Grow Cherry Tomatoes Inside

It may be the end of the growing season, but the cold shouldn’t stop you from getting your tomato fix. With the right setup and a little patience, you’ll soon be munching on your own juicy, organic homegrown cherry tomatoes. Follow these steps and tips to grow your very own cherry tomatoes inside.

Grow and cultivate your favorite fruits, vegetables, and herbs — year-round, with minimal care and effort. No gardening experience required; your Gardyn does all the work for you. Shop now!

DAYS TO SPROUT

7 - 28 DAYS

MATURE IN

60 DAYS

TASTE IT FOR

8 - 16 WEEKS

Table of Contents

Care & Harvest

🐝 Pollination

Tomatoes necessitate pollination. Expect flowers to appear 4-6 weeks following sprouting. To foster robust root and foliage growth, remove the initial set of flower buds. Facilitate hand-pollination by mildly shaking the plant as a whole, mimicking the action of the wind, or gently swirling within the blossoms using your finger or a small brush.

✂️ Pruning

Dwarf tomatoes demand minimal pruning. Should you observe any yellow or brown leaves, snip them off promptly. Undertake a monthly examination of the roots, trimming those that are brown or protruding past the yPod.

🔎 Plant Health

While fruit-bearing plants might attract various pests, there’s no cause for alarm! Familiarize yourself with the identification of common pests and apply our prevention and treatment techniques to maintain a pest-free environment.

🍅 Harvest

Cherry Tomatoes are ready for harvest when they exhibit a uniform red color extending to the stem and possess a slightly soft texture. Avoid leaving ripe fruits on the plant for extended periods as they might crack. For harvesting, either gently twist the tomato until it detaches or employ garden shears or a knife to sever the fruits at their individual stems.

Why Grow Cherry Tomatoes Inside?

Not everyone has access to a large outdoor space, so it’s nice to know that you don’t need a yard to enjoy fresh, crisp home-grown produce. Here are some pretty compelling reasons to give indoor tomato farming a try:

You get to harvest more, sooner

Starting your plants inside allows you to have your fruits ready for harvesting earlier than if you waited for the season to start. Cherry tomatoes are typically planted in spring once the last frost has passed. However, when starting seeds indoors, you can do so a month prior to your area’s projected frost date. Once your seedlings have grown to six inches tall, you can then transplant them outdoors — effectively giving you a significant head start on (and extending) the growing season.</p

It saves time and effort

Container plants require less water, fertilizer, and weed control than their outdoor counterparts. With cherry tomatoes, the benefits reach further. These delicate plants will appreciate being protected from harsh outdoor elements like heavy rain and snow, as well as most dangers associated with pests and disease.

More nutrients and flavor

Cherry tomatoes grown indoors and picked ripe from vines will retain more flavor and nutrients than those shipped from far away and picked early for transport. Adding to the appeal is the knowledge that no nasty chemicals or pesticides have been used in its production. You’re in complete control of what goes into your body!

They lighten up your home

Cherry tomatoes grow in small clusters, but they come in a huge variety of different colors. These bright fruits can be red, yellow, green, or even black! Display the colorful plants in window boxes, hanging baskets, or directly on the kitchen counter or windowsill — they’ll add a fresh pop of summer color to any space.

You produce less waste

Growing your own food means fewer resources used for transportation and packaging. Plus, by avoiding commercially grown produce, you actively reduce the harm caused by chemicals seeping into our planet’s water and soil. It’s a low-cost, high-impact way to reduce your ecological footprint.

Grow Microgreens, Too

Bite sized superfood packed with nutrients and loaded with flavor. Go from seed to harvest in just one week.

What Do You Need To Grow Cherry Tomatoes Inside?

No matter how cold it gets outside, a warm indoor climate can still be enough to grow something amazing: cherry tomatoes! All you need is the right materials, along with lots of natural light — and you will have plenty of delicious produce to keep you going throughout the year.

Light

Aim for at least 8 hours of direct sunlight per day for your indoor tomato plants, with 8 being the bare minimum. A south-facing window would be great for this. If your environment isn’t providing enough light for your plants (in winter, for example), consider investing in LED or fluorescent artificial grow lights. Place them a few inches above your plants, for at least 16 hours daily.

Temperature And Humidity

To grow cherry tomatoes inside, keep temperatures between 70 to 85°F. Humidity-wise, these plants fare pretty well under normal household conditions. If, however, your air feels too dry, a simple fix is to place a tray of water beneath the plants. For even better germination results, wrap your seedlings in plastic wrap or other material. This will create a small terrarium-like environment that will further lock in the humidity.

Plant Containers

Your seedlings will likely thrive in just about anywhere, including terra cotta clay pots, planter boxes, and even Tupperware containers (as long as you’ve made some drainage holes). Once they mature enough to be transplanted, use a pot that’s at least 12 inches wide and 15 inches deep.

The Right Variety

When it comes to tomato varieties, stick with small, determinate plants like Tiny Tim, Gold Nugget, or Little Bing cherry tomatoes. Determinate varieties produce fruit all at once and are probably the easiest to manage indoors. And since they tend to be quite compact, they won’t take up much space in your living area.

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Steps To Grow Cherry Tomatoes Inside

These plants are summer annuals, which means they stop producing fruit when the weather turns cold. In a typical garden setting, a cherry tomato plant will only have one growing season: it’ll bloom, ripen, produce seeds, and die within a year. But indoors, under careful conditions, it can be coaxed into producing fruit all year round.

Grow Cherry Tomatoes From Seed

Get a jump on the germination process by introducing some extra heat to your seeds. Place your seed trays on a heat mat or over a refrigerator for steady warmth. This will help the seeds sprout more quickly. The faster you can get your seeds sprouting, the sooner you can harvest.

  1. Premoisten your potting mix in a tray or container.
  2. Sprinkle the seeds (about one or two per container) and lightly cover with a layer of soil, approximately ¼ inch deep.
  3. Wait about 4-10 days for your seeds to germinate.
  4. Once they sprout, move your seedlings to a place with full sun.
  5. Transplant: When your plant reaches several inches tall with 3-4 true leaves, it’s time to move it to a larger container.
  6. As you remove the seedling from its container, gently brush its roots. Remove the lower leaves from the stalk and bury it deep.
  7. Daily watering. Cherry tomatoes grown indoors in a container will require a lot of water, especially if they’re exposed to direct sun.
  8. You should see the first ripe fruits within two months of planting.

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How To Care For Your Cherry Tomatoes

Regular pruning can make all the difference — particularly with indeterminate tomatoes. By regularly trimming back your plants, you’re encouraging them to redirect their nutrients to producing more flavorful produce with better yields.

Pruning

Using a clean pair of clippers, prune away any suckers that have grown in the leaf axils (the area where leaves come together with the stem).

Removing unhealthy leaves

Trim leaves when they start to yellow, too. This will help ensure your tomatoes are getting the best possible lighting and air circulation.

Always remember to nourish your plants

Water your seedlings every two to three days, then daily once they begin to produce fruit. When you water, it’s best to water the soil (not the plant itself) deeply and gradually. This helps encourage deep roots and discourage fungal disease.

Promote optimal root growth

Also, cherry tomatoes are heavy feeders, so fertilize weekly. A good fertilizer should be low in nitrogen, but higher in potassium and phosphorus. Aim for a 10-20-10 ratio, which will encourage your plant to grow stronger roots and more fruit. With luck, a well-cared-for plant can continue to produce until frost.

Pollination Assistance

And since you’re growing your cherry tomatoes inside, you’ll have to help pollinate their flowers. You can use a soft brush or your finger to gently move the pollen from the base of the flower to the stigma in the center. If you don’t want to do this by hand, a small electric fan can work too. Do this once every couple of days to ensure optimal fruit production.

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Harvesting And Using Your Cherry Tomatoes

Harvesting

Cherry tomato plants usually flower a month after planting. Afterwards, small green fruits will begin to appear. In a few weeks, these will eventually ripen and turn red, meaning they’re ready to be harvested.

Once ripe, cherry tomatoes should come off the stem easily. Carefully detach the fruit from the stem, making sure not to damage the foliage. Check the fruit daily and harvest ripe tomatoes at regular intervals to encourage further fruit production. If left too long, the fruit may become overripe, split, or rot.

Using Your Cherry Tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes are incredibly versatile. You can eat them straight off the vine or use them in salads, sauces, pastas, pizzas, or in roasted recipes. If you have leftovers, simply refrigerate them and enjoy later. They also make great treats to share! In any case, cherry tomatoes also compost very well and can be used to help your other plants thrive.

Grow, Pick, And Plate Your Very Own Cherry Tomatoes Inside

Start your own little urban farm and feed yourself the freshest, most nutrient-filled cherry tomatoes around. These vibrant fruits grow well inside because they require little space, time, and effort. Unlike many outdoor plants, which require extensive soil prep, cherry tomato plants thrive quite happily in some potting soil and a sunny windowsill. Prune early and often, and you’ll soon enjoy a bumper crop of juicy, delicious cherry tomatoes — perfect for snacking, salads, and whatever else your palate desires!

Take your garden indoors. Gardyn’s compact home hydroponic garden grows 30 plants in only 2 sq ft. Nurture larger plants like tomatoes, strawberries, eggplants, and cucumbers — all without sacrificing precious space. Live and dine the way nature intended. Learn more about Gardyn and start your indoor gardening endeavors today.

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