- Type
- Fruiting Vegetables
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Season
- Summer
- Sowing
- Transplant
Cherry Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme
Lycopene-rich, bite-sized tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes are a small-fruited type of tomato, prized for their bite-sized sweetness and counted among the easiest crops to grow on a balcony or in a pot. Their nutrients and benefits are the same as a standard tomato, led by the red pigment lycopene along with vitamin C, and cooking them boosts how much lycopene your body absorbs. For the full research details, see the main tomato page.
Year-Round Calendar
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How to grow
- Light
- It wants a lot of sun
- Soil and depth
- 30cm deep or more; 15 litres in a pot
- Spacing
- 45cm
- Watering
- Even. Uneven watering splits the fruit
- Feeding
- Every fortnight
- Harvest
- Pick as each one colours, by the truss or singly
What makes the difference. Far easier than a full-size tomato. A good first fruiting crop for a balcony. It still needs its side shoots pinched
Common problems
- Blossom end rot You will see A black patch underneath What to do Water evenly
- Aphids You will see Sticky new growth What to do Wash them off
This page describes how a crop is grown and used. It does not claim health effects for any food, nor is it intended to prevent or treat disease. Component and study notes are references only and do not mean the same result occurs in people. Consult a medical professional about health concerns.
Health Benefits
Same as tomato — shared evidence. The cherry tomato is a small-fruited variety of the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and shares its compounds, including lycopene, and its body of human research with the standard tomato. For the full breakdown of nutrients, benefits, and the supporting studies, see the main tomato page.
Nutrition
- Lycopene (red carotenoid) — Antioxidant (absorption increases when cooked)
- Vitamin C & potassium — Antioxidant; blood pressure support
Pairings
○ Olive oil — Eaten with fat, the fat-soluble lycopene is absorbed more readily.
○ Mozzarella (Caprese) — Paired with cheese and basil, the sweetness and acidity both come alive.
○ Salads & lunchboxes — Easy to rinse and toss in whole, making them a staple for lunchboxes and salads.
Source: Rural Development Administration (Nongsaro)