Fertilizing cherry tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes are among the easiest tomato plants to grow. They often bear fruit before larger tomato types and suffer fewer diseases. Cherry tomatoes flower and bear fruit all season long, and may grow on long, robust vines, depending on the cultivar. They need plenty of nutrition to keep up with all that growth. Either organic or synthetic nitrogen fertilizers work well for feeding cherry tomatoes, depending on your preference, but take care not to overfeed them.

1. Spread 1 to 2 inches of composted manure on the garden in spring. Till it in to a depth of 6 inches to provide a slow-release source of nitrogen that will fertilize the plants most of the summer as well as improve drainage and soil texture.
2. Apply additional fertilizer when the cherry tomatoes begin to set fruit. Spread a shovelful of manure around the base of the plant and water well. Alternatively, spread granular nitrogen fertilizer for vegetables around the base of the plant, at half the recommended amount.
3. Reapply manure or granular fertilizer every 4 to 6 weeks until plants wane in the fall.