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How to Grow Matt's Wild Cherry Tomato

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Matt's Wild Cherry Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme

vegetable

Matt's Wild Cherry is a vigorous, indeterminate heirloom tomato variety prized for its abundant clusters of small, sweet cherry tomatoes. This cultivar is known for exceptional flavor, disease resistance, and prolific production throughout the growing season. It's a favorite among gardeners for fresh eating and its ability to thrive in challenging conditions.

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Example Matt's Wild Cherry Tomato timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

  1. Plant Matt's Wild Cherry Tomato

    Around Apr 17

    Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.

  2. Tend & protect

    Late spring–summer

    Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.

  3. Harvest Matt's Wild Cherry Tomato

    Around Jun 26

    ≈ 70 days after planting

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Matt's Wild Cherry Tomato dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

☀️
Sun: Full sun, 8+ hours daily (more sun increases sweetness and yield)
💧
Water: Consistent, deep watering 1-2 inches per week; water at soil level to prevent disease; more frequent watering in hot climates and during fruiting
📏
Spacing: 24-36 inches
📅
Days to maturity: 70-80 days from transplant to first fruit
🌱
Planting depth: ¼ inch for seeds; transplants should be buried deeper than original depth, up to the first true leaves

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy soil rich in organic matter
pH: 6.0-6.8
Amendments:
Compost Aged manure Perlite for drainage Calcium (crushed eggshells or gypsum to prevent blossom end rot)

Growing Zones

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Thrives in zones 5-9, but can be grown in zone 4 with season extension

3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b

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Growth Stages

1

Seedling

3-4 weeks

Germination occurs in 5-10 days at 70-80°F. Seedlings develop cotyledons followed by true leaves. Remains compact and tender.

Provide 14-16 hours of bright light daily; keep soil moist but not waterlogged; maintain warm temperatures; thin seedlings or transplant to individual containers at 2-3 true leaves

2

Vegetative Growth

4-6 weeks after transplanting

Plant develops a strong central stem with lateral branches and compound leaves. Roots establish deeply. Plant grows 4-6 inches per week in optimal conditions.

Harden off seedlings before transplanting outdoors; install sturdy support stakes or cages early; apply balanced fertilizer every 2-3 weeks; prune lower branches once plant is 12 inches tall for air circulation

3

Flowering

Begins 4-6 weeks after transplanting, continues until frost

Small yellow flowers appear in clusters (indeterminate varieties flower continuously). Flowers are self-fertile and attractive to pollinators.

Maintain consistent watering to prevent flower drop; avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizer which promotes foliage over flowers; provide gentle air movement to aid pollination; temperature ideally 70-85°F for good pollen viability

4

Fruiting

Continues until first frost (indeterminate type)

Green marble-sized fruits develop in clusters of 10-20+ per stem. Fruits gradually ripen to bright red over 20-30 days. Matt's Wild Cherry is exceptionally prolific.

Switch to higher potassium fertilizer (lower nitrogen); maintain deep, consistent watering; remove some fruiting clusters on heavily-loaded branches to focus energy on quality fruit; harvest ripe fruit regularly to encourage continued production

5

Harvest & End of Season

Typically 2-3 months from first fruit to frost

Plant continues producing fruit until temperatures drop below 50°F or frost arrives. Fruits become smaller and less frequent as season winds down.

Pick all mature green tomatoes before frost; ripen indoors at 68-77°F; pull entire plant before hard freeze; compost disease-free plants or save seeds from healthiest fruit

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Basil Parsley Marigolds Borage Carrots Onions Garlic Nasturtiums

Avoid planting near:

Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower) Fennel Potatoes Corn Dill

Common Pests

  • Hand-pick caterpillars; encourage parasitic wasps; spray with spinosad if infestation is severe

  • Use yellow sticky traps; spray insecticidal soap; encourage beneficial insects; reflective mulch can deter

  • Increase humidity; spray with water to dislodge; use neem oil or insecticidal soap; introduce predatory mites

  • Remove lower infected leaves; improve air circulation; mulch to prevent soil splash; apply copper fungicide; water at soil level only

  • Remove infected leaves promptly; avoid overhead watering; apply copper or chlorothalonil fungicide; ensure adequate spacing

Uses

🍳

Fresh Eating & Snacking

Culinary

Matt's Wild Cherry tomatoes are exceptionally sweet and flavorful, making them ideal for eating fresh, whole snacking, and salads. Their abundant production means you'll have plenty for fresh use throughout the season. [source]

🍳

Preserving & Sauce

Culinary

The prolific harvest makes these tomatoes excellent for canning, making tomato sauce, paste, and preserves. Their small size means less processing time per fruit. [source]

💊

Antioxidant Content

Medicinal

Cherry tomatoes are particularly high in lycopene and other antioxidants when fully ripened on the vine. These compounds have been associated with various health benefits including heart health. [source]

🎨

Seed Saving

Craft

As an heirloom variety, Matt's Wild Cherry produces viable seeds that breed true. Saving seeds from your healthiest, most productive plants maintains vigor for future seasons. [source]

🦋

Pollinator & Wildlife Support

Wildlife

The abundant flowers attract bees and other beneficial pollinators throughout the season, supporting garden ecosystem health and potentially improving fruit set on other plants. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

Pick fruit when fully red and slightly soft to touch; harvest regularly (every 2-3 days at peak season) to encourage continued production; fruit ripens on the vine and develops maximum sweetness; can be picked at turning stage (pink/orange) and ripened indoors; store at room temperature away from direct sunlight for best flavor (never refrigerate as cold damages flavor and texture)

Fun Facts

  • 🌱 Matt's Wild Cherry was bred by breeder Matt Liebman as a high-yielding, disease-resistant heirloom variety, combining wild tomato genetics for exceptional hardiness with cultivated tomato size and flavor.
  • 🌱 A single well-established plant can produce 2,000-3,000+ fruits in a season under optimal conditions, with some growers reporting yields exceeding 5 pounds per plant.
  • 🌱 The variety is noted for its resistance to late blight and early blight, traits inherited from wild tomato species that make it particularly valuable for organic and minimal-input gardening systems.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Compost Cultivar Full Sun Germination Heirloom Pollination Transplant True Leaves
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