Orange Cherry Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum


Small, oval-round fruit ripening to a deep orange, held in heavy trusses on tall vines. Sweet, clean flavour and firm skins that resist splitting through summer rain. Sets fruit continuously in frost-free zones; further south it crops from mid-summer through to the first cold snap. Indeterminate (climbing) variety — requires sturdy staking or caging.

Days to harvest 60–120 days from transplant, depending on climate
Fruit size Slightly elongated globe to around 3cm
Sowing depth 5mm
Germination 5–14 days at soil temperature 16–35°C; best around 21–24°C
Spacing 40–60cm apart, rows 60–150cm
Aspect Open, sunny position; light to heavy soil with good drainage
Frost tolerance Sensitive to frost; plant out only once frosts have finished

Growing notes

A warm, sheltered position in the garden or tunnel suits it best.

Soil preparation: Well-rotted compost worked in before planting, with a balanced feed high in phosphorus.

Support: Vines reach 2m or more and grow heavy with fruit — stake, cage, or train up a string trellis from planting out.

Containers: Suits a large pot of 40L or more with sturdy support; keep water and feed consistent, as pots dry out faster than beds.

Watering & feeding: Deep, consistent watering at the base. Overhead watering invites disease. Side-dress with a potassium-rich feed once flowering starts.

Harvest: Pick regularly through the season. Ripe fruit holds on the vine for several days without splitting, so a slight delay only concentrates the sweetness.

Timing: First ripe fruit 60–80 days from transplant in a warm season, later in cooler conditions.

Key features

  • Prolific, long-cropping cherry
  • Sweet, clean flavour
  • Split-resistant skins
  • Bright orange colour holds through cooking and drying
  • Vigorous vine that keeps setting all season
  • Continuous fruiting in frost-free climates

Short season tips


Sow 6–8 weeks before your last frost. Grow on under cover until night temperatures sit reliably above 12–14°C. In Coonabarabran and similar inland zones, plant out from mid-October. A hoop tunnel or cloche buys earlier plantings. Staggered sowings stretch the harvest into autumn.

  • Spring
  • Summer

Tender perennial — almost always grown as an annual in Australia

  • Basil, chives, parsley, marigold, carrots
  • Other nightshades (potatoes, eggplant, capsicum), brassicas, fennel, corn


A traditional open-pollinated cherry within the older family of small orange-fruited tomatoes long kept by home gardeners. Cherry-type tomatoes sit closest to the wild South American ancestors of the domestic tomato, and orange-skinned selections have been favoured for their sugar content and reliability across generations of seed-savers.