Growing your own food is rewarding, and learning how to grow cherry tomatoes in pots is one of the easiest ways to start. Even with limited space, you can enjoy a sweet, homegrown harvest from your patio, balcony, or windowsill.
This guide walks you through every step. We’ll cover choosing the right pot, selecting the best varieties, and simple care tips. You’ll be picking tomatoes in no time.
How To Grow Cherry Tomatoes In Pots
This main section covers the core process. Let’s break it down into simple, managable steps.
What You’ll Need to Get Started
Gathering your supplies first makes everything smoother. Here’s your basic checklist:
- Cherry Tomato Plants or Seeds: Starter plants are easier for beginners. Seeds offer more variety.
- Containers: Pots must have drainage holes. A minimum size of 5 gallons is best for stability and root growth.
- Potting Mix: Use a high-quality potting mix, not garden soil. Look for a mix labeled for vegetables.
- Support: A small tomato cage or stake is essential to keep vines upright.
- Fertilizer: A balanced, water-soluble fertilizer made for tomatoes will support growth.
- Watering Can or Hose: A gentle watering nozzle is ideal.
- Sunny Location: You’ll need a spot that gets at least 6-8 hours of direct sun daily.
Step 1: Choosing Your Pot and Soil
The foundation of success starts here. A poor pot or soil can cause many problems.
Choose a large pot. A 5-gallon container is the standard recomendation for one plant. Bigger is even better. Material matters too. Plastic pots retain moisture, while terracotta dries out faster but is heavier. Ensure there are several drainage holes at the bottom.
Fill your pot with a premium potting mix. Garden soil is too dense for containers and can harbor disease. Potting mix is specially formulated to be light, fluffy, and well-draining, which is exactly what tomato roots need.
Step 2: Selecting the Right Cherry Tomato Variety
Some tomatoes are bred specifically for container life. Look for terms like “patio,” “bush,” or “determinate” on the tag.
Determinate varieties grow to a compact, bushy size and fruit all at once. Indeterminate varieties vine endlessly and produce fruit all season. For pots, determinate types are often easier to manage.
Great container choices include ‘Tumbling Tom’ (great for hanging baskets), ‘Patio Choice Yellow’, ‘Sweetheart of the Patio’, and the classic ‘Sweet 100’. Ask at your local nursery for their best picks.
Step 3: Planting Your Tomatoes
You can start from seed indoors, but for simplicity, we’ll assume your using a nursery transplant.
- Fill your pot about 2/3 full with potting mix.
- Gently remove the tomato plant from its nursery container. If the roots are tightly wound, loosen them slightly.
- Plant it deep! Bury the stem up to the first set of true leaves. Tiny hairs on the stem will become roots, creating a stronger plant.
- Fill in around the plant with more potting mix, gently firming it. Leave about an inch of space at the top for watering.
- Water the plant thoroughly until water runs out the drainage holes. This settles the soil.
- Immediately add your tomato cage or stake. Putting it in now avoids damaging roots later.
Step 4: The Perfect Location and Sunlight
Tomatoes are sun worshippers. Your pot needs to live in the sunniest spot you have.
Aim for a minimum of 6 hours of direct sun, but 8 or more is ideal. Less sun leads to leggy plants and few fruits. A south-facing location is perfect. If you have a windy balcony, consider a slightly sheltered corner so plants don’t get battered.
Step 5: Watering and Feeding Schedule
Consistency is key. Pots dry out much faster than garden beds.
Watering: Check soil daily by sticking your finger an inch deep. If it feels dry, water deeply until it runs out the bottom. Avoid frequent light sprinklings, which encourage shallow roots. Early morning is the best time to water. Try to keep water off the leaves to prevent disease.
Feeding: Potting mix has some nutrients, but they wash out quickly. Start fertilizing when you see the first flowers appear. Use a fertilizer higher in phosphorus (the middle number on the bottle) to promote blooming and fruiting. Follow the label instructions, usually every 1-2 weeks.
Step 6: Pruning and Maintenance
A little upkeep keeps your plant healthy and productive.
For determinate (bush) types, pruning isn’t necessary. For indeterminate (vining) types, you can remove the small shoots, called “suckers,” that grow in the joint between the main stem and a branch. This focuses the plants energy on fruit production. Also, remove any yellow or dead leaves at the bottom of the plant to improve air flow.
As the plant grows, gently tie the main stems to your support cage or stake with soft twine. This prevents branches from breaking under the weight of fruit.
Step 7: Harvesting Your Bounty
This is the best part! Cherry tomatoes ripen quickly.
Harvest when the fruits are fully colored and slightly soft to a gentle squeeze. They should come off the vine with a light tug. Pick regularly to encourage the plant to produce more. The flavor of a sun-warmed, freshly picked cherry tomato is unbeatable.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Even with great care, issues can pop up. Here’s how to handle common ones.
Yellow Leaves
Yellowing lower leaves can be normal. But widespread yellowing often signals overwatering or a need for fertilizer. Check your watering habits and consider your feeding schedule.
Blossom End Rot
This appears as a dark, leathery spot on the bottom of the fruit. It’s usually caused by inconsistent watering, which leads to calcium uptake issues. Maintain even soil moisture to prevent it.
Few or No Flowers
If your plant is lush but not flowering, it’s likely getting too much nitrogen or not enough sun. Switch to a bloom-boosting fertilizer and ensure it’s in full sun.
Pests
Aphids or whiteflies might visit. A strong spray of water from the hose often knocks them off. For persistent issues, use an insecticidal soap according to the directions.
End of Season Care
After the first frost, your plant will die back. Pull it out and discard it (do not compost if it had any disease). Dump out the old potting mix, clean your pot with a mild bleach solution, and store it for winter. This prevents disease from carrying over to next year’s plants.
FAQ: Your Questions Answered
How many cherry tomato plants can I put in one pot?
Stick to one plant per 5-gallon pot. Crowding leads to competition for water, nutrients, and light, resulting in a poor harvest for all.
What is the best fertilizer for potted cherry tomatoes?
Use a balanced vegetable or tomato fertilizer. When flowering starts, a fertilizer with a higher middle number (like 5-10-10) can encourage more fruit set.
Can I grow cherry tomatoes indoors?
Yes, but it’s challenging. They need a very bright, sunny south-facing window, or more reliably, a strong grow light for 12-16 hours a day. Pollination (gently shaking the flowers) also becomes your job indoors.
How often should you water cherry tomatoes in containers?
There’s no fixed schedule. It depends on temperature, wind, and pot size. Check the soil daily; water when the top inch is dry. In peak summer, this might be every day.
Why are my cherry tomatoes splitting?
Splitting is usually caused by irregular watering, especially a heavy rain or watering after a dry period. Try to maintain consistent soil moisture to keep the fruits from growing to fast and cracking.
Starting your own container garden with cherry tomatoes is a simple and satisfying project. With the right pot, good soil, plenty of sun, and consistent care, you’ll be rewarded with a plentiful harvest of sweet, juicy tomatoes right outside your door. Give it a try this season—you might just find your new favorite hobby.