Cherry Tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes have become a home-garden favorite not only for their small size, perfect for snacking and salads, but also for their early and long-lasting harvest. Because they produce so abundantly, one standard plant is sufficient for a family of four. But because there are so many varieties to choose from home gardeners often opt for more than one type.  

Select for Size and Taste

• In limited space, patio and dwarf plants grow successfully in containers or hanging baskets.
• Varieties developed for container gardening are generally shorter-lived. Staggered plantings every month beginning in early spring results in a long productive season.
• Choose a determinate type that produces all of its fruit in a limited time period or an indeterminate type that continues growing and producing for many months.
• Varieties can be selected for different characteristics.
  • ‘Cherry Grande’ is a medium-sized, determinate plant with fruit in clusters.
  • ‘Sweet Cherry’ is an indeterminate, large plant with medium-to-large cherry fruit.
  • ‘Sweet 100,’ an indeterminate type, grows to 7 ft. or more with clusters of small fruit.
  • ‘Sungold’ is another large, indeterminate plant with clustered, orange cherry fruit that is ready for harvest about 2 months after planting.
  • ‘Yellow Pear’ is an heirloom, indeterminate plant with pear-shaped fruits.
  • Varieties suited for container growing include ‘Patio,’ a dwarf determinate plant with small-to-medium fruit; ‘Better Bush,’ a compact, determinant type with small-to-medium fruit; ‘Small Fry,’ a compact determinate plant; and tomatoes in the ‘Husky’ series, compact indeterminate plants with red-pink, gold, medium-small fruits.

Planting Basics

• Select varieties that are disease-resistant; look for VF after the cultivar name. Heirloom types, however, rarely are labeled disease-resistant.
• Rotate the location of tomato crops in your garden to avoid build-up of soil-borne diseases.  
• Plant in a sunny location with 8-10 hours of exposure after all danger of frost has passed, usually April 15 in most Sonoma County locations, but not until May in some microclimates.
• Use commercial potting soil or your own potting mix when planting in containers, not native soil that compacts easily in containers and drains poorly.
• Set 6-8-in. transplants in the ground covering stems with only 2-3 sets of true leaves exposed. Rooting will occur along the stem and produce a stronger plant.
• Maintain evenly moist, not wet, soil for the first 3-4 weeks after planting; thereafter, water when the soil dries to about 2-3 in. Many tomato problems are the result of over-, under-, and uneven watering. Mulching conserves water during our hot, dry summers.
• Do not over-fertilize, which produces more foliage than fruit. Prepare beds prior to planting with compost or well-aged steer manure to provide slow-release nitrogen. Fertilize after 1-2 months with small amounts of fish emulsion, kelp, or another natural fertilizer.
• Check plants often for pests.
• Spray soft-bodied aphids with a jet spray of water, taking care to avoid knocking off blossoms or fruit.
• Hand-pick caterpillars; trap slugs under a board; capture white flies with yellow sticky tape or use garden cloth to exclude them.
• As they grow, support large tomato plants with cages or stakes.

Additional Information

• Tomatoes
• Sonoma County Master Gardener Vegetable Planting Summary.
• Food Gardening with Less Water
• Tomato (UC IPM)
• Cultural Tips for Growing Tomato (UC IPM)

June 2022