grape tomatoGrape tomatoes are luscious little tomatoes that taste “Oh so sweet”. They’re easy to grow but the cost of harvest and packaging make them a lot more expensive at the grocery store. If you like to have a handful of grape tomato ready for snacking at any given moment this summer then you should follow this vegetable planting schedule and begin early in the spring before the snow is off the ground. If you live in warmer climates, start any time the ground is warm and any danger of frost has vanished. Your season is long enough to grow the tasty treats right in the ground.
Planting Guide Time to Plant: 6 to 8 weeks indoors Germination time: Approximately 7 - 10 Days Days to Harvest: 60 - 70 Planting Depth: 0.25 -0.25 Transplant: When two true leaves appear and after last frost.
How to Grow Grape Tomato Plants
Those with frost in their area need to plant the grape about eight weeks before the last heavy frost. Just like all vegetable planting times, the date varies from location to location. If you’re an avid gardener, then consider building a cold frame. The cold frame is easy to build and gives you a head start without endangering your small plants.
A sterile starting medium is best to use. Put holes in the bottom for drainage. Make sure the containers you use are clean and sterile also. Some people find that the plastic containers from milk with the top cut so it can contain at least 3 inches of soil make perfect miniature green houses initially. As the plants germinate, drape a layer of clear plastic wrap to protect the sides to help retain the moisture. These containers work with little out of pocket money.
Plant the seeds ¼ inch deep. The seeds initially donot need sunlight to germinate but do need warmth. Put your container on top of the refrigerator, a very warm spot, when you first plant them. Have the soil moist, but not soggy. Soggy creates the perfect environment for mold. Mold kills seedlings by damping them off. Check them frequently to make sure that they don’t dry out either. It only takes one day of dry soil to kill the entire batch of germinating grape tomatoes.
How to Care for Grape Tomato Plants Once you see tomato plants appear, you’ll want to move them to a sunny spot and lift the plastic from the container. You still can leave the sides loosely draped to aid in moisture retention. These small plants need a sunny location to grow. They don’t need excessive heat. Heat, in fact should be slightly below room temperature to keep your tomato seedlings happy. If your plant’s environment is warmer than 70 degrees, they tend to be thin and leggy. Another inexpensive method of creating a greenhouse environment is an inexpensive shop light and a grow bulb. The plants need plenty of sun. When you notice the second set of leaves, their first true leaves, begin to form, its transplant time. 
Transplant the grape tomatoes plant to larger individual pots until they have several sets of leaves and the weather at night reaches about 55 degrees. If you plant them too soon and there’s a frost, don’t worry. The same wonderful plastic milk container that provided a nice nursery also can protect them. Cut the bottom of the milk containers off so it’s flat and open. When warnings of frost come your way, cover each plant with its own container. If you put the containers on during the day, take off the cap. At night, replace the cap to protect it from frost.
Plant the grape in a sunny location. Give it fertilizer but not too much. If the plant is too well fed, you’ll have ample foliage but not nearly as many tomatoes. Keep the soil moist but not wet. with grape tomato you can plant companion plants like marigolds and basil near the tomato to helps it grow better and keep away pests. Let Mother Nature do most of the work. When your tomatoes are a rich red, pick them and enjoy.
Keep the vegetable planting guide below for a quick outline of details when you’re starting vegetable gardens that include the grape tomato.
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