How to Grow Cherry Tomatoes
| Common Name | Cherry tomato |
|---|---|
| Plant Type | Annual, fruit |
| Size | 4–8 ft. tall, 1–3 ft. wide |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun |
| Soil Type | Loamy, well-drained |
How tall do cherry tomato plants grow in pots?
2-4 feet tall
Determinate cherry tomato plants will grow to be 2-4 feet tall – a good size for the average container plant. Many bush tomato varieties fall into this category. Keep in mind that these tomato plants produce most of their fruit at one flush, mostly within a 2-3 week period.
Do cherry tomatoes need a trellis?
A: Yes. Since cherry tomatoes grow in clusters, they’ll need adequate support from a trellis or other support.
How do you keep cherry tomatoes from getting taller?
ANSWER: You can prevent your tomatoes from growing too tall by pruning them. Pruning also encourages the plant to grow fruits instead of creating more foliage. Always use clean, sterilized shears when you prune to avoid spreading disease in your garden.
How much room do cherry tomatoes 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. As tomato plants grow and spread, they require a support system, such as stakes, a cage, or trellis.
Should you prune cherry tomato plants?
Cherry tomato plants, which range from dwarf cultivars to plants that can grow over 6 feet tall, often benefit from pruning to control plant size and shape. Regular pruning or pinching can also improve the quality of fruit that the plant produces.
Do cherry tomatoes grow well in pots?
While cherry tomatoes can be grown in a garden bed as well as in containers, they are perfectly suited to container growing and an easy beginner vegetable to start your gardening adventure with.
Is it better to stake or cage cherry tomatoes?
Staking takes up less space than caging. Simple to install. The vines & tomatoes are up off the ground, resulting in cleaner fruit and less rotting. it is easy to see the tomatoes and easy to harvest.
How long do cherry tomato plants live?
How long can a tomato plant live? A tomato plant typically lives for one growing season (6-8 months) when grown outdoors, but when nurtured in ideal or controlled growing conditions indoors, tomato plants can survive between 2-5 years. Propagating healthy cuttings may also extend its life indefinitely.
What size tomato cage do I need for cherry tomatoes?
Cages should be 14-18 inches in diameter with a height of 4 feet for determinate plants and at least 6 feet for indeterminate.
Can I cut the top off my tomato plant?
If you would like your plant to be bushier, cut the top of the plant off. This allows the rest of the plant to redirect energy to other areas which enables it to fill out instead of continuing to grow taller. Topped tomato plants will also, typically, produce larger fruit and increased fruit production.
Why are my tomato plants 6 feet tall?
Tomato plants need full sunlight, so they may grow tall and thin when trying to reach for the light in a shaded location! This leaves you with spindly tomato plants. If your tomato plants are not receiving enough sunlight during the day, they will grow “spindly” (tall and thin) instead of thick and strong.
Should you cut tomato leaves?
As a tomato plant matures, its lower leaves begin to yellow. Pinch or prune yellowed leaves to prevent disease, improve the tomato plant’s appearance, and help the plant keep its energy focused on fruit production. Don’t over prune in hot climates.
Do tomatoes grow better in pots or in the ground?
Tomato plants perform best in soil that is loose, rich, and drains well, which means they translate easily to container gardens—especially more compact determinate tomatoes, or bush varieties. Indeterminate tomato varieties that grow larger have more extensive root systems and do better planted directly in the ground.
How often should you water cherry tomatoes?
Water every two or three days to keep the soil evenly moist (in hot, dry weather you may need to water every day). Feed your plant fertilizer once a week, according to directions.
Do cherry tomato plants come back every year?
Tomato plants do not regrow every year. There are two possibilities for a tomato plant: it either survives the winter, or it does not. Tomatoes are perennial, but they can only make it to the next year if they survive the frost! If you protect a tomato plant from cold, it can survive the winter.
What happens if you don’t prune tomatoes?
2 If left unpruned, these suckers will eventually grow into full-sized branches, adding lots of foliage and, eventually, a few fruits. This will also result in a tomato plant that quickly outgrows its space in the garden.
How do you top cherry tomato plants?
Prune the cherry tomato plant to one or at most two main stems, and remove lower branches to deter splashback reinfection of pathogens left in the dirt from previous years. Pinch the new suckers soon after they appear. The best way to do this is with your fingers, twisting the sucker until it snaps off.
How do I know if my cherry tomatoes are determinate or indeterminate?
Besides the obvious size difference of the two plants, there is one other distinguishing factor that you may be able to spot… Indeterminate tomatoes will produce fruit all along the stems. While determinate plants will form their fruit on the ends of the branches.
Do cherry tomatoes need full sun?
Tomatoes need a frost-free and at least six hours of full sunshine each day. A sheltered, well-ventilated position reduces the risk of fungus on leaves. Recently limed, compost-rich soil is important to prevent blossom end rot.
How many tomatoes does a cherry tomato plant produce?
You can expect a big, bountiful crop from this little plant that produces fruit until it’s felled by frost. How bountiful? We’re talking about yields of about 300 bright red, one-inch tomatoes per plant through the season.