Care and Fertilizing Methods for Cherry Tomatoes After They Set Fruit

Once cherry tomatoes have set fruit, it is not all plain sailing. If you want the fruit to be plentiful and sweet and to keep harvesting later on, the three steps of pruning, fertilizing and disease prevention are all indispensable! Today I will explain the specific operations to you properly.

Pruning after Fruiting

Pruning promptly after fruit set both reduces wasted nutrients and lets new branches grow sturdier. Remember these 3key points:
 
1. When the tomatoes are 6parts ripe, keep one thick side branch at the base, cut off the main branch that has already fruited, and let this side branch become the new "main force", so it can continue to flower and fruit later.

2.Cut away directly the branches at the base that block airflow, and just keep 3healthy leaves and branches above each fruit cluster (used for photosynthesis to make nutrients); remove all the remaining overcrowded branches and diseased or weak branches so they do not compete for nutrients or block airflow.

3.Be sure to prune on a sunny morning! At this time wounds heal quickly and are less likely to become infected with pathogens; after pruning, do not water at first, put the plant in a well-ventilated place to let the wounds dry, and wait 1-2days before returning to normal care.

Fertilizing and Watering
 
Cherry tomatoes consume a huge amount of nutrients during the fruiting period. If water and fertilizer are not given correctly, the fruit tends to be small, poor in taste, or even drop off!
 
1.Focus on supplementing high-phosphorus and high-potassium fertilizers, such as bone meal fertilizer and monopotassium phosphate (both diluted in water and watered onto the roots or sprayed on the leaves work), together with organic fertilizers such as decomposed sheep manure, which can both promote fruit swelling and prevent premature aging of the plant, so the fruit is sweet, sour and juicy.

2.Insert a chopstick 2cminto the soil; if it comes out without soil stuck to it, it is time to water, and water thoroughly but do not let water accumulate. During the flowering period you can water a little less (but not too dry), which promotes fruit set; after fruit set, return to a normal watering frequency to ensure the needs of fruit growth.

tips: Never water at noon during hot seasons! Watering in the morning and evening is best, to avoid a large temperature difference stressing the roots.

Pest and Disease Control
 
During the fruiting period the plant is weak and prone to pests and diseases, especially these two, which need to be controlled with priority:
 
1. Powdery mildew: a white powder appears on the leaves. At the first sign, spray with Luna Sensation (diluted 1:1000), and do not wait until it has spread to treat it.

2. Late blight: dark green water-soaked spots appear on the leaves. Control it with Yinfa (diluted 1:1000); as soon as you find diseased leaves, remove them at once and bury them deep or burn them, do not leave them in the pot to spread infection!

In addition, while preventing disease you can also spray the leaves with a 0.3%monopotassium phosphate solution, which both supplies nutrients and boosts resistance, killing two birds with one stone.

 
Points to Note
 
1. Never, for the sake of a "tidy"look cut the leaves back too ruthlessly; you must leave enough functional leaves for photosynthesis, otherwise the fruit cannot grow big!

2.Remember "light fertilizer, applied frequently"; applying too much at once easily burns the roots and instead causes leaf drop and fruit drop. Better to apply a little more often than to be greedy for more.