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Cherry Tomato

发布日期：2025-05-14
Plant-care

📌Overview

Cherry tomatoes are a popular fruiting crop for hydroponic systems. They grow compactly, yield quickly, and produce sweet, juicy fruits perfect for home gardeners. 

🌱Reference Lifecycle

Growth environment

🌞Light

  • Daily Light Hours: 14–16 hours

  • Distance from Plant: 20–30 cm (8–12 inches)

      📌 Tip: Cherry tomatoes are light-hungry. Insufficient light will cause leggy growth and poor fruiting.

💧 Water & Nutrients

  • Water Temperature: 20–25°C (68–77°F)

  • pH Range: 5.8–6.3

  • EC Value(Seedling):1500~2200 μs/cm

  • EC Value(Growing):2200~3500 μs/cm

  • EC Value(Flowering):3500~4000 μs/cm

  • Nutrient Recommendation: Use a balanced hydroponic nutrient solution with a flowering-stage booster (higher in potassium and phosphorus once flowering starts)

🌿 Growth & Care

  • Support Needed: Yes. Use stakes, netting, or trellis.

  • Pollination: Manual shaking or a small fan helps with the indoor fruit set. (Although cherry tomatoes can self-pollinate, you can increase fruit set by gently shaking the flowering branches or using a small brush to move pollen from flower to flower. In a hydroponic indoor setting, this may be necessary to ensure a bountiful harvest.)

  • Pruning: Remove suckers and lower leaves to improve airflow. (Prune your cherry tomato plants to encourage a stronger structure and higher fruit yield. Remove suckers that grow in the axils of leaves to direct more energy to fruit production. Also, trimming lower leaves can reduce the risk of soil-borne disease transferring to your plants. )

  • Time to Harvest: 74–82 days from germination. (The specific timeline depends on the tomato variety and the growing conditions of the hydroponic system. Frequent harvesting encourages the plant to produce more fruit, so don’t be shy about picking ripe tomatoes to enjoy in your salads, snacks, or dishes. )

🍃 Keep the plant well-ventilated and check for whiteflies or mold in humid conditions.

🧺 Harvesting

  • When to Pick: Fruits turn bright red and feel firm but not hard

  • Harvest Method: Gently twist or cut stems with scissors

  • Harvest Frequency: Every 2–3 days during peak fruiting

📝 Notes

  • Cherry tomatoes require more space and care than leafy greens or herbs, but are rewarded with generous harvests.

  • Ideal for experienced beginners or intermediate growers who want to level up.