GROWING CHERRY TOMATOES INDOORS

Homegrown cherry tomatoes taste great. Most people have no growing area at their home but they are interested in growing plants. Those who do not have space to plant should not be discouraged.

If you grow cherry tomatoes indoors they can be as plentiful as those planted outdoors in your garden. In this article, we are going to discuss how to grow cherry tomatoes in your home.

You will find detailed information and instructions regarding preparing seedlings and after that transplanting them in a larger pot or container. Hope this article will help you in planting.

BENEFITS OF GROWING TOMATOES AT HOME

The important benefit of growing cherry tomatoes at home is that you will get healthy and non-toxic fruit because you will use fewer chemicals and fertilizers for growing them.
You will not go far to get tomatoes for your kitchen because they are easily available at your home.
When you grow veggies at home you will eat them when you need them. In this way, you will reduce food waste. The uneaten fruit and veggies start producing greenhouse gases when they rot in landfills.

BEST VARIETIES OF CHERRY TOMATOES FOR INDOORS

The important consideration is that there are mainly two types of cherry tomatoes, one is determinant plants and the other is indeterminate plants. Determinant plants produce early crops while indeterminant will produce large plants and need proper support.

The first thing which is very important in planting cherry tomato is the selection of the right variety. For this purpose, you have to do some research.

You can ask your local nursery for a gardening store about the suitable variety which can easily grow in your area we give you some best options of an indoor variety of cherry tomatoes you can select 1 and start planting.

GOLDEN NUGGETS

This is a determinant hybrid variety that will produce yellow cherry tomatoes. This variety is best for those who are living in cold areas.

SWEET 100

The color of the fruit of this variety is red. Sweet hundred is in determinant vining plants that can grow 4 to 8 feet tall. The production time of this variety is from early summer to frost.

YELLOW PEAR

This variety produces bright yellow tomatoes and its shape is just right pear. That’s why its name is yellow pear. The taste and the color of this fruit are perfect for your salads. You will get a steady and abundant supply of fruit throughout the summer if you select this variety.

SWEET MILLION AND SUNGOLD

Both varieties belong to the indeterminate type. If we talk about sweet million it will produce prolific, bright, and red cherry tomatoes while on the other hand, Sungold produces sweet yellow tomatoes. If you are living in a warm area then both of these varieties are best for you.

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HOW TO GROW CHERRY TOMATOES INDOORS?

Prepare seedlings: You need a seedling pot or trays for sowing seeds and preparing seedlings. First, fill the pot or tray with a high-quality potting mix. Spread the seeds on the soil. Now cover the seeds with a light layer of soil. After covering the seeds they need water.

Keep the pots or trays in a warm and sunny area. Sunlight and warmth will help in the germination process. Keep the soil moist because of moisture with help in the sprouting of seeds. Only one teaspoon of water is needed every couple of days.

Within a few weeks, you will see the seeds will sprout. At this time you have to show patience.

When you see the green shoots start emerging then make sure the young baby plant receives enough water. As your seedlings grow taller they need more water and the soil will dry up more quickly. Make sure your cherry tomato seedlings will get regular water.

Transplant: When the height of the young plants reaches approximately 5 inches then you can transplant it to its permanent pot or container. The pot or container must be well-drained and fill it with high-quality soil or potting mix.

Select those seedlings which are healthier and discard the weak one. Place the young seedlings in the pot and cover all the roots. At the base, if you see leaves then you can also cover them with soil as this area can produce more roots.

TIPS FOR INDOORS CHERRY TOMATOES

Growing veggies indoors is not a difficult task, if you fulfill all the requirements according to your plants. For indoor planting, you need a well-drained planter and good quality potting soil mix.

You can also use the soilless medium for growing. The size of the pot should be 12 to 14 inches or 32-36 cm. Before watering, you should check the surface of the soil. If you feel the soil is dry then water your plant.

In this way, your plant will be prevented from root rot. Pests are a great issue for growing cherry tomatoes. You can deal with this problem if you clear the foliage which has pests with the gentle spray of water.

You can also use insecticidal soap for getting rid of these tiny monsters. Here we are going to give you some helpful tips for indoor cherry tomatoes.

START EARLY

It is not easy for you to get tomato seedlings from any local nursery or gardening store. It is not difficult to prepare your home seedlings for transplanting. You are growing cherry tomatoes indoors so you can start your growing season earlier.

You can grow them during the winter months. There are two ways of growing tomatoes one is from stem cutting and the other is from seeds. You should sow the seeds at least 4 months before your desired harvest date.

PROVIDE ARTIFICIAL LIGHT

Sunlight is an important factor in the growth of any plant. Tomatoes are sun-lover plants so they need sufficient light for preparing their fruit. As you are growing them indoors so it is not possible for you to provide proper sunlight for them.

If you place your pots at the southern-facing window then it is possible they get sufficient sunlight. Each plant needs 8 to 12 hours of sunlight per day. If it is not possible for you to provide ample light, then you can arrange artificial light for them.

FEED REGULARLY

Tomatoes are included in those plants which are heavy feeders. It means they need nutrients to grow and produce tasty fruit for you. If you want juicy treats then use a time-release fertilizer during transplanting the tomato seedlings.

You can also use 10-10-10 fertilizer for feeding purposes. Your cherry tomato plants need fertilizer, that has a higher ratio of phosphorus because it will encourage flowering and fruiting.

POLLINATION ASSISTANCE

Tomatoes are self-fertile plants, they can pollinate themselves. Outdoor cherry tomato plants have the assistance of insects and a gentle breeze in the pollination process.

The wind is an important factor for the self-pollination of cherry tomatoes. If you place the tomato plants on the windowsill then keep the window or door open once a day. In this way, the plants will be able to receive fresh air.

Inside your home, you can also use fans to give the plants a gentle shake for the pollination process.

HOW TO WATER

Cherry tomato plants need water regularly especially when they start producing fruit. The best way of watering is from the bottom so the roots get enough water if they reach the base of the pot.

Overwatering is not good for your plants in any case. Cherry tomato plants need half a cup of water every other day. If the weather is too hot then you can raise the amount of water up to one cup.

There are clear indications of overwatering and dryness of tomato plants. In both cases, there are symptoms.

If you see the leaves start to droop, it means that your cherry tomato plant needs water.
If the tips of the leaves are turning yellow it means that you are overwatering the plants.

PRUNING

Pruning means pinch off the extra leaves that are starting to form between the stems and the leaves branches of the plant. Some extra branches of the plant should be allowed to grow but not all.

As you are growing cherry tomatoes indoors then you have to prune the plant because it looks too wild. Pruning will help your plant use energy to strengthen the stamp and produce more fruit for your use. Continuously producing leaves will not let you achieve a good yield of tomatoes.

HOW TO HARVEST TOMATO PLANTS?

The main advantage of growing cherry tomatoes indoors is that they will ripe faster than regular tomatoes. Most of the variety of cherry tomatoes will start to produce flowers within one month.

The flowers of the plant will be followed by green fruits. After some time these tiny green fruits will turn into full-blown cherry tomatoes. The best time for harvesting tomatoes is when you see the color of tomatoes is bright or deep.

If you want the best results then you should pick the fruits every day. The cherry tomato will continuously produce fruits until frost or when the cool weather starts.

It is best to eat fresh tomatoes but if you have a large number of tomatoes then you can freeze them. Frozen cherry tomatoes can be used in different dishes such as soups, curries, and pasta sauces.