"Matt's Wild Cherry" Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum

(Indeterminate, Mid-Season) Matt’s Wild Cherry is a wild variety of small currant tomatoes. This seed was given to UMaine Ag. faculty members Drs. Laura Merrick and Matt Liebman by Teresa Arellanos de Mena from her family in Hildago of Eastern Mexico, where it grows wild. Like all wild tomatoes it has outstanding disease resistance, super sweet and bold tomato flavor and a vigorous and sprawling growth habit. Pick with cap on to extend shelf life once harvested.

Growing Instructions:

Start Indoors 6-8 weeks before transplanting to the field after chance of last frost. If growing in a greenhouse sow 8 weeks before desired transplant date.

Plant spacing: 18" apart.

Row spacing: 28" to 32" apart

*If planting multiple rows we recommend alternating row spacing at 24 inches and 48 inches. The 24 inch row will be space for a trellis and the 48 inch row will be the walking path. This not only maximizes garden space, but also allows you to trellis two rows of tomatoes on one trellis.

There are many trellising systems and ways of pruning and caring for tomatoes. We encourage you figure out what makes the most sense for you, don't be afraid to experiment. We prefer double leader pruning with an overhead T-post and wire trellis for our field tomatoes.

Give tomatoes plenty of compost at time of planting. We also recommend a fall or spring cover crop of peas or another annual legume that will fix nitrogen for the tomato crop.

Mulching tomatoes is a good idea, however mulching in mid spring will keep soil temperature cooler and may slow growth. Mulching can be done once soil has warmed. Make sure soil pH is between 5.8 and 7.0. If plant needs a growing boost, water with nitrogen tea or compost tea a few times. If trace minerals are inadequate, sprinkle a small amount of woodash or azomite in each planting hole.

Harvest:

Harvest when tomatoes turn their full color or just shy of. If frost threatens or tomatoes fall off the vine they can be ripened indoors or in a protected location though their flavor may not be as pronounced.