If you are new to growing tomatoes in South Africa, the cherry variety is an excellent place to start.Â
Unlike other varieties, these grow in an unstoppable abundance, and by the end of the season, you can expect to have a bounty that you will have a hard time knowing what to do with.Â
Although they are smaller than your standard tomato, don’t think that your cherry tomato plant doesn’t require as much space and as much care as any other variety.Â
Cherry tomatoes are wild things, with branches that spread out everywhere and require a specific amount of space as well as trellising to ensure that they don’t lie on the ground and rot. As for care, they are vicious feeders and need their allotted bi-monthly dose of plant food and helping of compost to keep them going.Â
That said, cherry tomatoes, once you get a variety that works for you and that you have no problem caring for, are a must for the garden. In many cases, not only will you need just one or two bushes to keep you fed, but by letting just a single tomato drop into your garden you will never, ever be without these delicious pops of flavour again, trust me!
Varieties of Cherry Tomatoes in South Africa
When it comes to tomatoes, there is such a variety that it can be hard to not want to buy them all.Â
Along with oodles of heirlooms, the way in which tomatoes are pollinated and cross bred means there are also a few wild (what I like to call bush) tomato varieties.Â
On the surface, these wild ones look great, but they have adapted to survive in the wild and in my experience, these types of tomatoes not only have a bitter flavour and a tough skin, but they are a real pest. They seed everywhere, they look like the real deal and you end up bitterly disappointed when you realise what they are. Â
I mention this up front just in case you are either gifted or find this cherry tomato growing in your garden.Â
If you generally shop for your seeds at a chain store (like Builders Warehouse) or a nursery that just stocks the basic seed brands, the varieties you will find will be limited.
Raw Living Seeds is about your best option if you are looking for something unique or unusual (and you’re shopping at a chain nursery). They stock a delightful mixed cherry tomato seed that includes orange or yellow cherry tomatoes, black cherry tomatoes, and the fan favourite red cherry tomato. I have tried the mix and had mixed results. The plants produce well but they tend to be more compact instead of rambling, and as such, they don’t produce as much as I’d like.
Kirtchoffs, which sells under the same banner as Raw Living Seeds, sells the Yellow Pear Tomato, Red Cherry Sweetie, and the Window Box Tomato (which is a red determinate variety bred for containers). I have tried all three of these, and I can say that they have an amazing flavour, the plants are hardy in the heat and as long as you keep picking, you will get an immense amount of tomatoes.
For more interesting varieties, you will need to shop online. We live in such an incredible era, one that gives us access to seed companies, like Living Seeds, who sell the most amazing, comprehensive and affordable range of tomato seeds, including cherry tomatoes.Â
Although I tend to select my cherry tomatoes based on how they look, because I love to grow beautiful things, choosing your tomatoes should really be about the flavour.Â
The Red Cherry Sweetie variety, for instance, is sweet, while the black cherry tomato has a bit more of a tart flavour. The yellow pear is delicious and so are the Window Box tomatoes, which tend to also be a little larger than your average cherry tomato.
There are simply too many varieties to individually list here, so I do encourage you to have a look at online catalogues to get a good idea about which cherry tomatoes will suit your goals.
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Growing Tips for Cherry Tomato Success
Even if you don’t have much experience, you’ll find cherry tomatoes are quite easy to grow and what’s more is that they are generally quite prolific while also being prolific self-seeders; drop one or two in your garden, keep the area moist, and I promise you’ll have around 20 new seedlings to plant elsewhere.Â
Since they are such good self-seeders, you can be sure that they are just as easy to start in seed containers and to later transplant as seedlings. You can follow the usual method of seed starting and once the seedling has more than two leaves, it is ready to go in the ground.Â
Most cherry tomatoes are indeterminate, which means you will need to give the plants some support before they are planted out in the garden. A trellis, such as a bit of wire fencing, or even a tomato cage, works wonders. You should also dig quite a deep hole, planting a decent part of the stem along with the root system. The stem will grow roots in time, giving the tomato plant more stability.Â
Cherry tomatoes, like other tomatoes, benefit from a good deal of sunlight. Make sure they can get at least 6 to 8 hours a day. If you live in the Lowveld like me, 6 hours should suffice and morning light will be better than that harsh afternoon heat.Â
Watering tomatoes is a bit of an art in and of itself. You don’t want to wet the leaves too much as this can encourage disease to spread. In fact, you should trim off any leaves hanging on the ground, to prevent disease from the soil spreading onto your plant. You don’t have to be too heavy handed with your watering. Sometimes tomatoes can benefit from going a few days without, depending of course, on how hot it is.Â
Like your other tomato plants, cherry tomatoes can be heavy feeders. I found it is best to plant the seedlings with ample compost and to feed the plant with a nitrogen rich plant food every second week.Â
In my experience, cherry tomatoes can succumb to red mites in dry weather, so keep an eye out for those pesky critters! I would also suggest growing marigolds (the small bush variety like Boy o Boy) beneath your tomato. These will ward off nematodes.Â
You should also consider pruning, especially if you are growing an indeterminate variety. Pulling off the suckers and pinching early blossoms can direct the plant’s energy towards making more fruits.Â
Delicious Recipe Ideas with Cherry Tomatoes
Once your harvest starts coming in, you will be up to your ears in delicious cherry tomatoes. Generally, home grown tomatoes do quite well in the fridge, but that is only if you can avoid the temptation of gobbling them up in a hurry.Â
Once you have a decent sized crop, these are some delicious ideas to keep in mind:
- A simple salad. Cherry tomatoes are so easy to prepare.Â
- Make a pasta sauce. Place halved cherry tomatoes in an oven dish, add some fresh basil, season with salt and pepper, add a big block of feta, drizzle with olive oil and bake. Once it is cooked, mix it all up and add as much pasta as you like.Â
- Make a chutney.
- Roast the tomatoes and enjoy them on slices of toasted ciabatta bread.
- Eat them fresh as a tasty snack.
