Cherry Tomato - Solanum Lycopersicum

🍅Why You’ll Love It

✔Prolific Producer– A single plant yields hundreds of sweet, snack-sized fruits all season.
✔Perfect for Pots– Thrives in containers on sunny balconies, patios, and windowsills.
✔Beginner Friendly– Easier to grow than larger tomatoes, with faster results.
✔Kid-Approved– Getting children to eat veggies is easy when they can pick them straight from the vine!

🌱 Growth & Appearance
Types: Both determinate (bush) and indeterminate (vining) varieties available.
Height: 1–1.5m+ tall (requires support for best results).
Fruit: Small, round, oval, or pear-shaped fruits in red, yellow, orange, and even purple!
Habit: Fast-growing and vigorous. Often indeterminate, meaning it fruits continuously.

🏆 Survival Superpowers
Heat Tolerant: Handles UAE heat better than many larger tomato varieties.
Disease Resistant: Many modern varieties are bred for strong disease resistance.
Continuous Harvest: Keep picking, and it will keep producing!

☀️ Light & Location
Non-Negotiable: Full sun! Requires a minimum of 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily.
Best: The sunniest spot you have—a south-facing balcony, patio, or garden plot.
Avoid: Shady areas (results in leggy growth and poor fruiting).

💦 Watering
Key Rule: Consistent moisture is key. Inconsistent watering can cause fruit splitting.
Summer: Water deeply daily in pots; every 1-2 days in the ground. Always water at the base.
Check Soil: Soil should be moist but not waterlogged. Pots dry out faster!
Mulch: Use mulch to retain moisture and keep roots cool in containers and gardens.

🌡️ Climate & Soil Tips
Ideal temp: 21–29°C. Pollination can slow in extreme heat (>35°C).
Soil: Rich, well-draining potting mix. Add compost for nutrients.
UAE Hack: Use large pots (at least 30-40 cm deep) to prevent drying out too fast. Provide light afternoon shade in peak summer to protect fruit from sunscald.

✂️ Maintenance & Harvesting
Support: Essential! Use small tomato cages, stakes, or trellises to support vines.
Pruning: For indeterminate types, prune lower leaves and some suckers to improve air flow. Less critical for bushes.
Feeding: Heavy feeder! Fertilize every 2-3 weeks with a tomato-specific or high-potassium fertilizer.
Harvest: Pick when fruits are fully colored and firm. They should come off the vine easily.

🚀 Pro Tips for UAE Gardeners
Flowers but no fruit? → Gently shake the plant around midday to aid pollination, especially if grown indoors or on a sheltered balcony.
Fruit splitting? → Usually caused by a sudden heavy watering after the soil dried out. Keep water consistent!
Leaf curl? → Can be a sign of heat stress or over/under-watering. Check soil moisture and provide shade during the hottest part of the day.
Pests: Watch for whiteflies and aphids. Spray with a strong jet of water or use insecticidal soap.