Growing Cherry Tomato Plants

Cherry tomatoes are garden plants that produce small, edible fruit. Size is the primary difference between cherry tomatoes and normal tomatoes, although some claim that the smaller variety have a slightly sour taste. Cherry tomato plants can be grown in containers when space is limited or in garden beds. The plants are perennials but are typically grown as annuals in the United States because they are unable to survive the winter.

Planting

Plant cherry tomatoes in early May, after the final frost of the year and when the soil has warmed to a moderate temperature. Ensure the location receives between six and eight hours of direct sunlight and has a fairly acidic soil. A pH level around 6.5 is ideal. The pH of the soil can be tested using a soil acidity test, which can be purchased at most retail lawn and garden stores.

Dig a hole several inches deeper than the root ball. Insert the tomato plant, and refill with soil. Cover up the lower part of the stem with soil to encourage additional root growth and to provide support. Water cherry tomatoes thoroughly after planting to compact the soil.

Watering and Fertilizing

Water cherry tomato plants three times a week until they are established, which could take up to three months. Reduce watering to one to two times a week after these first few months. Overwatering cherry tomato plants can cause a reduction of taste in the fruit and potentially cause root rot.

Use a starter fertilizer to feed newly transplanted cherry tomato plants. Apply using the manufacturer's directions. After the first fruit appears, switch to a balanced 10-10-10 NPK fertilizer. Spread about ¼ lb. over every 10 square feet of soil in the early spring.

Pruning

Prune cherry tomatoes often to hasten growth, increase fruit size and to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the plants. Remove all suckers that grow from the base of the tomato plant. (A sucker is a shoot that grows from the region where the stem meets the branch.) Prune the plant back to three or four primary stems once every week. Cut the additional stems off as close to the primary stem as possible.

Training

Cherry tomatoes must be trained to prevent them from growing over the ground, which can cause diseases. Staking and caging are two common ways to train. Drive a wooden stake between 6 and 8 feet long into the ground near the cherry tomato plant. Tie the stem of the plant loosely to the stake using twine. This will hold the plant upright and prevent the fruit from rotting or becoming infested by insects.

Caging is performed by installing a metal cage around the base of the cherry tomato plant. This allows the plant to grow more naturally and will still keep it from spreading along the ground. Metal fencing with a 6-inch mesh is ideal and will easily support the plant.

References

• Growing Tomatoes in the Home Garden
• Iowa State University: Cooperative Extension - Tomatoes
• Grow It Eat It: Tomatoes