant
- No
- Pollinator Friendly
- Yes
- Medicinal
- No
Garden Uses
Container Culinary Pollinator Seed SavingCompanion Planting
| Plant | Relationship | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Carrots | Good Companion | Not recorded |
| Carrots | Good Companion | Not recorded |
| Marigold | Good Companion | Not recorded |
| Nasturtiums | Good Companion | Not recorded |
| Onion | Good Companion | Not recorded |
| Onion | Good Companion | Not recorded |
| Onion | Good Companion | Not recorded |
| Onion | Good Companion | Not recorded |
| Onion | Good Companion | Not recorded |
| Pepper | Avoid | Not recorded |
| Pepper | Avoid | Not recorded |
| Pepper | Avoid | Not recorded |
| Pepper | Avoid | Not recorded |
| Pepper | Avoid | Not recorded |
| Pepper | Avoid | Not recorded |
| Tomato | Avoid | Not recorded |
| Tomato | Avoid | Not recorded |
| Tomato | Avoid | Not recorded |
| Tomato | Avoid | Not recorded |
| Tomato | Avoid | Not recorded |
| Tomato | Avoid | Not recorded |
| Tomato | Avoid | Not recorded |
| Tomato | Avoid | Not recorded |
Storage
- Seed Source/Brand
- Bounty Hunter Seeds; Rebec Valley Farm; MSU Extension
- Packet Year
- Not recorded
- Quantity Notes
- Not recorded
- Purchase Date
- Not recorded
- Expiration Year
- Not recorded
- Storage Box
- Not recorded
- Container
- Not recorded
- Envelope
- Not recorded
- Row
- Not recorded
- Slot
- Not recorded
- Storage Notes
- Not recorded
Notes
Original Planting Method: Start indoors; transplant after frost
Outdoor / Direct Sow / Transplant Window: May 15 – Jun 20
Germination Time: About 6–14 days
Days to Harvest / Bloom: About 75 days from transplant
Container Friendly: Yes, 7–10+ gal with support
Pollinator Friendly: Self-pollinating; bees may improve fruit set
Medicinal / Herbal Use: Culinary tomato
Perennial?: Tender perennial; grown as an annual in Zone 6B
Succession / Reusable Notes: One indoor sowing is generally enough; harvest regularly. Isolate flowers if saving true-to-type seed.
Zone 6B Notes: Compact/dwarf habit is useful for containers, but give it the same warm transplant timing as other tomatoes.
Companion Plants: Basil, carrots, onions, parsley, marigolds, nasturtiums and borage
Avoid Planting Near / Watch Outs: Dwarf-indeterminate plant still benefits from a cage/stake. Rotate away from tomatoes/peppers/eggplant/potatoes when possible.
Sources: Bounty Hunter Seeds: https://bountyhunterseeds.com/product/little-red-corvette-dwarf-tomato/ | Rebec Valley Farm: https://rebecvalleyfarm.com/product/little-red-corvette-dwarf-tomato/ | MSU Extension: https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/garden_planning_calendar
[[RESEARCH ENRICHMENT START]]
Zone 6B: Start indoors about 6 weeks before May 5 and transplant after frost once soil and nights have warmed.
Germination: Tomatoes normally germinate in about 5-7 days at approximately 75-85°F.
Harvest: Produces clusters of small red cherry tomatoes. Harvest when fruits develop full red color and soften slightly.
Seed Saving: Ferment seed from fully ripe fruit, rinse and dry thoroughly. Exact commercial hybrid status was not verified; seed-saving fidelity should therefore be confirmed from the original packet if available.
Special Care: Little Red Corvette was created by Bill Yoder. It has rugose potato-leaf foliage, a stocky compact habit around 4 feet, but is described as indeterminate and can continue producing until frost.
Research Source: Bounty Hunter Seeds — https://bountyhunterseeds.com/product/little-red-corvette-dwarf-tomato/ — Little Red Corvette identity, Bill Yoder origin, rugose potato leaves, early-to-mid-season production and indeterminate habit
Research Source: Tomato Revolution — https://www.tomatorevolution.co.uk/store/LITTLE-RED-CORVETTE-p744078843 — approximately 4-foot stocky habit, red cherry fruit, rugose potato leaves and breeder identity
Research Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds — https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/vegetables/tomatoes/tomatoes-key-growing-information.html — 5-7 day tomato germination, 75-85°F temperature, soil pH and support requirement for indeterminate plants
[[RESEARCH ENRICHMENT END]]