Cherry tomatoes are one of the earliest types of tomatoes. Among gardeners, such varieties are rapidly beginning to gain popularity and there is nothing strange about this. After all, they are very beautiful, productive and have a rather pleasant sweetish taste.
They attract people with their compactness and rapid maturation. Cherry tomatoes can be used not only for preparing various dishes, but also for decorating them.
Advantages
Cherry tomatoes are very popular due to the fact that they have a large number of advantages, which include:
- All of the sweetest cherry varieties grow in clusters, not singly. This makes harvesting much easier.
- Tomato fruits do not crack or spoil, so they can be stored for a long time.
- Cherry tomatoes are compact in size and do not require painstaking chopping when preparing snacks.
- Tomato fruits have a fairly bright color, so they can be used not only to create dishes, but also to decorate the table.
- Cherry tomatoes have a small root system, which allows them to be grown in small planting containers.
Benefits and harms
Before growing and consuming, you need to familiarize yourself with the benefits and harms of cherry tomatoes. Is undeniable the benefits of such tomatoes, since they have the same beneficial properties as other varieties. Cherry tomatoes contain a large amount of sugars, vitamins and antioxidants. They also contain many elements that benefit the human body: sulfur, iodine, chromium, phosphorus, calcium and iron.
Why are cherry tomatoes so beneficial? The following beneficial properties of such tomatoes exist:
- Thanks to vitamin K, they improve kidney function and help absorb calcium.
- They contain a lot of lycopene, which reduces the likelihood of cancer and diseases of the cardiovascular system, stomach and esophagus. This element also helps the body dissolve fats better.
- Serotonin, which is part of cherry tomatoes, replaces antidepressants and improves mood.
However, in addition to the benefits, such tomatoes can also cause harm. Some people are advised not to consume cherry tomatoes. These include:
- Patients with ulcers.They should not eat tomatoes during remission. Cherry fruits contain many organic acids that can harm the gastric mucosa.
- People with impaired metabolism.
- Allergy sufferers. They are contraindicated in eating red vegetables or fruits.
- People with cholelithiasis. Cherry tomatoes are classified as choleretic products, so you should not abuse them if you have this disease.
Classification of varieties
There are a huge number of different varieties of cherry tomatoes. They may differ in size, color, shape and weight. Some of them were created specifically for planting indoors or outdoors. All varieties of cherry tomatoes can be divided into three groups.
Determinant
These include low-growing cherry tomatoes, which are best suited for growing at home. Their characteristic features are low bushes of about 40 cm and low weight of ripe fruits.
Such early varieties are suitable for beginning gardeners, as they are very unpretentious and easy to grow.
For example, they do not need to be pinched regularly, since all their shoots end in a brush. However, if the dwarf bushes begin to grow seriously, you will have to start trimming the excess branches. It is not recommended to remove excess leaves, as this may reduce the amount of harvest.
Majority determinate tomatoes ripen quickly. On average, this process takes about 90 days. More than 20 fruits ripen on one bush at a time. The main advantage of such tomatoes is their compact size, thanks to which you can grow the plant at home in small pots.
Indeterminate
Almost all the best varieties of cherry tomatoes fall into this category.You can grow indeterminate tomatoes both outdoors and in greenhouses. Such bushes are more demanding to care for: they need to be regularly pruned, watered, and sometimes replanted. However, the fruits of such varieties are larger and juicier.
Indeterminate tomatoes need to be pinched periodically so that the bushes do not waste their energy on unnecessary shoots. After pinching, all nutrients will be directed to the development of the fruit. The shoots are pruned in the morning in sunny weather so that the cuts heal faster.
The technology for growing such tomatoes is no different from growing other types. Seeds are sown at the end of March so that the seedlings can be transplanted at the beginning of May.
Semi-determinant
Such tomatoes are something between low-growing and tall bushes. They are quite compact, so they can be grown at home and in greenhouses. The plant is actively developing until 8-10 brushes appear on its bushes. After this, they completely stop their development.
When growing semi-determinate varieties, you have to engage in pinching. At the same time, it is not recommended to remove many leaves from the bushes. It is necessary to leave at least 25 pieces so that they help the plant in very hot conditions.
Most popular varieties
A characteristic with a description of each variety will help novice vegetable growers become better acquainted with their distinctive features and understand which tomatoes are best to grow.
Barberry
This variety was created for cultivation in greenhouse conditions. Reviews from many gardeners indicate that it cannot be planted in open ground, since the bushes do not cope well with temperature changes.
During the growth period, the bushes grow up to two meters in height, so you have to tie them to a support and periodically trim them. During the formation of the bush, it is better to leave only two stems. This will be enough to get a good harvest.
The fruits on the bushes are collected in clusters, which contain about 65 tomatoes. They have a smooth surface and oval shape. After full ripening, the weight of the largest fruit is 50 grams. Fruiting of barberry lasts throughout the summer and ends in early autumn.
White nutmeg
This tomato can be grown in almost any region of the country. However, in the middle zone it is recommended to plant it in a greenhouse, since the plant does not tolerate low temperatures well.
A distinctive feature of the variety are bushes that grow up to two and a half meters. Without a garter, plants do not stand for very long, so it is better to immediately attach them to a support.
The advantage of the variety is its resistance to many diseases. When growing White nutmeg, you don’t have to worry that the bushes will get sick and die.
The fruits are pear-shaped and have golden skin, which distinguishes them from other varieties. Ripe cherry tomatoes weigh about 30 grams. They can be used for processing, canning and fresh consumption.
Delight
These tomatoes can be planted outside or in a greenhouse. Tomato bushes are not as tall as previous varieties and are only one and a half meters. However, they also need to be periodically pinched and tied up. To get more yield, it is recommended to form bushes with two or three stems.
Ripe fruits are round in shape and reddish in color. Their weight is about 40 grams. They differ from other tomatoes in their sweetness.The Delight tomato is often used during canning and creating various snacks. It can be added to any recipe that calls for tomatoes.
Thumbelina
This early-ripening variety fully ripens 95 days after planting. It is recommended to grow it in greenhouse conditions, since the bushes cannot cope with spring night frosts. The height of the plant is one and a half meters, so it must be tied to a support.
Tomato bushes produce smooth and rounded red fruits, weighing only 20 grams. Thumbelina's yield is quite good. From one square meter you can harvest five kilograms of tomatoes.
The main advantages of the variety include its taste and resistance to the most common diseases.
Irishka
Irishka will appeal to people who like low-growing varieties. It is ideal for planting in open ground. The growing season of the plant is on average 95 days. Tomato bushes do not need to be tied up, since their height is only 50-60 cm.
The rounded fruits are pink. The weight of each of them is 75 grams. Irishka differs from other tomatoes in its taste. Irishka's fruits are the most delicious and juicy, so they are often used to create sauces and ketchups. From one square meter of plot you can harvest ten kilograms of tomatoes.
The main advantages of tomatoes include their resistance to disease, suitability for transportation and ability to withstand temperature changes.
Conclusion
Growing cherry seeds is quite simple. To do this, just find out how many of the most common varieties of such tomatoes exist and choose the most suitable one.
