Beginner’s Guide: How to Grow Cherry Tomatoes the Easy Way

Cherry tomatoes are one of the easiest and most rewarding fruits to grow at home. I grow mine from a single tomato—no need to buy seeds or seedlings! It’s simple, budget-friendly, and so much fun. In this post, I’ll walk you through the exact steps I follow, from sprouting seeds to picking ripe, juicy tomatoes. Let’s grow your tomato garden together!

Step 1: Start with a Cherry Tomato You Love

I always begin with a tomato that tastes amazing. I used a sweet cherry tomato that I just finished eating this time. It was so good that I saved one from the box to grow more.

Here’s the best part—you don’t need to buy seeds. You can grow cherry tomatoes straight from one fresh tomato. Just make sure it’s a variety you enjoy eating.

Step 2: Get the Seeds Ready: How I Extract the Seeds

Let me take you through how I get the seeds ready.

• I cut the tomato in half.
• Then, I squeeze all the seeds into a small pot with soil.

There are so many seeds in just one fruit. If they all grow, it will be way more than I can eat. But that’s the fun of it! Each tiny seed has the chance to become a full tomato plant.

After spreading out the seeds, I cover them with a thin layer of soil.

Then, I gently water the top. That’s it for now.

Step 3: Germinating the Seeds

About a week later, I start seeing tiny green sprouts! The seeds grow fast, and they’re super cute at this stage.

After 2 weeks:

Now, I wait until they grow to around 7–10 cm tall, which usually takes 3 to 4 weeks. Once they reach that size, it’s time for the next step.

Step 4: Separating and Transplanting the Seedlings

After about a month, the seedlings look ready. I separate them so they have more space to grow.

Here’s what I prepare:

• Small pots or even recycled plastic bags
• A small trowel or just my hands
• Fresh potting soil

I carefully make a hole in the new pot. Then, I gently pull out a seedling, place it in the hole, and cover the roots with soil. I do this for every seedling I want to keep.

Tip: Cherry tomatoes are tough! As long as they get soil and water, they’ll grow just fine.

Right after transplanting, I give them some water. It helps the roots settle in.

Step 5: Choosing the Healthiest Seedlings

Not every seedling grows equally. I always pick the strongest-looking ones—the ones with bright leaves and sturdy stems.

It’s incredible to think all these plants came from just one tomato!

The first one I transplanted is already ahead of the others. It has flowers and tiny green tomatoes forming.

The later transplants are still small.

 The ones I never transplanted at all… well, they’re still tiny and not growing much. That’s why transplanting around week 3 or 4 is so important!

Once the young plants grow as tall as my hand, I move them into larger pots.

Step 6: Moving to Bigger Pots or the Garden

When one of my plants grows to around 40 cm, I know it’s time to give it more room. Bigger pots help the roots spread and provide better support for flowers and fruit.

I use medium-sized plastic bins or tall containers. I like to recycle what I have. I also drill holes 1–2 cm above the bottom of the pot.

That way, extra water can drain out, but not too fast. If the hole is at the very bottom, water escapes too quickly.

Before I move the plant, I roll the pot gently to loosen the soil. Then, I lift the whole plant out and transfer it to the new pot. I cover the roots with more soil and water them well. That’s all!

I Add Kitchen Scraps for Nutrients

Instead of store-bought fertilizer, I mix kitchen scraps and veggie peels into the soil. Things like fruit peels and vegetable waste break down over time and feed the plant. It’s easy, free, and works great.

With regular watering, the plant keeps growing fast. I repeat this process for all the other seedlings, too.

Planting Directly in the Garden

Some of my cherry tomato plants go straight into the ground. If you have garden space, this is a great option!

Once they grow taller, I use stakes to support them. Tomato plants love to lean and sprawl, but the stakes help them stand tall and keep the fruit off the soil.

Step 7: Pruning to Help the Fruit Grow

My garden looks beautiful at this point—green leaves, yellow flowers, and tiny tomatoes everywhere! I still don’t use any fertilizer. Just water and compost scraps do the trick.

Now that the plants are thriving, I start pruning.

Why prune? It helps the plant focus its energy on the tomatoes instead of making too many leaves. I remove:

• Yellow or old leaves
• Large leaves that shade the fruit
• Branches that don’t grow flowers or fruit

One of my potted plants had huge leaves soaking up too many nutrients. I trimmed them, and the fruit grew better after that! Some branches get so heavy with fruit that they start drooping. That’s when I know harvest is close.

Time to Harvest

This is my favorite part—harvest time!

The tomatoes are bright red, hanging in bunches. I can’t believe all this came from just one tomato. Every pot and garden space is full of fruit.

The clusters look amazing—some branches are completely loaded! The tomatoes ripen fast now, and I keep picking them every few days.

Wrapping Up

Growing cherry tomatoes from just one tomato is simple and so rewarding! It only takes a bit of soil, some kitchen scraps, and daily watering—no need to buy seeds or special tools. Just start with your favorite tomato and watch your garden come to life. Will you try this in your backyard or on your balcony next? Let’s grow fresh, sweet cherry tomatoes together!