For a fun, delicious houseplant, grow Orange Hat tomatoes

The hat trick first appeared in cricket in 1858, to describe H.H. Stephenson taking three wickets with three consecutive deliveries. Excited fans took up an impromptu collection for Stephenson, and bought him a new hat with the proceeds. Even today, any three goals in hockey or cricket are referred to as a hat trick.

You can have your own hat trick no matter where you garden with a tiny, micro tomato the Orange Hat tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). This extra-dwarf bush grows just 6-9 inches tall, and the plants are very prolific, producing lots of small, round, orange tomatoes bursting with sweet, fruity flavor. This is a great choice for an indoor or patio tomato, growing nicely in a 6-inch pot. Try these colorful tomatoes as part of edible landscaping by tucking them into flowerbeds, mixed pots or even in mass beds or borders.

Plant the tiny seeds just 1/8 inch deep about 8 inches apart. They will sprout in seven to 14 days.

The Orange Hat tomato has a relatively mild taste, tender skin and a strong aroma. It is the perfect size for snacking right out of the garden. It makes a colorful addition to salads. The plants never grow more than 12 inches high.

It is thought that the Orange Hat tomato originated in Russia. The nice thing about such a small tomato plant is that you can grow it almost anywhere.

It is a determinate micro dwarf tomato variety. The leaves are quite dense. It makes for an outstanding house plant. It will ripen its bright-orange fruit in just 65 days from planting.

Orange Hat tomatoes are open-pollinated, meaning seeds are the results of the natural pollination of the parent plant. You can safely save the seeds for next season.  These are very easy-care vegetables. Give them enough sun and water, and these orange tomatoes will flourish.

The Orange Hat tomato grows best in full sunlight, so plant it where it will get at least six hours of full sun a day. For potted plants, choose a sunny balcony, porch or windowsill.

The best soil for tomato plants is fertile and well-drained with a pH of 5.8 to 7.0. Tomato plants will benefit from compost or animal manure mixed into the soil. Regular potting soil also works well, but never let it dry out.

Tomatoes need specific nutrients, such as calcium, to produce their best crops of fruit. If you fertilize, go easy so you do not burn the tiny roots. Orange Hat tomatoes need very little pruning or pinching back. You may want to trim any leaves touching the soil.

After pollination, the small yellow flowers will grow into dwarf tomatoes. They start off green and gradually ripen to a beautiful orange color. Once they are fully orange and have a slight give when you gently press them, they are ripe and ready to eat.

Orange Hat tomatoes have thin skin and a tasty, sweet inside. While usually eaten raw, you can indeed cook them into an orange sauce. All tomatoes are loaded with vitamin C, along with potassium, folate and vitamin K. They are a low-calorie snack high in fiber.  For a fun and delicious houseplant, grow some Orange Hat tomatoes. Snack on them and watch a good hockey game while you pray for a hat trick.