Do you love the idea of picking sweet, ripe tomatoes fresh from the vine but aren’t sure how to begin? Show
Cherry tomatoes are great plants to start with. Rewarding for the new and experienced gardener alike, they’re wonderfully productive and easy to grow – a single plant can produce a reliable crop of bite-sized fruits from early summer until fall. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Hearty and vigorous plants, the pretty fruits grow in large clusters in a rainbow of colors – chocolate, mahogany, orange, red, yellow, almost black, and pink, in a solid hue or even with tiger stripes. And the flavors of sun-warmed fruit right off the vine are absolutely delicious, from mild to sweet to tangy. Because of the small fruit size, typically one to two inches, these high yielding plants often bear fruit in just 55 to 65 days, with some ready for harvest in as little as 45 days. However, there are those that can take up to 80 days to mature as well. They also perform well in containers, so they can be grown just about anywhere, even on small balconies or decks. Sound like something you’d like to try? Then join us now for our best tips on growing cherry tomatoes. Here’s what we’ll cover: What You’ll LearnWhat Are Cherry Tomatoes?Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme are thought to be the direct descendants of S. pimpinellifolium – the wild ancestor of today’s domesticated varieties. This ancient forebearer was a weedy plant, with small, blueberry-sized fruit. It traveled from the northern Andes into Mexico, and at some point, morphed into a plant with larger fruits that were suitable for domestication. Today’s varieties still bear small, globular fruits, although they typically measure about a half-inch to two inches in size. Those with an oblong shape are called grape tomatoes, but they abide in the same classification. Varieties are classified into determinate and indeterminate growth habits, and several determinate ones are bred for compact growth in small spaces. And like the standard sized Solanum plants, cultivation is divided into heirloom or hybrid divisions. However, there’s also a new breed on the block. Let’s take a look at that first. Heirloom HybridsIt sounds like an oxymoron, but heirloom hybrids are a new breed of tomato created by crossing two heirloom varieties, or an heirloom with a modern hybrid cultivar. They’re bred for qualities such as best color, flavor, shape, and texture as well as disease resistance, early fruiting, and vigor – often using only heirloom parents. This results in plants with outstanding performance along with the deep, rich flavor of heirlooms. And flavor is what many folks find lacking in standard hybrids. If you’d like to try out one of the new breed, ‘Black Pearl’ is an heirloom hybrid with a deep, rich mahogany color and full, complex flavor – sweet with a rich, tangy bite. Seeds can be purchased at Burpee. Seeds or Seedlings?To grow your plants from seed, they need to be started indoors approximately six weeks before your last frost date (LFD). Photo by Lorna Kring.Transplanting them outdoors usually happens about six weeks after your last frost date, or when the plants are around 12 weeks old. You’ll need to collect your own seed from heirloom plants (seeds from hybrids won’t necessarily be true to the parents) or purchase seeds. Seeds can be purchased from your local nursery, online sources, and seed catalogs, which usually arrive in January. And if you’re new to starting your own, our guide on how to grow tomatoes from seed has detailed instructions in six easy steps. Alternatively, you can wait until spring arrives and purchase seedlings from your local nursery or garden shop. Planting GearOnce your seedlings have been hardened off and are ready for the great outdoors, it’s time to gather up your planting gear. And don’t be fooled by the size of the fruit – these plants are vigorous and can grow large and bushy. Unless you’ve chosen dwarf or patio varieties, the fruit-laden branches can be heavy and require support in the form of cages or stakes. This helps to keep fruit off the ground and prevents branches from breaking under the weight – even with determinate varieties. Galvanized Plant Support Cages come in different sizes and shapes and need to be sturdy enough not to buckle under a large plant, like this set of five galvanized hoop cages available at Wayfair. For reference, here’s a list of everything you’ll need to get growing:
For more detailed information on planting or container cultivation, be sure to check our grow and care guide for tomatoes. Growing TipsCherry tomatoes are typically robust and easy to cultivate, but there are a few things you can do to assist with a bountiful harvest:
HarvestingHarvest when the fruits have changed to their expected color. This can be from six to 10 weeks after pollination, depending on the weather and the varieties you’ve chosen. When ripe, fruit will come away from the stem with a gentle tug or twist. Pick ripe fruit every day or two to encourage a continuous bloom set and greater production. Varieties to SelectFor ideas on what varieties would best suit your needs, check our review of 17 of the best cherry tomatoes. In the meantime, here are a few suggestions to get you started: Baby BoomerA compact hybrid variety, ‘Baby Boomer’ delivers a big payload with yields of over 300 red, one-inch fruits per plant, produced all summer long and right until first frost. ‘Baby Boomer’ Fruits mature in 50 to 55 days on determinate plants that reach 20 to 25 inches. Pick up seeds or three-packs of plants at Burpee. Black Cherry‘Black Cherry’ is an heirloom with a rich heritage that shows in its complex, sweet flavor and firm texture. The one-inch fruits ripen to a deep, dark mahogany brown, and stems are laden throughout the hot summer months. ‘Black Cherry’ Indeterminate plants grow to 60 inches and fruit matures in 64 days. This variety is naturally disease resistant. You can purchase seeds at Eden Brothers. SungoldPerhaps the most popular cherry tomato, ‘Sungold’ is a highly prolific vine with large clusters of tangerine-orange fruits. ‘Sungold’ Delicious fresh off the vine, on the grill, and in salads. An indeterminate plant, fruits ripen in 57 days and vines grow 48 to 60 inches. Seeds can be purchased at True Leaf Market. Recipes and Cooking IdeasDon’t panic when these prolific plants deliver a bumper crop! Instead, let your homegrown harvest shine. Tossed into salads or made into salsa or a fresh marinara, used as a tasty topping for homemade pizza, or cooked down into preserves, sweet cherry tomatoes are one of the most delicious rewards of the summer garden. Photo by Meghan Yager.Try this corn and cream cheese dip with cherry tomatoes from our sister site, Foodal, for a tasty appetizer. Photo by Felicia Lim.Roasted cherry tomatoes with shrimp and feta, also from Foodal, make a tasty entree option. Photo by Meghan Yager.Or, if you’re not in the mood for seafood, give these chicken cutlets with tomatoes a whirl on a busy weeknight, also from Foodal. Delicious Bite-Sized GemsProlific, hardy, and reliable, cherry tomatoes are an easy and fulfilling introduction to growing your own Solanums. Choose varieties for containers or the garden, give indeterminate varieties some support, and follow our tips for an abundance of delicious bite-sized fruits all summer. Do you folks have any favorite varieties you’d like to recommend? Drop us a note in the comments below. And for more tomato knowledge, add these growing guides to your reading list:
Photos by Felicia Lim, Lorna Kring, and Meghan Yager. © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. for more details. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. How deep are cherry tomatoes?Seed to Plate: Cherry Tomatoes. Tomatoes are a big highlight of the summer garden. ... . Even if you're new to gardening, cherry tomatoes are a great plant to start from seed. ... . Plant your seeds 1/4 inch deep in shallow flats filled with quality potting mix.. How much root depth do cherry tomatoes need?Tomato plants have large root systems. You can accommodate tomato roots in a container, but help the plant along by giving it as much room as possible to grow. Look for containers that are 18” to 24” deep or more.
Do cherry tomatoes have deep roots?Tomatoes have fairly deep roots and need a lot of nutrition, so you'll need enough soil to support that. Your tomatoes will need to be grown in direct sunlight once the sprouts appear and will require watering every other day once the plant is established. Again, supports or tomato cages will be needed.
How much space does a cherry tomato plant need to grow?If you started from seeds and don't have a plant tag as a guideline, the rule of thumb is to space long-vined, indeterminate varieties about 3 feet apart, while bushier determinate plants can be spaced 2 feet apart.
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