They are vines and can get to be quite tall so they need to be supported. Forget about an ordinary tomato cage, they will outgrow it in no time. You'll have to get creative. We grow ours in the ground and put rebar at the ends of the rows and at every sixth plants or so.
While staking tomato plants isn't absolutely necessary, in my experience, it helps keep your tomatoes healthier and more productive by minimizing pests and disease as well as giving you easier access to pick your fruit.
I use bamboo or garden stakes arranged in a tripod and tied at the top. Then I use twine to wrap around the tripod to keep the tomato plant supported. You can even use long sticks you find in the garden or something. It doesn't have to be expensive.
For indeterminate tomato plants, like these cherry varieties, you'll need a big cage to get good results. All of this organized spacing and support is great in a perfect world, but if you are cramped for space, you still have options.
Necessary? No, but without a cage or some other sort of support you run the risk of the plant tipping over from the weight of the fruit. Most cherry tomatoes are indeterminate, vining types that continue to grow and produce fruit through the whole season.
Use Premium Quality Potting Soil
Tomatoes are susceptible to diseases (such as blight) and pests (like nematodes) that can hang out in soil, and one advantage of growing in pots is that doing so can reduce outbreaks.
Supporting Cherry Tomato Vines
They are vines and can get to be quite tall so they need to be supported. Forget about an ordinary tomato cage, they will outgrow it in no time.
Cherry tomatoes need full, direct sun exposure to thrive, typically six to eight hours daily.
If you're someone who likes to leave the suckers on your tomato plant, a wooden or metal trellis may be a better option for you. Using a panel trellis is a great option if you like your plants to branch out, and an arch trellis gives tomato vines all the vertical space they need to grow.
Lifespan and Growth Rate
Cherry tomato plants typically enjoy a productive lifespan of 6 to 8 months, depending on the growing conditions and care they receive. Here's what influences their pace from seedling to fruit-bearing wonder: Environmental Conditions: Light, temperature, and humidity are the stars of the show.
Water correctly: Do not overwater. The first week tomato plants are in the ground, they need water every day, but back off watering after the first week, slowly weaning the plants down to 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week.
Frequently Asked Questions. Can I use coffee grounds directly on tomato plants? Yes, however this practice is not recommended. Composting is a far superior way to use coffee grounds in the garden.
Vining tomatoes don't have a stem that is stout enough to support the entire plant. These tomatoes often get top heavy, even without having fruit on them. If they aren't supported they can fall over, breaking the stem.
Here's a brief horticultural lesson. Tomatoes are self-pollinating, meaning they have flowers that contain both the male and female parts, so more than one plant is not needed for reproduction. The pollen falls within the flower to pollinate itself. That doesn't mean insects and wind aren't important, though.
Examples of Tomatoes that don't need staking include Patio and Tiny Tim.
Disadvantages: Requires continuous twining throughout the season to capture growth. Twine stretches with the weight of the tomato plant, causing sagging. Tends to allow tomato plant to sprawl.
One of the easiest ways to grow tomatoes and other vegetables is in pots. There's freedom from worrying about soil conditions, watering, etc., when you grow tomatoes this way. You can grow both pole (indeterminate) and bush (determinate) tomatoes in pots.
Depending on where you live, you might want to expose your tomatoes to morning sunlight, to afternoon sunlight, or to a combination of the two. Morning sunlight provides high-intensity light without excessive heat, therefore you should consider morning exposure if you live in a region with a hot climate.
Cherry tomatoes are sun worshippers at every stage, but their needs shift as they grow. Young sprouts demand protection; too much sun can spell disaster for their delicate leaves. They thrive with gentle morning rays and some afternoon shade.
If you are going to raise a lot of tomatoes, you may want to consider staking them to a fence or trellis rather than individual stakes. You want the type of fence that is very open to allow the plant to weave in and out of the fencing.
Compost for tomatoes – When mixed with leaves or sawdust, compost made with coffee grounds provide essential nutrients for tomatoes while combating fungal diseases. Incorporate compost into the soil or use as mulch around tomato plants. Mulch – Spread a 1/2 inch (1.3 cm.)
"Consistency is key here because you don't want to allow the soil to completely dry out or become overly soggy." Expect to give the plants between 1 and 1-1/2 gallons of water each week, in total, distributed over two to three watering sessions.