Buzz
Cherry tomatoes are small, bite-sized fruits that grow rapidly, ripen early, and are suitable for everyone. They are one of the most popular crops because they are easy to grow and yield quickly. If you're interested in growing your own vegetables and fruits, learning how to grow cherry tomatoes is a fantastic place to start. To grow this plant, you need to prepare the right environment, then plant and care for the plant.
Steps
Preparation for Planting
Buy Seedlings or Seeds. Growing cherry tomatoes from seedlings is faster than starting from seeds. You can purchase seedlings or tomato seeds at farmers' markets or nurseries. Seeds are also available through online orders, with a variety of options to choose from. Some cherry tomato varieties include:
- Yellow Cherry Tomato (Sungold). This variety grows large and tends to produce fruit the quickest. It's a delicious option.
- Sun Sugar Cherry Tomato. Very similar to the yellow cherry variety, but with skins that don't crack as easily.
- Chadwick and Fox Heirloom Cherry Tomato. An old variety that grows very quickly and has a fragrant aroma.
- Sweet Treats Cherry Tomato. These are dark red, sweet, and resistant to many diseases.
Purchase a tomato cage or wooden stakes. Cherry tomatoes grow quickly, so you’ll need something to support the branches as they grow longer. You can use a tomato cage or wooden stakes. If you go with a cage, make sure to buy a large one, available at nurseries or home improvement stores. A large metal cage is the best option. Wooden stakes can also be found at nurseries or tool shops.
- As the branches grow, tie them to the stakes. If you're using a tomato cage, no tying is needed.
- Do not use plastic or vinyl cages, as these materials can harm the plant and expose it to lead.
- Elevating the plant off the ground helps improve air circulation, resulting in cleaner, healthier tomatoes.
- It’s also possible to use both a cage and stakes. The stakes should be placed in the middle of the cage.
- It’s important to use a large metal cage, as the branches will grow fast and can quickly outgrow a small cage.
Plant tomatoes in containers or in the garden. You can grow cherry tomatoes either in your garden or in containers. Both methods work equally well, depending on where you place your plants. If you opt for containers, choose ones with a capacity between 16 and 24 liters.
- Any container will do, such as foam, plastic pots, fiberglass pots, or even a clay pot or trash bin.
Choose a sunny location. Tomatoes require a lot of sunlight. Select a spot that gets at least 8 hours of direct sunlight each day. Avoid planting them near other plants that might cast shadows. Tomatoes that don’t get enough sunlight will be weak and produce fewer fruits.
Buy potting mix or plant in rich soil. If growing tomatoes in containers, don’t use garden soil as it may carry pests and diseases. Instead, purchase organic potting mix. A 20 kg bag is a good starting point.
- Rich soil tends to be darker and crumbly to the touch, whereas poor soil forms clumps.
- Organic Mechanics is a reputable brand of potting soil.
Test the soil. If you plan to plant tomatoes in the ground, it’s important to test the soil first. This helps determine if adjustments are needed for pH, nutrient levels, or texture. It’s best to make adjustments at least 2 weeks before planting.
- Dig a hole about 15-25 cm deep at your planting site. To check the soil texture, grab a handful of soil and crumble it between your fingers. It should break into small pieces of varying sizes, not powder or large clumps.
- Check for living organisms. Healthy soil will have creatures like insects, worms, centipedes, spiders, and others. Observe the soil for about 4 minutes and count the creatures; if fewer than 10 are present, the soil may not be ideal.
- You might also need a soil pH tester, which can be purchased at garden centers. Follow the instructions after placing a small sample of soil into a container.
Growing Cherry Tomatoes
Plant when the weather is warm. Cherry tomatoes need warm weather to grow, and they will die if exposed to frost. You should wait about one week after the last frost before planting. The temperature should be around 21°C when transplanting seedlings.
- If starting from seeds, you can begin indoors 8-10 weeks before the expected frost-free date. Cherry tomatoes require 2 or 3 months of warm or hot weather to grow and produce fruit.
Ensure the container has good drainage. If planting in a pot, make sure it has drainage holes at the bottom. If the pot lacks drainage, drill several holes about 0.5 to 1.3 cm in diameter, spaced a few centimeters apart at the bottom edges and a few in the middle. If planting in the garden, you may need to prepare the soil based on test results.
- If you plan to place the pot inside the house or on a balcony, consider using a saucer under the pot to catch water runoff. You can find saucers at nurseries, hardware stores, and some supermarkets.
- If planting in the garden, choose a spot that receives continuous sunlight. Adding compost to the soil before planting is also beneficial.
Install the cage in the pot. This step is only for using a cage in a pot. If you are using stakes or planting outdoors, you don't need to set up the cage until the plant is already planted. Do not fill the pot with soil before setting up the cage. Place the pointed end of the cage into the pot, then fill with soil around it.
Fill the pot with soil. Add a mixture of potting soil into the pot. Water until the soil is evenly moist. Then, add more potting mix until there's about 1.3 cm from the top of the pot. Smooth the surface of the soil.
- You can use a watering can or spray bottle to water.
Create a small hole in the soil. Dig a small hole in the center of the pot. If planting multiple tomato plants in the garden, space the holes about 60 cm apart. Place the seedling into the hole. When planting seedlings, ensure the plant is deep enough so only 4-5 leaves remain above the soil after covering it.
- The hole should be about 10 cm deep.
Cover the hole with soil. Use the soil you just dug to cover the hole. Only the top 4 leaves of the seedling should be exposed. Make sure the surface is level once the hole is filled.
Place the cage in the garden. Position the pointed end of the cage around the planting spot. The seedling should be planted in the center of the cage. If using stakes, wait until the seeds have sprouted into seedlings. Insert the stakes about 7.5 cm away from the plant. Use a hammer to secure the stakes into the soil.
- If you wait until the plant grows bigger to set up the cage or stakes, it could damage the plant.
Care for the plants
Water the plants regularly. Water the plants every 2-3 days. The soil should remain consistently moist. Whenever the soil feels dry, water until it becomes moist again. Ensure the soil is thoroughly soaked but avoid waterlogging.
Fertilize once a week. Fertilizers provide essential nutrients to help your plants grow, thrive, and stay healthy. Essentially, fertilizers are like food for your plants. Apply organic fertilizer every week. When fertilizing, use your fingers or a plastic fork to mix the fertilizer into the surface soil to a depth of about 10-15 cm. Ensure the fertilizer is kept at least 10 cm away from the plant stem.
- Popular organic fertilizer brands for tomatoes include Gardener's Supply, Tomato-tone, and Burpee Organic Tomato Fertilizer.
- Instructions may vary by product. Follow the directions on the packaging for proper application.
- Organic fertilizers dissolve more slowly than chemical fertilizers. While usually less expensive, chemical fertilizers can cause root burn.
Prune as needed. Once your plants grow larger, occasional pruning is necessary. Prune when shoots and branches start growing from the main stem, or when leaves appear dry or dead. Use small clippers or scissors for pruning.
- It is also important to push back any branches that are growing out of the cage. Without this, the plant may fall over.
Prevent pests and diseases. Pests can attack tomatoes, but fungal issues are often a bigger concern. Signs of fungal infection include yellowing leaves, moldy patches, and black spots. The plant's stem may also be affected. Remove infected leaves and apply fungicide as soon as you notice any symptoms. Common pests include potato aphids and stink bugs. You can catch or spray natural insect repellents to drive them away.
- Plant Doctor, Daconil, and Garden Safe are some brands of antifungal treatments.
- EcoSmart and Safer are brands of organic insecticides.
- Once fungal infections spread throughout the plant, it's nearly impossible to save it. To avoid fungal infections, water your plants in the morning and direct the water onto the soil. Watering the leaves, especially late in the day, can promote fungal growth.
- Fungi can survive in the soil for years. Pull out any tomato plants that are repeatedly infected by fungi and consider planting flowers or other plants instead.
Harvest after 6-8 weeks. Tomato plants may flower after a month. If starting from seeds, add an additional 2 weeks to this time. The flowers will turn into small green tomatoes. A few weeks later, the tomatoes will ripen and be ready for harvest. The fruit will easily detach from the stem. Avoid pulling or twisting the stem when harvesting tomatoes. Pick one tomato at a time daily.
- Tomato plants will continue to produce fruit until the first frost hits.
- Freshly harvested tomatoes should be stored at room temperature; they will rot in the fridge. Tomatoes can also be canned or dried.
Items you need
- Tomato seedlings or tomato seeds
- Soil for planting
- Pot or planting container
- Fertilizer
- Tomato cage and/or stakes
- Water
- Fungicide
- Organic pesticide
Advice
- Plant using seedlings if you want to harvest tomatoes sooner.
- Wrap an old bedsheet around the plant to extend the harvest season if the weather gets unexpectedly cold or if frost arrives early.
Warning
- Cherry tomatoes are an indeterminate variety, meaning the branches will continue to grow without stopping. Therefore, avoid planting cherry tomatoes in hanging pots as they will quickly grow beyond the pot's capacity.
