The Seed Sage Guide to Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Central Texas: Tips for a Successful Harvest, Including Trellising Techniques
Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Zone 8b Austin, Texas Hill Country
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Welcome to The Seed Sage Guide on growing cherry tomatoes in Zone 8b- the perfect resource for gardeners seeking success in this specific gardening zone. Central Texas presents unique opportunities and challenges for gardening effectively, and I’m here to take out the guesswork with expert tips and insights to help you cultivate thriving cherry tomato plants.
Cherry tomatoes are, by far, one of my favorite fruits to grow in the garden. I take advantage of my small raised bed growing space by growing them vertically, pruning them in a unique way and giving them simple organic nutrients for high production. By following my advice, you'll be well-equipped to achieve a bountiful harvest in your ATX, Hill Country kitchen garden, including effective trellising techniques for your cherry tomatoes.
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Expert Tips for Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Central Texas
Sunlight and Location
Soil Preparation and Planting
Watering and Mulching
Fertilization Strategies for Thriving Cherry Tomato Plants
Pruning Your Cherry Tomatoes for a Higher Yield
Cherry Tomato Trellising Technique
My Favorite Cherry Tomato Varieties
Expertise Tailored to Central Texas Climate:
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Expert Tips for Growing Cherry tomatoes in the Texas Hill Country
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Sunlight and Location
Ensure your cherry tomato plants receive a minimum of 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Select a sunny location in your garden that maximizes exposure, promoting healthy growth and fruit production. Break the cycle of pests and disease by rotating the location of your tomatoes each year and never plant tomatoes behind a crop of potatoes.
For instance, I have 3 main garden beds. Each year I rotate which bed the tomatoes are grown in and return to planting them in the first bed in the third year. (If you are interested in learning more about plant families and crop rotation, I will have a detailed guide coming out this Fall.)
Garden Bed 1, Year 1 Growing Cherry Tomatoes
Garden Bed 3, Year 3 Growing Cherry Tomatoes.
The ‘dead’ plants are flowers I’ve let remain to support pollinators and will collect seeds for next year’s planting.
Soil Preparation and Planting
All Tomatoes are heavy feeders. They love nitrogen rich soil to form their flowers and fruit. You can enhance your soil's quality by incorporating organic matter like compost or well-rotted manure to improve drainage and fertility. Aim for well-drained soil with a pH level between 6.0 and 6.8. Provide adequate spacing of 2-3 feet between cherry tomato seedlings to allow for air circulation and future growth.
CHOOSING YOUR CHERRY TOMATOES
I always start my cherry tomato plants from seed so I can pick the exact varieties I want to grow. It’s ok if you don’t have time to grow your own plants from seed, you can always pick up plants from your local nursery but make sure to inspect the seedling plants for disease or pests and isolate the plant for 2 weeks before introducing it to the garden.
PLANTING YOUR CHERRY TOMATOES
A technique I learned early in gardening for planting tomatoes is to deeply trench a row where I want to plant my seedling. Tomatoes grow very deep roots. A successful way to get them to root stronger and faster in their new home is to lay the plant on its side in the trench. Backfill the dirt up to the top set of leaves. This establishes a stronger base for the plant’s future weight. Watch the video below to see how I trench.
Watering and Mulching Your Cherry Tomatoes
Deeply water your plants, delivering approximately 1-1.5 inches of water per week, especially during dry spells. Avoid overhead watering to minimize the risk of fungal diseases. Utilize a drip irrigation system or water at the base of the plants. Mulch around the base of the plants with organic materials like straw or wood chips to conserve moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weed growth. My favorite way to mulch is using Coconut Coir like this here.
Fertilizing for Thriving Cherry Tomato Plants
Throughout the growing season I like to take 2 Tablespoons of a well balanced, slow release fertilizer like Microlife + 2 Tablespoons of Epsom Salt around the base of the plants every 2 weeks. This helps improve nutrient uptake and improves flavor and sweetness. Check out more high quality nutrients in my resources section. Below are some suggested approaches to fertilizing your tomatoes.
Compost: Compost is an excellent organic fertilizer that enriches the soil with nutrients and improves its structure. Prior to planting okra, incorporate well-rotted compost into the soil. Additionally, you can use compost as a top dressing around the base of the plants throughout the growing season to provide a slow release of nutrients.
Manure: Well-aged animal manure, such as cow or chicken manure, can be used as a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer. Ensure that the manure has been properly composted to eliminate any potential pathogens and reduce the risk of burning the plants. Apply manure sparingly and mix it into the soil before planting or use it as a side dressing during the growing season.
Worm Castings: Worm castings, also known as vermicompost, are rich in nutrients and beneficial microorganisms. They improve soil fertility and enhance the overall health of your okra plants. Apply worm castings by mixing them into the soil before planting or as a top dressing around the base of the plants. My go-to castings are from VermisTerra and they will not disappoint! Use code ‘theseedsage’ for 10% off. I’ve brought so many struggling plants back to life using this product which is safe and effective!
Fish Emulsion: Fish emulsion is a liquid organic fertilizer made from processed fish. It is a quick-release fertilizer that provides a boost of nutrients to the plants. Dilute fish emulsion according to the instructions on the packaging and use it as a foliar spray or apply it directly to the soil around the base of the plants. Neptune Harvest has a great gentle product.
Organic Fertilizer Blends: There are several commercially available organic fertilizer blends specifically formulated for vegetable gardens. These blends typically contain a mix of natural ingredients such as bone meal, blood meal, and kelp meal. Follow the package instructions for application rates and timings. I use Down To Earth because it is ethically sourced, has compostable packaging and has proven its effectiveness year after year when I amend my beds. Fox Farm Fertilizers are exceptional as well as local Texas made MicroLife fertilizers.
PRO-TIP:
Remember, when using organic fertilizers, it's essential to follow the recommended application rates to avoid over-fertilization, which can harm the plants. Additionally, ensure that the chosen fertilizer is labeled for use in organic gardening.
By incorporating these organic fertilizers into your tomato-growing routine, you can provide your plants with the necessary nutrients for healthy growth while adhering to organic gardening principles.
Pruning Cherry Tomatoes for higher yield
Prune your plants to enhance airflow and sunlight penetration, reducing the risk of diseases and encouraging larger, healthier fruits. With large tomatoes I like to remove suckers—the small side shoots that emerge between the main stem and branches—to redirect energy towards fruit production. However, I take a completely different approach to pruning my indeterminate cherry tomato plants.
Different from large tomatoes, I prune the lateral stems instead of the sucker. This is an effective technique that can significantly increase the crop yield of cherry tomato plants. When cherry tomatoes are left unpruned, they tend to produce a large number of lateral or side stems that can divert the plant's energy away from fruit production. By selectively pruning these lateral stems, you can direct the plant's resources towards developing more abundant and larger fruits. You can see how pruning lateral stems can boost your cherry tomato crop yield in my video on Instagram below.
PRO-TIP:
Remember to use clean and sharp tools when pruning tomatoes to minimize the risk of spreading diseases. It's also important to avoid excessive pruning that may stress the plant. Every pruning cut should be purposeful and aim to improve the overall health, airflow, and productivity of the tomato plants.
By implementing these pruning strategies, you can help your tomato plants stay healthy, vigorous, and productive throughout the growing season.
Why Does Pruning the Lateral Stem Work for Cherry Tomatoes?
1. Enhanced Nutrient Allocation: Pruning lateral stems allows the plant to allocate more nutrients and energy towards fruit production rather than supporting excessive foliage growth. By removing the side shoots, you reduce competition for resources and encourage the plant to prioritize fruit development.
2. Improved Air Circulation and Light Penetration: Dense foliage resulting from unpruned lateral stems can create a microclimate that hinders airflow and limits sunlight penetration to lower parts of the plant. Pruning opens up the canopy, allowing for better air circulation and ensuring that sunlight reaches more areas of the plant. Increased air circulation helps reduce the risk of fungal diseases and improves overall plant health, while better sunlight exposure leads to improved photosynthesis and fruit production.
3. Reduced Risk of Pests and Disease: Overgrown foliage from unpruned lateral stems can create a favorable environment for pests and diseases. The dense foliage provides hiding spots and traps moisture, promoting the growth of harmful pathogens and attracting pests. By pruning lateral stems, you increase airflow, reduce humidity, and create an unfavorable environment for pests and diseases. This proactive approach helps to keep your plants healthy and minimizes the need for chemical interventions.
4. Concentrated Energy on Main Stem: Pruning lateral stems directs the plant's energy towards the main stems and developing fruit clusters. By focusing the plant's resources on fewer stems, it promotes larger and more productive fruit sets. The energy that would have been wasted on lateral growth is redirected to the main stems, resulting in improved fruit quality and higher yields.
When pruning lateral stems, it's important to strike a balance. Removing too many lateral stems can expose the fruits to excessive sunlight and heat, potentially causing sunscald. It's recommended to prune selectively, removing the weaker or excessive side shoots while leaving some intact to maintain foliage cover and protect developing fruits.
By employing proper pruning techniques to manage lateral stems, you can optimize your cherry tomato plants' productivity, leading to increased crop yields, healthier plants, and more abundant harvests. This also makes trellising your cherry tomatoes much easier as they grow.
PRO-TIP:
It's best to wear gloves and long sleeves when pruning tomatoes of any kind. Tomato tar, also known as tar from tomato plants, is a sticky substance secreted by certain varieties of tomatoes. The substance comes from trichomes (little hairs on tomato plants) on the surface of the stems of a tomato plant. You know that recognizable smell that tomato plants have? Trichomes contain chemicals in the form of essential oils that give tomato plants their smell to repel some insects. Tomato plants also have another chemical called acylsugars. Alcylsugars are part of the plant’s defense system that produces a sort of oil that stops insects from wanting to walk on them. Cool, huh!?
Notice the hairs on my cherry tomato plant! These are called trichomes, they help protect the plant from insects, disease, and weather. Trichomes contain chemicals in the form of essential oils that give tomato plants their smell to repel some insects. Tomato plants also have another chemical called acylsugars. Alcylsugars are part of the plant’s defense system that produces a sort of oil that stops insects from wanting to walk on them.
Cherry Tomato Trellising Technique
Trellising cherry tomatoes can maximize space, improve air circulation, and provide support for the plants. Here's a simple trellising technique:
Install sturdy trellis or stakes at the time of planting; I like to grow my tomatoes up an arch like this one. If using stakes, place them about 6 inches away from the base of each cherry tomato plant.
As the plants grow, gently tie the main stem to the trellis or stake using soft plant ties, twine or garden clips like these. Continue securing the stem every few inches as it grows taller.
Encourage branches to grow along the trellis by carefully weaving them through the support structure. This helps distribute the plant's weight and prevents breakage.
Regularly inspect the plants and adjust ties or supports as needed to ensure proper alignment and stability.
My Favorite Cherry Tomato Varieties
Select tomato varieties that thrive in warm climates with a long growing season, such as
Sweet 100
Sun Gold
Yellow Pear
I have an infinite number of suggestions but kept it short. These varieties offer excellent resistance to pests and diseases while delivering abundant clusters of delicious cherry tomatoes.
My 12 Month Central Texas Growing Guide lists all my favorite vegetable and fruit varieties to grow in zone 8B. You can purchase it here.
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