Cherry Tomato
Light
- Full Sun
- 8+ hours of direct light
Hardiness
- Zone 3 - 9
Water
- Requires at least 2 inches of water per week, watering every 3 - 5 days or when 1” of topsoil is dry.
- Newly transplanted tomatoes will need water every 1 - 2 days for the first two weeks
- Make sure the watered area is not soggy or mushy from overwatering
- Water in the morning to prepare tomato plant for the midday sun and absorb nutrients
- Place mulch to help retain moisture and keep the soil cool
Container
- Perfect for a garden or a 5+ gallon pot
Transplanting
- Plant in June
- Dig a hole 8 - 12 inches deep and 6 inches wide. Bury half or two-thirds of the stem in the ground to allow roots to develop and reinforce the plant.
Spacing
- Between Plants: 18 - 24 inches
- Between Rows: 36 - 60 inches
Size
- Height: 4 - 5 feet
- Width: 24 inches
Harvest time
- 65 - 75 days
Soil
- Loosely packed, well-drained soil composition:
- ½ compost or humus
- ¼ drainage and aeration material (perlite or vermiculite)
- ¼ loam (sand and silt. Small amount of clay)
- Preferred pH: 5.5 - 6.8
Fertilizer
- Fertilize soil before initially transplanting with 5-10-10 NPK (dry fertilizer only), compost or aged manure
- Fertilize with a 5-10-5 NPK once fruit starts to form
- Fertilize every 2 weeks with 5-10-5 NPK until the plant has stopped producing fruit (or first frost)
- Tomatoes require adequate levels of calcium, magnesium and sulfur for the best harvest. Apply these supplements after the first fruits have started forming.
Taste
- Produces fruit in clusters similar to grapes. Firm skin and savory flavor makes these tomatoes great for salads, pickling, preserves and snacking.
Friends
- Plant next to asparagus, basil, beans, borage, carrots, celery, dill, lettuce, melons, onions, parsley, peppers, radishes, spinach and thyme
Foes
- DO NOT plant next to broccoli, brussels, cabbage, cauliflower, corn, kale and potatoes
Rotation
- DO NOT plant peppers, tomatoes, potatoes or eggplants at the same location where peppers were planted last year
- Consider planting any of the following where you planted peppers the previous year:
- Carrot (Umbelliferae) - celery, carrots, parsley
- Legume (Leguminosae) - peas, beans, lentils
- Mustard/Brassica (Cruciferae) - broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, turnips, radishes
- Sunflower (Compositae) - lettuce, artichokes
- Cucurbit (Cucurbitaceae) - pumpkins, melons, squash, gourds, cucumbers
- Allium (Amaryllidaceae) - onions, garlic, leeks
- Goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae) - spinach, Swiss chard, beets
Tips
- Tomatoes are susceptible to a variety of leaf fungi. Avoid getting the leaves wet when watering.
- When the plant is about 6 - 8 inches tall, support the plant with stakes or a cage.
- Cherry tomatoes will continue to produce fruit until the first frost.
- Trimming the suckers (the shoots between the stem and the leaves) will allow the plant to grow taller and produce more fruit.