You can plant cherry tomatoes in pots at home from early April to mid-summer and harvest these delicious fruits about a month later.
Today's apartment life has distanced people from one of their natural natures, i.e. interest in nature and growing flowers and plants, however, there are many varieties of plants that can be grown in a small environment and in a pot. Planting cherry tomatoes in a pot is a way that you can bring some gardening and farming experience to your apartment and have fresh and organic tomatoes available.
Steps of planting cherry tomatoes at home
1. Choosing the right pot and seeds
To plant cherry tomatoes in a pot, the first step is to choose a suitable pot. Choose pots according to your tomato seeds. It is usually suitable for planting in a pot and in an apartment environment, a seed that grows little and needs a lot of space. A pot with a diameter of 20 cm and a width of 30 cm is suitable for these seeds, but if you plant tomatoes in a pot, you need a pot with a larger size. Also, tomatoes can be grown in cloth bags for gardening in the market.
2. Selection of soil and planting bed
Cherry tomatoes can be grown in the fertile soil of the garden, and for better ventilation, we suggest combining the soil with peat moss or perlite soil and pieces of moss to make it a little lighter and more fertile. You can get the types of soil and planting material you need from online stores of agricultural products or flower and plant sales centers.
3. Planting seeds
To plant tomato seeds, you must first plant the seeds in a seedling tray until they germinate. You can also buy tomato seedlings directly by removing this step and continue the steps.
1. Plant tomato seeds in a seed tray filled with fine sand at a depth of 6 mm and cover it with a thin cotton cloth or paper towel and moisten the soil with a spray.
2. Place the seedling tray in a warm place with a temperature of 23 to 26 degrees Celsius and make sure that the surface of the planting bed is moist and not waterlogged until the seeds germinate. You can cover the seedling tray with plastic to create greenhouse conditions to maintain heat and humidity suitable for the plant.
After five to six days, you will see the first sprouts of the seeds.
4. Transplantation to the pot
When the length of your cherry tomato seedlings reaches 2 to 3 cm, it is the best time to transfer them to the main pot. Fill the pot with the suitable soil mentioned above and plant a seedling in each pot. To transfer the young seedling, gently move it with the soil around the roots to a bigger pot and place it in a place with more light. South sunny windows or balconies are the best places to keep and plant cherry tomatoes in pots.
After a few weeks, white flowers appear on the plant. These beautiful flowers will turn into colorful cherry tomato fruits in the future. So take care of them and do not remove them from the plant.
Tip: Cherry tomatoes are fast growing and get big quickly, so you need something to support or scaffold your tomato plant. For this purpose, you can use a piece of wood or other items in your home. Keeping tomatoes above ground level creates air flow in all parts of the plant, reduces pests and produces healthy fruits.
Keeping conditions for cherry tomatoes at home
The temperature, amount and method of watering and light suitable for the growth of the cherry tomato plant are as follows:
Irrigation
Cherry tomatoes need regular daily watering for optimal growth. Therefore, make sure that the surface of the planting bed is always moist and not wet. Flooding and remaining water in the pot causes decay and damage to the plant, and excessive dryness of the plant will prevent flowering and fruit production. Also, prevent water from collecting under the pot and discard the excess water from under the pot or give it to other plants.
Soil
In general, different varieties of tomatoes can be planted in any type of soil, as long as it has good drainage and is completely rich in nutrients.
light
This plant needs sufficient and direct sunlight for at least 8 hours a day, but avoid direct sunlight on the plant in summer.
Temperature
The ideal temperature for planting cherry tomatoes in a pot is between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius, and the optimal growth of the plant occurs at a temperature of 21 degrees.
Pruning
When the tomato plant is big enough, you should prune some of the extra branches away from the main branch, using a small pair of scissors or garden shears that you have previously disinfected.
Fertilizing
It is better to add liquid fertilizer to the plant once every two weeks in the form of water solution to provide plant nutrients.
Pests and diseases
To produce organic cherry tomatoes, it is better not to use chemical poisons during the planting of the plant, so as soon as you see the pest on the plant, remove the infected leaves and if you do not manage to control the insects, you can use insecticides to fight.