Learning how to grow cherry tomatoes should be at the top of your to-do list if you have a balcony, tiny garden or just a window box. These tasty little toms don’t need a lot of room to do their thing, and are a great way to grow your own with very little outdoor space.
In generaly when growing tomatoes of any type you don’t need much garden space at all. You can grow tomatoes in pots, in your garden or allotment, on your windowsill, or even grow tomatoes vertically if you need to.
That being said, some varieties are better suited to a small garden than others – and cherry tomatoes are considered some of the very best for the job. ‘Cherry tomatoes are easy to grow and ideal for any sized garden, even if it’s a very small space,’ says Morris Hankinson, director of Hopes Grove Nurseries.
Whether you plan on sowing seeds or repotting tomato seedlings, it’s relatively easy to learn how to grow cherry tomatoes.
What you will need
If you’re planning on growing cherry tomatoes, the first thing you’ll want to do is pick up some seeds or seedlings.
‘Be sure to choose the right cherry tomato variety for you,’ advises Morris. ‘There are many to choose from in various colours from red to yellow and with varying sweetness.’
He suggests, then, that you opt for one of the following:
The rest of your equipment will need to be tweaked depending on where you plan on growing your tomatoes (you’ll want to pick up a selection of pots if you plan on adding them to your container garden, for example).
As a general rule of thumb, though, you should invest in the following…
Step-by-step guide
While they’re counted among the easiest vegetables (fine, fruits) to grow, it’s worth noting that cherry tomatoes aren’t exactly a low maintenance crop. In fact, they’ll need a lot of TLC from sowing to pruning to harvesting – and some may even need a little help ripening if you wind up with stubbornly green tomatoes.
Still, it’s well worth the effort to learn how to grow cherry tomatoes, as they’ll always be far tastier than any you can find in a shop. Plus, we promise it’ll feel like such an extreme flex when you serve up your own homegrown toms at your next picnic or dinner party.
1. Start your seeds off
If you plan on growing tomatoes from seedlings or shop-bought plants, you can flit your eyes to the next step. If you want to sow seeds successfully, though, ‘take care to start them in early spring undercover, such as on a warm windowsill or in a greenhouse,’ says Morris.
‘Use a good quality seed compost and sow into seed trays or small pots. They will need plenty of sun and warmth or a heated propagator can also be used and grow lights if needed.’
2. Pot them up
Whether you’re learning how to grow cherry tomatoes or any other variety, the same rules apply; they will need to be potted up as they grow.
‘Tomatoes can be potted up into a good quality peat free compost and hardened off outside when all frosts have passed if they are going to be planted outside to grow,’ advises Morris.
‘If they are remaining in a greenhouse or on a warm windowsill, they can be potted up until they are in their final growing pot.’
3. Find them a sunny spot
If you really want to learn how to grow cherry tomatoes like a pro, you’ll want to take extra care when selecting their final growing position; they need around 6-8 hours of sunlight each and every day.
‘If planting outside, choose a space in well drained soil and sun which they will need to thrive and produce fruits,’ says Morris, who notes that you should research the best soil for growing tomatoes.
‘Prepare the planting area with well rotted organic matter before planting and water in well once planted. Space about 30cm apart in the ground and use large pots if growing in containers.’
4. Stick to a regular watering schedule
To ensure your cherry tomatoes thrive rather than simply survive, you will need to ensure all of their needs are met (as a Mediterranean crop, they can be a mite fussy in our colder climes).
‘There are a few things you’ll want to keep on top of as your cherry tomatoes flourish,’ says Christopher O’Donoghue, one of the co-directors at Gardens Revived.
‘Firstly, show them some support; you’ll want to use stakes, cages, or trellises to keep plants upright and prevent disease,’ he continues.
‘It’s also a good idea to set up a watering schedule, as cherry tomatoes can be thirsty customers. You’ll want to water deeply 2-3 times a week, daily in very hot weather, keeping soil consistently moist but not soggy.’
Christopher adds that you should always avoid overhead watering and instead water into the soil, so as to prevent fungal diseases. And, if you really want your cherry tomatoes to flourish, you should ‘feed with a balanced fertiliser every 2 weeks, switching to a high-potassium fertiliser when flowers appear.’
5. Prune and maintain
Yes, you absolutely do have to prune cherry tomatoes!
‘Take care to remove suckers (side shoots) from vining types to focus energy on fruit, and take care to pinch off lower leaves, too, as this will improve airflow, explains Christopher.
6. Harvest and enjoy
Once you’ve done all of the above (and done your best to ward off pests like aphids and whiteflies via a little companion planting), then all that’s left to do is wait for your cherry tomatoes to ripen.
‘Pick the fruits once they’re fully coloured and slightly soft,’ says Christopher, who notes that regular picking will result in even more delicious fruits being produced.
FAQs
What is the best way to grow cherry tomatoes?
Want a bumper crop of cherry tomatoes? The best way to grow them is to sow seeds indoors about 6–8 weeks before the last frost: warm, cosy conditions are key.
Once the weather’s frost-free, move them outside to a sunny spot with rich, well-draining soil (a good quality peat-free compost is your best friend here). If you’ve got a vining variety, give them some sturdy stakes or a cage to climb, and be sure to leave 45-60 cm between plants.
‘Keep the watering consistent, snip off any extra side shoots to focus their energy, and pick those juicy tomatoes regularly to keep the plant producing,’ says Christopher O’Donoghue of Gardens Revived.
Morris Hankinson of Hopes Groves Nurseries adds that you must take care to ‘water into the soil and not over the plants, which can contribute to fungal diseases.’
‘Don’t forget to feed every couple of weeks with a balanced fertiliser, switching to a tomato fertiliser when the fruits begin to form,’ he finishes.
Do cherry tomatoes need to climb?
Some cherry tomatoes will need to climb, depending on the variety.
‘Bush varieties (determinate) are great for pots and small gardens,’ says Christopher O’Donoghue of Gardens Revived.
‘Vining varieties (indeterminate), on the other hand, will need support – but it’s worth it, as they will produce fruit over a longer period.’
And just like that, you know how to grow cherry tomatoes! Will you be using yours for full-bodied pasta sauces, as the star of your next showstopping salad, or as easy-to-grab snacks for when you’re out and about?
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