How to Grow Patio Princess
Solanum lycopersicum 'Patio Princess'
Patio Princess is a compact tomato variety perfect for containers and small gardens. Gardeners value its manageable size, disease resistance to wilts, and reliable production of flavorful fruit in limited spaces.
📷 Wikipedia: TomatoStarting Patio Princess: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Patio Princess is not usually started indoors.
Since this is a warm-season crop sensitive to frost, do not transplant outdoors until all danger of spring frost has passed and soil temperatures are sufficiently high.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare well-draining soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.8 before sowing. As a warm-season crop, start seeds indoors only after the last frost date has passed or wait until soil is consistently warm. Sow seeds about 1/4 inch deep; they typically germinate within 7 to 10 days.
Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart and provide staking or trellising for support. Water deeply and regularly, as this variety requires consistent moisture. Apply mulch around the base to retain water and feed with balanced fertilizer during the growing season.
Watch for aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, and thrips; use insecticidal soap or strong water sprays if needed. Prevent early blight, blossom end rot, and bacterial speck by ensuring good air circulation and consistent watering. Harvest ripe fruit approximately 70 to 75 days after planting.
When to Plant Patio Princess
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | May | — | September – August |
| Zone 2 | April – May | — | September |
| Zone 3 | April | — | August – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | — | August – October |
| Zone 5 | March | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March | — | July – September |
| Zone 7 | February – March | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February | — | June – August |
| Zone 9 | January | — | May – July |
| Zone 10 | January | — | May – July |
| Zone 11 | January | — | April – June |
| Zone 12 | January | — | April – June |
| Zone 13 | January | — | April – June |
Companion Plants for Patio Princess
✓ Good companions
Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve tomato flavor
Loosens soil for tomato roots and doesn't compete for space
Repels aphids and may improve tomato growth and flavor
Provides ground cover and utilizes space efficiently in containers
Deters nematodes, whiteflies, and other tomato pests
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Repels various insects and may enhance tomato flavor
Attracts beneficial insects and doesn't compete for nutrients
✗ Keep away from
Releases juglone toxin that stunts tomato growth and causes wilting
Compete for nutrients and may stunt tomato growth when planted nearby
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathy
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
