Tomato, Rainbow Cherry
This heirloom variety produces a mix of red, yellow, orange, and even purple cherry tomatoes, creating a stunning visual display in your garden. The indeterminate plants yield an abundance of sweet and juicy fruits that are perfect for fresh eating, salads, or snacking. Additionally, Rainbow Cherry Tomatoes are excellent for container gardening, making them a great option for those with limited space.
- If planting in a pot, use no smaller than a 3 gallon pot.
- Plant height 36″ – 72″
- Stake or Trellis
- Heavy feeder
- Companion: Basil, Thyme, Marigold
- At the end of the season, when you know there will be a frost, pick all the almost-ripe tomatoes you can, and ripen them in brown bags or spread on newspapers at room temperature.
- Store only sound fruit, at 50-60°F. Do NOT refrigerate and try to avoid having the fruit touch each other.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Zone | 4 – 9 |
| Planting Season | Spring |
| Plant Depth | .25 |
| Fertilizer Type | 4-6-8 |
| Light Requirements | Full Sun |
| Fragrant | n |
| Edible Parts | Fruit |
| Size | 36″ to 72″ |
| Foliage Color | Green |
| Fruit Color | Assorted |
| Germination | 7 to 21 |
| Maturity | 63 to 90 |
| Spacing | 2 ft |
| Determinate/Indeterminate | Indeterminate |
| Hybrid/Open Pollinated | Open Pollinated |
| Genus | Solanum |
| Species | lycopersicum |
| Subspecies | Various |
| Common Name | Tomato, Rainbow Cherry |
- Sow tomato seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost in spring using a seed starting kit
- Sow seeds ¼ inch deep in seed-starting formula
- Keep the soil moist at 75 degrees F
- Seedlings emerge in 7-14 days
- As soon as seedlings emerge, provide plenty of light on a sunny windowsill or grow seedlings 3-4 inches beneath fluorescent plant lights turned on 16 hours per day, off for 8 hours at night. Raise the lights as the plants grow taller. Incandescent bulbs will not work for this process because they will get too hot. Most plants require a dark period to grow, do not leave lights on for 24 hours.
- Seedlings do not need much fertilizer, feed when they are 3-4 weeks old using a starter solution (half strength of a complete indoor houseplant food) according to manufacturer’s directions.
- If you are growing in small cells, you may need to transplant the seedlings to 3 or 4 inch pots when seedlings have at least 3 pairs of leaves before transplanting to the garden so they have enough room to develop strong roots
- Before planting in the garden, seedling plants need to be “hardened off”. Accustom young plants to outdoor conditions by moving them to a sheltered place outside for a week. Be sure to protect them from wind and hot sun at first. If frost threatens at night, cover or bring containers indoors, then take them out again in the morning. This hardening off process toughens the plant’s cell structure and reduces transplant shock and scalding.
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