How to Grow Cherry Tomatoes in the City: A Beginner’s Guide to Success
If you’re short on space but still want to grow your own food, cherry tomatoes are one of the best crops to start with. They’re compact, produce a ton of fruit, and thrive in containers, making them perfect for balconies, patios, and even sunny windowsills. Plus, they taste way better than anything you’ll find at the grocery store.
In this blog, we’ll cover everything you need to know to successfully grow cherry tomatoes in an urban environment—from picking the best varieties to handling common pests and growing them step by step.
Getting to know your Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) belong to the nightshade family (Solanaceae), which also includes peppers, eggplants, and potatoes. They’re self-pollinating, meaning they don’t require another plant to set fruit. However, they still benefit from a little help—like a breeze or gentle shake—to distribute pollen from flower to flower.
Unlike larger tomato varieties, most cherry tomatoes ripen quickly and keep producing all season long, but this will depend on the way they grow. Most varieties take 50–70 days from transplanting to start fruiting, making them one of the fastest-producing vegetables you can grow. This time will be about 6-8 weeks longer if you are starting from seed.
Cherry tomatoes can grow in one of two ways, determinate (bushy) or indeterminate (vining) growth habit:
Determinate varieties grow to a fixed height and produce fruit all at once.
Indeterminate varieties keep growing and producing fruit until frost.
For urban gardening, either type can work. It just depends on the growing space you have available and how you want to use your crop.
Best Cherry Tomato Varieties for Small Spaces
Not all cherry tomatoes are the same! Here are three of the best for urban gardeners:
1. Sun Gold
Why it’s great: One of the sweetest cherry tomatoes you’ll ever taste! Bright orange, prolific, and easy to grow.
Growth habit: Indeterminate and needs to be staked.
Days to maturity: 57 days
2. Tiny Tim
Why it’s great: A true dwarf variety perfect for small pots and even windowsills.
Growth habit: Determinate (stays compact, about 12 inches tall).
Days to maturity: 50 days
3. Black Cherry
Why it’s great: Deep purple, rich-flavored tomatoes that add variety to your harvest.
Growth habit: Indeterminate and needs to be staked.
Days to maturity: 65 days
Common Pests and Diseases
Urban gardens aren’t immune to pests and diseases. In general the best way to manage pest and disease is to create a balanced healthy environment for your plants to grow in, but if you encounter problems here’s a few you will most likely come across:
Common Pests
Aphids – These tiny bugs are found in various colors, ranging from black to bright yellow, and they tend to cluster on new growth. Solution: It’s best to catch them early. A strong spray of water can effectively remove them. If that doesn’t work, a neem oil solution should do the trick. I recommend treating the plants in the morning so that the water can dry by evening and the neem oil can dry before the sun hits the leaves, preventing them from getting burned.
Tomato Hornworms – These insects are large green caterpillars that strip leaves. Solution: Hand-pick them off when you see them. Creating a balanced ecosystem that encourages ladybugs and parasitic wasps to visit will help control the hornworm.
Whiteflies – Small flying insects that suck plant sap. Solution: As with aphids, a spray of water can effectively control whiteflies if dealt with early. Use yellow sticky traps or insecticidal soap. The best way to control these and most other pests is to make your garden comfortable for beneficial insects like parasitic wasps and lacewings.
Common Diseases
Blossom End Rot – Black sunken spots on the fruit, caused by calcium deficiency and inconsistent watering. Solution: Doing a soil test can help you determine your fertilizer plan before you start planting. If the soil is deficient, calcium can be supplemented at planting. During the growing season keep the soil mulched and evenly moist but not soggy. If the rot shows up on your plants, remove infected fruits and throw them in the trash.
Early Blight – Yellowing leaves with brown spots, usually from damp conditions. Solution: Give your tomato plants enough space when you plant them. Use mulch to help keep water in the soil. Avoid overhead watering and remove infected leaves.
Powdery Mildew – White powdery fungus on leaves is commonly found in humid environments and can spread easily through wind and rain. Solution: Ensure good airflow by pruning dead leaves and encouraging vertical growth. Keep your garden and tools clean to eliminate and prevent the spread of spores. Consider growing cultivars, such as the Indigo Rose Cherry Tomato, that are resistant to powdery mildew. If you experience an infestation, it may be necessary to remove the affected plant and dispose of it in the trash or by burning.
How to Grow Cherry Tomatoes Successfully
(Insert a step-by-step photo series: seed starting, transplanting, supporting the plant, and harvesting.)
Whether you're starting from seed or using transplants, here’s how to set yourself up for success.
1. selecting the right variEty for you
There are many different types of cherry tomato varieties to choose from, and some of our favorites are listed above. That being said you may want to grow something else. Here are a few things to consider before making your selection:
Location- Do you have enough space? Some tomatoes need more space than others to stay healthy and grow delicious fruit.
Use- Do you want all your tomatoes at the same time so you can make pasta sauce, or do you want to be able to continually harvest throughout the season for a daily salad? Determinate varieties will give you tomatoes all at once, while indeterminate varieties offer fruit all season long.
Flavor- What flavors and colors do you want on your plate? There are many colors, from orange to deep purple with flavors from sweet to sweet and tangy.
2. Choosing the Right Place and Setup
Containers:
Container size: For each plant, choose a container that is at least a 5-gallons with drainage holes. Bigger is better for indeterminate varieties.
Soil: Use light, well-draining potting mix, not regular garden soil.
Sunlight: Tomatoes need at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily, closer to 8 hours is best. South-facing spots are ideal.
Support: Use a stake, tomato cage, or trellis to support the plant as it grows.
Raised beds or in-ground:
Spacing: Compact tomatoes can be planted as close as 1 foot, while some determinate and indeterminate need 2-3 feet.
Soil: Tomatoes are heavy feeders, so make sure the soil is rich with organic matter, well-draining, and slightly acidic.
Sunlight: Tomatoes need at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily, closer to 8 hours is best. South-facing spots are ideal.
Support: Use a stake, tomato cage, or trellis to support the plant as it grows.
3. Growing From Seed
Start indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost in small seed trays.
Keep soil warm (70–80°F) and moist. A heat mat helps with germination.
Once seedlings have 2–3 sets of leaves, transplant them into larger pots, in-ground, or in your raised beds.
4. Growing From a Transplant
Plant deep: Tomatoes can grow roots along their stems, so bury them up to the first set of leaves when transplanting.
Space plants 18–24 inches apart if growing in raised beds.
5. Caring for Your Cherry Tomato Plants
Watering: Keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. When needed, water deeply 1-2 times per week and 2-3 times in hot weather. Make sure you check the soil before watering so you are not over watering your tomatoes.
Fertilizing: Use a balanced organic fertilizer when planting, then a low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus fertilizer once flowering starts. Getting a soil test ahead of time, especially if you are planting in the ground, will help you figure out an effective fertilizer plan.
Pruning: Remove suckers (small shoots between stems) to direct energy to fruit production and promote good airflow.
Pollination: When growing outside in an open space nature will take care of this for you. If you’re growing indoors or in a low-wind area gently shaking the flowers will help encourage better pollination.
Protection: Tomatoes are warm-season crops that thrive in dry weather with temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. While they can tolerate slight variations in temperature, they can’t withstand very cold weather. During extreme weather conditions, protect your plants using shade cloth in hot weather and frost cloth when it's cold. If your tomatoes are in pots, move them to a sheltered location during harsh conditions and return them to their original spot once the weather improves.
Harvesting Cherry Tomatoes
When to harvest: Harvest cherry tomatoes when they are fully colored and slightly soft. They typically ripen on the vine in about 50 to 70 days. If your tomatoes attract many pests, consider picking them when they begin to blush halfway up the fruit. Blushing occurs when the fruit starts to change from green to its final color.
How to harvest: Twist gently or use scissors to avoid damaging the plant.
Storage: Store at room temperature, not in the fridge (cold ruins their texture and flavor).
Conclusion: Get Growing!
Cherry tomatoes are one of the easiest and most rewarding crops for city gardeners. They don’t need much space, they produce tons of fruit, and they taste so much better than store-bought ones.
By choosing the right variety, keeping an eye out for pests, and following these simple growing tips, you’ll be harvesting sweet, juicy tomatoes all summer long. Whether you have a small balcony or just a sunny window, there’s always room for cherry tomatoes in your urban garden!
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Happy growing!
With love & gratitude,
Jennifer & Janet
