Do you want to grow tomatoes but don’t know where to start? Take out a pot and several seedlings of cherry tomatoes. They’re really simple to grow, and even a single plant will provide a continuous crop of little fruits throughout the growing season.
Let’s begin!
What makes cherry tomatoes the best?
The exquisite fruits grow in huge clumps in a spectrum of colors – chocolate, mahogany, orange, red, yellow, almost black, and pink, in solid hues or even with tiger stripes – on hearty and strong bushes. The flavors of fresh, sun-warmed fruit, from mild to sweet to acidic, are just exquisite.
Due to the small fruit size, which is normally one to two inches, these high productive plants often bear fruit in just 55 to 65 days, with some ready for harvest in as little as 45 days.
There are, however, some that can take up to 80 days to develop. They also thrive in containers so that they may be grown almost anywhere, including small balconies and patios.
What are the top varieties of Cherry tomatoes?
Cherry tomato plants are among the most widely grown plants. They not only produce tasty small tomatoes earlier in the year than their larger cousins, but they also continue to produce until the first frost. They’re great for salads, salsa, juice, and, of course, fresh eating, no matter where you produce them. Learn some of the best when it comes to growing delicious and unique varieties of cherry tomatoes here.
What do I need to grow cherry tomatoes?
- Cherry tomato plants
- Cages for tomato (Choose the largest size; the wire mesh will support the tomato as it matures.)
- Potting mix
- Tomato plant food
- 5-gallon buckets
If you want something more aesthetically pleasing than a bucket, your local garden store has a variety of planters, pots, and even ready-made self-watering models. Choose a round 5-gallon flower container that is about 12 inches tall and 12 inches across at the top and holds around 5 gallons.
How to plant cherry tomatoes?
For your cherry tomatoes, choose a sunny location with good soil drainage. As the plants grow and leaf out in the spring, be sure that no neighboring plants will shadow the tomatoes too much. Growing in a container is also an option. If you want to plant cherry tomatoes outdoors here are some tips to follow:
- Drill ¼ to ½ inch holes every few inches along the bottom edge of the container, plus a few more in the middle bottom, to allow extra water to drain.
- Choose a site where the plant will get at least eight hours of direct sunlight per day for the best fruiting.
- If you choose to use a cage, place the pointy end into the planter and then fill it with potting soil.
- Water the potting mix until it is evenly saturated. Add a little extra potting mix to the bottom of the planter, about ½ inches below the rim, making sure that the soil surface is flat.
- In the middle of the planting mix, make a small hole. Make sure you carefully remove your tomato plant from its original container, unless it’s made to rot, and then carefully slip the plant into the hole, planting it deep enough so that only the top four to six leaves are visible when you cover it with potting mix again.
- To keep the soil equally moist, water every two or three days (in hot, dry weather you may need to water every day). Fertilize your plants once a week, according to the guidelines.
- The branches of your tomato cage will start to protrude through the holes as the plant grows. To prevent the plant from drooping, push them back inside.
When to plant cherry tomatoes?
After the fear of frost has passed, plant cherry tomatoes in the spring. Seeds can also be grown indoors approximately four weeks before the expected frost date in your location and then transplanted outside when they reach a height of at least 6 inches.
How to take care of cherry tomatoes?
Feed plants with seaweed or fish emulsion every fortnight once blossoming has begun. When it’s chilly in the morning, water the foliage frequently, but never before nightfall, as this can stimulate mildew growth. To aid pollination, gently tap the flowers early in the morning.
Fruit flies rarely attack cherry tomatoes, but if they do, use fruit fly baits. Also, spray horticultural soap on caterpillars to keep them at bay.
What soil do cherry tomatoes need?
Cherry tomatoes are normally robust and easy to grow, but there are a few things you can do to make sure you get a good crop: Plants thrive in well-draining soil with a pH between 6.2 and 6.5.
What nutrients do cherry tomatoes need?
Tomatoes, like all plants, require three essential nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. These are the nutrients that your plants will need the most, and they’re also the ones that most fertilizers include.
How long does cherry tomatoes take to grow?
10-12 weeks after sowing, tomatoes are usually ready to harvest. When the fruit’s skin is firm and the color has changed, it’s time to pick it. They will split and over-ripen if you leave them on the vine for too long.
