How to Grow Grape Tomatoes
Just a few years ago, grape tomatoes were largely an unknown fruit. They
seemed to hit the marketplace by storm. People found these cherry sized,
egg-shaped fruit, to be sweeter and tastier than regular cherry tomatoes.
Gardeners like you and me, quickly added them to your gardens.
In the marketplace, grape tomatoes have quickly become very popular,
despite a higher price tag. The higher price has to do with the extra labor
it takes to harbor the small fruits. Being a little smaller than cherry tomatoes,
it take more effort to fill a container for the marketplace. As gardeners,
we give little or no thought to the extra time to harvest. The taste is well
worth the effort!
Growing Grape Tomatoes:
Generally speaking, grow grape tomatoes just like any tomato variety. They
prefer full sun, and a rich garden soil.
It is best to start your grape tomato plants indoors. Plant them in small
containers eight to ten weeks before the last frost date for your area. Just
prior to planting them in your garden, "harden them off" by bringing them
outside during the daytime and for increasing hours, until you are leaving
them out overnight. Use of a coldframe is recommended, but not a requirement.
If frost is predicted, bring them indoors.
On planting day, pour liberal amounts of water with a soluble liquid fertilizer
on them. Plant them in the garden carefully. To minimize transplant shock,
avoid disturbing the roots. Normal spacing is 24 " apart, in rows 30" to
36" apart.
Fertilize on a regular basis. Early applications should be high in nitrogen.
As soon as blossoming occurs, switch to fertilizers which are higher in
Phosphorus and Potassium. Too much Nitrogen fertilizer results in lots
of lush green leaves, and little fruit. A fertilizer specifically formulated
for tomatoes, will help to maximize your crop.
Try Jobes Fertilizer spikes.
Keep your grape tomato plants well watered. Deep watering is preferable,
over more frequent, light watering. You want moisture to go deep to all the
roots of the plant. Water directly to the roots. Keep water off the leaves
if at all possible. Tomatoes are susceptible to plant disease that grows
in wet, humid conditions.
Caging or staking grape tomatoes, is highly recommended. We consider it a
must. You can also plant them next to a fence, and tie them to the fence
as they grow.
More on staking tomato plants
Days to Maturity:
Grape tomato plants will grow at about the same speed as other tomato plants.
The small fruit takes less time to grow and ripen. The fruit should begin
to ripen about 70 days after you set them out into the garden.
Cold and hot spells will affect fruit development and growth. Fruit set will
not occur below 55 degrees or above 90 degrees Farenheit.
Insects and Pests:
Tomatoes can experience insect problems with cutworms and a few other garden
pests. Also, if not staked or caged, snails and slugs will munch on the ripening
fruit.
Disease:
A number of plant problems can arise, usually in mid summer heat and humidity.
Blights and fungus infections can occur in the high humidity. Early treatment
with fungicides is effective. Spacing plants too close cuts down air circulation
and promotes disease.
Blossom end rot can also affect the fruit. This is a round, brown, indented
spot on the bottom of the tomato. It is caused by either uneven watering
or a lack of calcium in the soil.
More
on Blossom End Rot.
Tip: Do not water at night if possible in hot and humid weather if
possible. Moisture and humidity combined with high temperatures promotes
plant diseases. If possible, water at the roots.
Hardiness:
Tomatoes like it hot! They will die if exposed to frost. Make sure to plant
them after the last frost.
Tip#1: Cover your young seedling if frost is predicted. A simple and
easy cover for small seedlings is to buy large or extra large plastic
disposable cups. Place them over the seedling at dusk, and remove them in
the morning. There is usually little or no wind on nights with frost, so
they are not easily tipped over.
Tip#2: If you get a light frost overnight and you did not cover up
your plants. Go out early before the sun rises, and spray your plants with
the garden hose. This melts the ice off the plants and may save them.
Harvesting and Storing Tomatoes:
Tomatoes store well in a cool, dry location. Do not put them in the refrigerator.
While they last longer in the refrigerator, they will lose their flavor and
texture. Keep them out of direct sunlight.
Just before frost, pick tomatoes while the are still green or orange. Wash
them thoroughly. Rinse in a light solution of 1 gallon of water and a tablespoon
of bleach. This kills off bacteria that rots the fruit. Allow them to dry,
then put them in a cool, dry, dark place.
To ripen tomatoes indoors, bring a couple at a time to a warm, sunny window.
Are tomatoes a fruit or a vegetable? It's a frequently asked
question. While we all grow tomatoes in our vegetable garden, they are actually
classified as a fruit. The U.S. Congress debated this in 1893.
Read
the ruling.
A Tomato Press makes fast work preparing
sauce and juice for canning and cooking.
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Other Resources:
Tomato
Mania In-depth information and advice from Garden
Hobbies
Problems
with Tomatoes
Homemade Tomato and Vegetable
Juice
Our Garden Recipe Collection
Buy Tomato Seeds
Buy Hot Kaps
Veggie Cages Throw away the wire and hoop cages.
This revolutionary cage expands a whopping 7ft! Stores flat in almost no
space. Try them on sweet peas, tomatoes, pole beans, and other climbing climbing
flowers and vegetables. |
