Tips For Growing Cherry Tomatoes In Pots

How to choose the best variety of cherry tomatoes in pots?

Cherry tomatoes are very loved by many people. Of course, they contain a large number of vitamins, organic acids, and antioxidants to maintain our health.

Cherry tomatoes are appetizing in appearance and pleasant in taste

But in cold climates, cherry tomato plants can only be grown in summer. And at home, you can easily grow small cherry tomatoes.

These tomato plants are distinguished by their unpretentiousness, low bush, and early ripening. Varieties of cherry tomatoes are decorative, tomatoes in pots will decorate any room with their small fruits of various shapes and colors.

Cherry tomatoes in pots taste sweetish, juicy, and fragrant.

By creating a certain environment for tomatoes, you can enjoy fresh tomatoes all year round.

How to plant cherry tomatoes from a pot?

Tomatoes in pots are vegetables that are very sensitive to all kinds of nitrates, nitrites, and other chemicals that are not useful for the body. To eat your homemade, delicious, and fragrant red growing cherry tomatoes in pots, it is not necessary to have large garden plantations or a greenhouse – a window sill is enough for growing cherry tomatoes. Modern breeders have bred a lot of miniature growing cherry tomatoes in pots at home.

Bushes of tomato plants are characterized by low growth, large clustering of fruits, and a short development cycle. There are the most common varieties of cherry tomato plants that have proven their adaptability to home conditions, as well as detailed instructions for growing cherry tomatoes and caring for them.

You will need:

• the soil
• seeds
• flower pots

It is better to start growing cherry tomatoes in the spring (in March) when daylight hours increase.

Place pots with cherry tomatoes on the southern windows. Take garden soil, sod, and peat in equal proportions. Add complex mineral fertilizer and charcoal to this mixture (a glass per 10 liters of soil).

For seedlings of cherry tomatoes in pots, take small cups. Fill them with soil and plant a few seeds at a time. For the emergence of seedlings, place the glasses with cherry tomato plant near the radiator, after covering them with a film.

As soon as the first leaves rise, move the cups with the cherry tomato plants to the windowsill. There, in the cool, cherry tomatoes in containers will take root better and not stretch out.

After the appearance of the first true leaves, transplant the growing prune cherry tomato plants into pot size with a diameter of 10 – 12 cm, while pinching the tip of the root. This is necessary for the good root development of tomatoes in pots.

Water thoroughly after transplanting. Seedlings are very fragile, so try not to break them. Put the cherry tomatoes in pots on a window sill and keep the temperature around 23 – 25°. During this period, you need to moderately water, loosen the soil around and feed with a water-soluble fertilizer every 10 days. On cloudy days, it is worth highlighting them with additional light so that the seedlings do not stretch out.

When the first 6-8 true leaves appear, it’s time to transplant them into large pots (at least 4 liters). Deepen the cherry tomatoes into the garden soil by 12 cm. This will improve the nutrition of the cherry tomato plants due to additional roots.

Feed the cherry tomato plant with water-soluble fertilizer 10 days after transplanting. Repeat top dressing at least 2 times a month.

During the flowering and fruiting period, do not forget to regularly water the cherry tomato plants, loosen the soil around the stem and ventilate the room. If necessary, tie the tomato plants to a support, add fresh compost, and form tomatoes by pinching.

Harvest as the fruits of tomato plants ripen. To increase the yield of growing cherry tomatoes in pots, pick fruits that are not yet ripe.

This will speed up the ripening of the remaining fruit.

Cherry tomato plants must be grown with love and diligence, then they will be large and tasty

Cherry tomatoes at home began to be cultivated after Israeli breeders bred the first variety of this amazing plant, using a gene combination that can slow down the ripening of fruits.

Modern varieties of cherry tomatoes boast a variety of fruit shapes that differ in size. Along with the classic red color of the pulp, you can find fruits of yellow, orange, raspberry, pink, and brown colors.

The height and shape of the cherry tomato bush are very different, which allows you to choose a low-growing compact variety for planting on the windowsill as an ornamental plant, as well as tall tomatoes in pot varieties for growing in a greenhouse or open field. The industrial cultivation of prune cherry tomato plants is very profitable – the tomato plants give a rich harvest of useful fruits that do not lose their nutritional value for a long time, and they are best suited for long-term storage and transportation.

In this article, we will consider in detail the agricultural technology of growing cherry tomatoes in pots in room conditions.

Cultivation

How do cherry tomatoes in pots correctly so that the plant is properly formed and has a high yield?

Growing cherry tomatoes at home has some features that you need to consider when growing cherry tomatoes in pots. 

Lighting

Cherries can only be grown on the lightest window sill; southern and western windows are ideal. If growing tomatoes in a room are carried out in winter when the daylight hours are short enough, the plants will need to be illuminated with lamps, otherwise, the buds may fall off.

Humidity

Cherry tomatoes should be grown on a windowsill in moderate humidity. It is not allowed to over-moisten the soil during watering, as well as to carry out frequent spraying of the crown of tomatoes with water. Excess moisture stimulates the plant to rapid growth and development of stepchildren. With high humidity, it is difficult for cherry tomato plants to form ovaries, so it will be necessary to carry out forced pollination by hand.

Watering

Water for watering plants should not be cold, it is better to defend it in advance in a separate bowl. The irrigation regime is set individually, taking into account the weather conditions. In warm weather, the frequency of watering increases to 2 times a week, on cool days it decreases. Watering is best done from a watering can with a sprayer. 

Fertilizer

How to grow a rich crop of cherry tomatoes? Plants must be fed at the seedling stage, young plants are fertilized with nitrogen compounds for the growth of green mass. An overdose of nitrogen fertilizers can interfere with the development of ovaries, and even cause them to fall off. Ideal fertilizers for cherry tomatoes during the budding period are superphosphate, ash, and humus. When the ovaries are gaining strength, you can feed the plants with potash fertilizers and trace elements.

Temperature

Growing cherry tomatoes on a windowsill in the summer does not have special requirements for ensuring temperature conditions. In winter, it is worth making sure that the plants are not exposed to cold drafts, and that the ambient temperature does not fall below + 18C.

Landing dates

Cherry tomato seeds can be sown in the ground at any time of the year if the seedlings are provided with illumination. The classic planting scheme is sowing seeds in the third decade of February when young seedlings develop in natural light.

Planting container

For planting cherry tomatoes, you can use ceramic or plastic containers of various shapes and sizes. One bush will require a classic-shaped pot of at least 18 cm in diameter and up to 5 liters in volume. You can plant several plants in a small plastic pot. For ampelous varieties of tomatoes, floor vases or hanging planters will be required. Drainage from fine expanded clay, sand, or foam chips is necessarily laid at the bottom of the tank – this will protect the roots of the plant from excessive moisture during overflows.

The composition of the planting soil to grow cherry tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes on the windowsill are grown in the same soil moist mixture as the classic varieties of ordinary tomatoes.

You can use ready-made soil for tomato seedlings or soil for vegetable crops, after diluting it with sand.

Reproduction to grow tomatoes

Tomatoes for indoor growing can be sown from seeds.

Seedlings of cherry tomatoes.

Grow cherry tomatoes from seed are the most common way to get seedlings to grow cherry tomatoes on a windowsill. Seeds should be purchased in advance, choosing cherry varieties to taste.

Seedling from seed when growing cherry tomatoes in pots

In the second half of February, you can sow seeds of determinate tomatoes in prepared containers with light soil. Tomato seeds can not be soaked before planting, sow directly into the ground directly from the bag. However, experts say that when seeds are soaked in growth regulators, seedlings develop faster and are less susceptible to disease.

Sowing is done in a nutrient mixture, which is previously shed with water. Seeds of determinate tomatoes are not buried deep, deepening into the ground by no more than 2 mm. If the seeds have good germination, seedlings will soon appear, which can be dived into separate pots at the 2-3 leaf stage.

Care of seedlings to produce fruit consists of timely watering, loosening the soil, and fertilizing with fertilizers

Reproduction by green stepchildren

The seed method of propagation of cherry is not the only one – tomatoes are perfectly bred by green stepchildren. Stepchildren broken out with a “heel” can be put into water with growth stimulants, or you can simply root in the ground by covering the pots with a transparent cap to create greenhouse conditions. When propagated by stepchildren, young plants can be obtained quickly and easily. The conformity of the varietal qualities of cherry tomatoes is maintained.

If stepchildren root through water, when roots appear, plants can be planted in real soil, choosing suitable containers.

Varieties of cherry tomatoes

Orange small tomatoes look bright and elegant on a light windowsill.

Indeterminate tomatoes for indoor growing can have different colors.

Too many plants of cherry tomatoes for indoor cultivation are resistant to low light, compact crown shape, good yield, and variety of shapes and colors of tomato fruits.

The most popular cherry varieties for cultivation in a room can be considered:

Balcony Miracle is an early-ripening cherry variety that can bear fruit in the winter months with a lack of natural light. The fruits are quite large, their weight is from 70 to 100 g.

Bing cherry bears fruit with small red fruits that ripen in clusters and weigh 20-30 g. The variety is early ripening, it does not tolerate a lack of light.

Peacevine cherry is a variety of early ripening, standard, with a compact crown, from 30 to 50 cm high. The fruits are red, ripen in a brush, and have a pleasant taste.

Bumblebee is a determinate variety, recommended for growing on windowsills. The fruits are dense, small, and red. The yield is high.

Bonsai – lettuce red cherry tomatoes for fresh consumption.

Tiny Tim is a very early variety, with delicate pink fruits. Excellent fruiting indoors. The variety has an ampelous form.

Sweetheart is a scattering of orange fruits that ripens on plants grown on window sills and balconies.

Pinocchio is a low-growing variety for rooms, the height of the plant does not exceed 25 cm. The fruits are round, small, and red in color.

Juliet is a mid-season variety for rooms and loggias with red fruits weighing 25g.

Breeders annually offer new varieties of cherry tomatoes for growing indoors, a large assortment of hybrid plants that can produce a large crop of delicious fruits. Hybrid varieties can subsequently be propagated only by green cuttings, because the ripened seeds will not be able to qualitatively repeat the mother plants, to preserve all the positive qualities of the variety.

Also, there are different varieties of tomatoes for indoor growing.

The varied coloring of small tomatoes is striking.

Growing cherry tomatoes in pots as a business idea

The growing awareness of the need to lead a healthy lifestyle is causing more and more people to abandon their typical diet based on sugar and fat in favor of natural alternatives to vegetables. For this reason, the fruit and vegetable industry has grown significantly in recent years.

One of the most popular ways to get started with organic farming is to grow organic produce. It is similar to conventional farming, only without the chemical pesticides and fertilizers used on conventional farms.

In fact, more and more people are embracing the concept of organic food, so you won’t have a problem selling grown cherry tomatoes. A quick way to be successful in this business is to make sure your products are 100% organic because if you get caught scamming, people will never trust you again.

Tomatoes are one of the most grown and consumed vegetables in the world.

Sweet tomatoes have a number of health benefits: they are rich in lycopene, which, in addition to being the coloring compound in fruits, also has antioxidant properties that can protect the body’s cells from the harmful effects of excess free radicals. This reduces the risk of chronic diseases, including cancer. It is also a source of vitamin C, making it an excellent ally in the healing of burns and wounds. Also, due to the content of this vitamin, it increases the absorption of iron, helping to avoid anemia.

Good advice for growing cherry tomatoes in pots

If ripening cherry tomatoes are watered abundantly and immoderately, the fruits may crack, which will lead to crop loss. Watering cherry tomatoes requires special attention.

Some varieties of cherry tomatoes produce such a large yield that it is necessary to provide for the installation of supports for heavy brushes, otherwise ripe tomatoes can break the stem. Supports should be installed under the branches when the ovaries appear.

Before sowing seeds, it is worth checking their germination by soaking them in a glass of water. Empty seeds will float to the surface, and seeds with embryos will sink to the bottom of the glass, and they should be taken for seedlings.

Usage of the best cherry tomatoes in cooking

Small cherry tomatoes growing in beautiful heavy clusters are perhaps the only type of sweet tomatoes that has an almost year-round season and can be bought fresh in autumn, winter, and spring.

It is easier to grow fresh tomatoes in the absence of real sun. Cherry tomatoes
come in a variety of colors, from classic red to yellow.

Cherry tomatoes are small tomatoes that have been incredibly popular in many countries in recent years.

Most cherry tomatoes cost more than usual, but their amazing taste more than justifies the difference in price.

Juicy tomatoes are used in those dishes where whole tomatoes are needed. Fresh tomatoes look especially good in salads and appetizers.

Most cherry tomatoes are used to make various dishes

Cherry tomato goes well with other vegetables, various seasonings, herbs, and cheese.

You can cook many dishes from cherry tomatoes so that the dish turns out tasty, beautiful, and truly festive.

There are recipes of fresh food for dishes that can be served not only every day but also on a festive table.

Conclusion

With the onset of cold weather, some vegetable growers, longing for living vitamins, intensify their activities directly in their places of residence.

We invite you to master this fascinating art – try growing compact and productive cherry tomatoes with limited space.

Growing cherry tomatoes in pots

Growing conditions of cherry tomato plant

Temperature to grow cherry tomatoes.

Room, + 20-26⁰С. The complete absence of drafts is important, especially on the windowsill and balcony!

Lighting to grow cherry tomatoes.

16 hours of illumination with a phytolamp (60 cm from the plant).

Humidity.

Not more than 65%.

Care

Watering.

Water cherry tomatoes abundantly with warm, settled water once every 3 days (not under the root!) And spray sparingly once a day. If the growing cherry tomatoes in pots are cracking, increase the amount of watering; if the tomato plants become watery – reduce it.

Pollination.

After the flowers appear on the bushes, walk over them with a cotton swab 2-3 times or gently shake the cherry tomato plant. Some varieties of cherry tomatoes in pots
do not need pollination.

Loosening.

10 minutes after watering, loosen the soil in the pot to a depth of 2 cm. As the cherry bushes grow and water frequently, slight hilling (3-4 cm) may be required, providing free space in the pots.

Pruning.

Lateral shoots of growing cherry tomatoes in pots in a timely manner stepchild for a bountiful harvest. Leaves cannot be cut, except for naturally dried ones.

Storage and harvest of the best cherry tomatoes.

In the 3-5th month, depending on the variety of growing cherry tomatoes in pots, it is already possible to get the first harvest. Some varieties of cherry tomato plants are very productive and bear fruit for 4-5 months. Ripe cherry tomato fruits have a rich varietal color, are fragrant, and very tasty, unripe ones have not acquired a uniform color and are disgusting in taste.

How to store cherry tomatoes?

• In the refrigerator, at + 2-4⁰С – 4-5 days.
• In the freezer, whole or in the form of thinly cut slices – six months.

Diseases of cherry tomato plant

• The leaves turn yellow – the wrong soil; overflows.
• Dry leaves – lack of moisture.
• Phytophthora is a fungal disease: dark spots appear on the leaves of the cherry tomato plant, covered with a white coating. Next, the stems of the plant and fruits are infected (through the stalk).

Pests when growing cherry tomatoes in pots

• Aphids are small harmful insects that feed on the juice of the leaves of a plant and inhibit the growth of cherry tomatoes in containers.
• Spider mite – the smallest animal 0.5-0.8 mm, covered with short whitish “hairs”, feeds on plant sap of growing cherry, leaving behind dry patches covered with thin cobwebs. Lays up to 150 larvae eggs on the back of the leaves. As a result, the plant cherry tomato becomes ill, slows down in development, and dries up.

Good luck in growing cherry tomatoes in pots!