They need fewer days to mature thanregular tomatoes.
Cherry tomatoes should be planted in the spring after the danger of frost has passed.
Note that tomato plant foliage is toxic to people humans and petsBut the ripe fruit is nontoxic.
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Selecting a Planting Site
Choose a sunny spot with good soil drainage for your tomatoes.
Container growth is also an option.
Moreover, practice crop rotation, which prevents diseases from spreading and avoids excessive nutrient depletion of the soil.
Ripe cherry tomatoes ready to be harvestedmgkaya / Getty Images
Most cherry tomato varieties areindeterminate, meaning they continue to grow their vines and produce fruit throughout the season.
Cherry Tomato Plant Care
Light
Plenty of sunlight is crucial to successfully grow cherry tomatoes.
They needfull, direct sunfor at least six to eight hours per day.
Cherry tomatoes on the vineFabian Krause / EyeEm / Getty Images
Do asoil testto determine the nutrient level in your soil and its pH.
Water
Tomatoes must be watered deeply and regularly.
At no time should you let the soil dry out.
The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy
During the time of fruit development, keeping the soil evenly moist helps to preventblossom end rot.
On the other hand, overwatering causes thetomatoes to split.
Drip irrigation is best, as overhead watering promotes the spreading oftomato diseases, such as blight.
The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy
Temperature and Humidity
Tomatoes are highly cold-sensitive.
Wait until the soil temperature has reached at least 60F before planting.
And confirm toharden off seedlingsstarted indoors by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions beforeplanting them in the garden.
The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy
Humidity generally isn’t an issue for tomatoes.
Fertilizer
Use a fertilizer labeled for tomatoes at the time of planting.
Adding compost into the planting hole also gives the tomatoes a boost.
The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy
Then, continue to fertilize throughout the season, following label instructions.
Types of Cherry Tomatoes
There are numerous cherry tomato cultivars.
They come in different shapes and colors, including shades of red, yellow, orange, and blackish-purple.
They look similar at first glance, but there are a few key differences.
Cherry tomatoes are generally round and juicy with thin skin.
Grape tomatoes are more oblong, and they have less juice and a thicker skin.
Harvesting Cherry Tomatoes
Most cherry tomatoes take around 55 to 70 days to mature.
Once some start to ripen, continue to check your plant at least every other day for harvestable tomatoes.
If left on the plant for too long, they will crack or drop off the stem.
Or, if thats not possible, pick them right after rain because cracked tomatoes will rot quickly.
Cherry tomatoes are eaten fresh or cooked.
They are best stored at room temperature and consumed within a few days.
Forcontainer-grown tomatoes, a large pot is essential.
Choose one that’s at least a foot in height and width.
A 5-gallon plastic bucket will work well as long as you drill several drainage holes in the bottom.
Place the container near a trellis or other support structure for the vines.
Water frequently (daily in hot summer weather) because containers dry out more quickly than garden soil.
Pruning
Not all gardenersprune their tomatoes, and its certainly not essential.
But it might help the plants produce more fruit rather than foliage.
Pruning simply involves taking off the suckers, or small stems, growing from the main stem.
This is a great way to essentially clone a tomato variety you likemaybe for its vigorous production or taste.
The best time to do this is in the late spring when the parent plant is actively growing.
Heres how:
Growing Cherry Tomatoes From Seed
Its fairly easy togrow cherry tomatoes from seed.
Plant seeds 1/4 deep in a container filled with seed-starting mix.
Place the container in a warm spot with bright, indirect light.
And keep the growing medium consistently moist but not wet.
Germination usually takes around five to 10 days.
Harden off the seedlings and transplant them outside when nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50F.
Potting and Repotting Cherry Tomatoes
Use a quality well-draining potting mix for potted cherry tomatoes.
Some mixes are specifically labeled for tomato growth.
It’s best to start with a large enough container that can hold your tomato plant once it matures.
That way, you won’t have to repot, as tomatoes don’t like their roots disturbed.
These include blight, leaf spot, mosaic viruses, verticillium wilt, andtomato hornworms.
Most of these issues can be prevented or managed by good garden practices.
It is also possible to buy cultivars that are resistant to disease.
Cherry tomatoes are typically ready to harvest between 50 and 65 days after planting.
Cherry tomatoes are annuals, meaning they complete their life cycle in one growing season.
North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension.
