How To Grow And Care For Cherry Tomatoes

Tiny, tasty, and remarkably easy to grow, cherry tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) encourage everyone to channel their inner farmer. Coming in practically every color of the rainbow, these fruits are a smaller variety of your typical tomato and are praised for their juiciness and complex flavors. Whether you tend to an acre of land in the country or a container on a patio in the city, you can grow these colorful gems and enjoy farm-to-table produce.

The short growing season makes cherry tomatoes relatively fuss-free if you follow simple rules. The cherries on these plants generally start ripening about 50 to 65 days after planting in the spring. Depending on the variety, cherry tomatoes might be labeled indeterminate or determinate. Indeterminate tomatoes produce fruit for several months, while determinate tomatoes produce a single crop.

Because of toxins in the foliage, cherry tomato plants have mild toxicity for people (ripe fruit is non-toxic), but are okay to eat in moderation. The leaves are, however, toxic to dogs, cats, and horses.

Cherry Tomatoes Care

Your first step in growing cherry tomatoes is to decide on your garden spot. Grow this produce in the ground, in raised beds, indoors, or opt for container gardening. The needs of the plant remain the same. Tomato plants love warmth, so choose a spot with at least six to eight hours of sun each day. The soil should be slightly acidic, loose, and well-drained. Loam and sandy loam soils are best for tomato production, but these plants will grow in almost all soil types, except heavy clay. If your garden spot has a lot of clay, you should amend your soil with sand, sawdust, peat moss, or other matter. Use a fertilizer labeled for tomatoes when planting and continue to fertilize throughout the season, following label instructions.

Your hard work in the garden will pay off around 50 to 65 days after planting, when the color of the tomatoes turns from green to a rainbow of orange, red, yellow, or purple, depending on the variety. Ripe tomatoes will easily detach from their stem. Check your plants every other day for more harvestable fruit. If left unharvested, over-ripe tomatoes might split, rot, and fall to the ground.

Light

Cherry tomatoes need full, direct sun exposure to thrive, typically six to eight hours daily. In areas with harsh summer heat, cherry tomatoes can benefit from some afternoon shade, however.

Soil

Slightly acidic, well-drained soil is best, specifically dirt that is rich and loamy, or a mix of silt, clay, and sand. Cherry tomatoes do not tolerate heavy clay soils, so amend the ground or use container plants if the environment is not suited to growing the produce. Test the soil's nutrient levels and pH to maintain healthy soil.

Water

Like all plants, tomatoes need consistent moisture. Keep the soil wet enough to prevent wilting but not so wet that the roots remain soggy. Garden tomatoes generally require 1 to 2 inches of water per week, but that can change depending on weather conditions, such as excessive drought, and the size of the plant.

When the plants are young, drip irrigation is best because it can help avoid strong streams of water that erode the soil. As the tomato plants mature, water more slowly and deeply. Consistent water is essential in the summer heat when irregular moisture swings and dry soil can lead to problems such as blossom-end rot and fruit splitting. 

Temperature And Humidity

Tomatoes are not cold-hardy. Wait until the final frost passes before planting or moving cherry tomatoes outside—the temperatures should remain above 60° F. In high humidity, cherry tomatoes need moderate temperatures—70° to 80°—as warmer temperatures can suspend harvest growth. In Southern climates, cherry tomatoes can grow as a fall and winter crop. 

Fertilizer

Use a high-phosphorus fertilizer or fertilizer labeled for tomatoes, when planting. Continue to fertilize throughout the season, following label instructions. Add compost to help amend the soil.

Types Of Cherry Tomatoes

Since growing cherry tomatoes is relatively simple, base your choice on which variety is best for your taste preferences and available garden space. Here are some types to know:

• 'Black Cherry': This variety produces a dark red tomato that occasionally appears yellow or orange. This tomato, which tastes sweet, tangy, and somewhat smokey, grows very tall and will need a support cage.
  
• 'Yellow Pear': Appropriately named, this tomato variety has a yellow pear-shaped appearance and a mild citrus flavoring.
  
• 'Sweet Treats': This indeterminate plant has deep pink produce that tastes similar to a full-sized tomato.
• 'Sun Gold': Also indeterminate, this tomato will turn a golden yellow as it ripens, but it isn't ready to harvest until it's orange. It tastes sugary and somewhat tropical.
• ‘Midnight Snack’: This type of cherry tomato, which needs to be caged, will start to turn indigo while ripening if exposed to the sun. It contains the same antioxidants as blueberries and tastes sweet and savory.
  

Pruning

Not all gardeners choose to prune their tomatoes, but it is an extra step that can help the plants produce more fruit. Pruning involves removing the suckers, or small stems, growing from the main stem. Suckers tend to have foliage, but not a lot of fruit. Removing them from the plant can help focus its energy and nutrients on the fruit-bearing stems without excess foliage. You should also prune off any stems that drag on the ground, as they are susceptible to diseases and pests.

Propagating Cherry Tomatoes

While growing cherry tomatoes from seed is more straightforward, propagating plants from cuttings is still possible. Here's how to propagate cherry tomatoes from cuttings: 

1. Use pruning shears to cut a 6-to-8-inch cutting from the main branch's stem in late spring. Select a stem with no buds or flowers. 
2. Remove the leaves from the lower portion of the cutting. 
3. Place the cutting in a disposable cup filled with water or a moistened soilless potting mix container.
4. Place the cup or container in indirect sunlight or use a garden lamp.
5. Continue caring for cuttings by changing out the water in the cup and maintaining moist but not soggy mix in the container.
6. After one to two weeks, roots will emerge. In the cup, you'll be able to see the roots. In the container with potting mix, you'll know when you gently pull on the plant and feel the resistance from the roots. 
7. Once roots have emerged, move the cuttings into their final location outside or in a container. Continue caring for your plant with full sun, healthy soil, and consistent watering. 

How To Grow Cherry Tomatoes From Seed

Plant cherry tomatoes in the spring after all threats of frost have passed. You can also start seeds indoors four to six weeks before your area's projected frost date, and then plant the seedlings outside when they are at least 6 inches tall and have two to three sets of true leaves.

Tomato plants need good air circulation with room to spread out. Check the plant tags for spacing requirements, if you purchased plants from a nursery. These guidelines give the ideal distance from one plant's center to the next's center. If you started from seeds and didn't have a plant tag as a guideline, the rule of thumb is to space indeterminate varieties with long vines about 3 feet apart while spacing bushier determinate plants 2 feet apart.  

As tomato plants grow and spread, they require a support system, such as stakes, a cage, or a trellis. Decide which method you will use before you set out your plants, then place that support when you plant. This practice will allow the tomato plant to grow up and around the stake or cage instead of you trying to fit support around an overgrown mature plant, damaging roots and vines as you go.

If you grow tomatoes in containers, pay attention to your watering schedule because containers will dry out more quickly than garden soil.

Overwintering

Overwintering cherry tomatoes is unnecessary because the annual plant is not cold-hardy and will finish producing crops by the end of the season. Harvest all the cherry tomatoes before the first frost to preserve the fruits. 

Common Pests And Plant Diseases

Cherry tomatoes are susceptible to fruit worms, aphids, hornworms, and stinkbugs. Prevent pest infestations by watering the base of the plants and maintaining healthy soil and full sun exposure. If infestations persist, use insecticidal soap to treat pests. Other pests, such as hornworms and caterpillars, can be removed by hand if visible. 

Cherry tomato plants are also susceptible to fungal pathogens, water molds, and bacterial pathogens. Bacterial wilt grows in the soil and, since it has no cure, it can spread when not managed. Blight is also a fungal disease, often appearing on older foliage, that turns the leaves yellow or brown. Maintain healthy soil or use a fungicide to treat the infection. Other conditions, such as leaf spots, leaf mold, bacterial spots, and tomato pith necrosis, can also present themselves when proper garden care is not maintained. Always use sterilized garden equipment to prevent diseases from spreading. 

Common Problems With Cherry Tomatoes

While cherry tomatoes are easy to grow, you may experience some issues in your garden. Here are some problems to be aware of:

Leaves Turning Yellow

Whitefly infestations cause tomato yellow leaf curl virus, which damages fruit yield. Often a symptom of nearby infected weeds, the tomato yellow leaf curl virus will cause foliage to curl and the leaves to yellow. This disease also produces smaller foliage and stunts growth. Remove infected portions of the plant or use an insecticidal soap or horticultural oil to stop the whitefly infestation.

Leaves Turning Black/Brown

Tomatoes are susceptible to buckeye rot, a fungus that appears as spotted brown foliage. This disease resembles late blight. Without treatment, the rot will consume the entire fruit plant, which is more common during prolonged warm temperatures. Also, poorly drained soil increases the likelihood of rot developing. Maintain proper air circulation and well-draining soil to care for cherry tomato plants. If the problem persists, use a fungicide or copper spray.

Fruit Splitting

Although some varieties are more resistant, cherry tomatoes, just like other larger tomatoes, can crack or split along the skin. This occurs when the plant has experienced a rapid change in its water supply. You can prevent this by maintaining proper irrigation and a consistent watering schedule and by applying a calcium-infused fertilizer.

Blossom-End Rot

Caused by a calcium deficiency or inconsistent watering, blossom-end rot manifests itself as a tan or black flattened spot on the blossom end of the tomato. There may also be black spots inside the fruit. If you see this, pull and throw away the impacted tomato fruits, water regularly, and apply a calcium-infused fertilizer.