The Matt’s Wild Cherry Tomato

If you’re looking for a new and exciting tomato to try, look no further than Matt’s Wild Cherry tomato. Whether you’re churning up a batch of salsa, need something to add to your salad, or just want to eat them plain, this is the tomato for you. These cherry tomatoes are perfect for any occasion and feature the smooth, deep-red coloring and sweet taste a cherry tomato should have.

In this article, we will take a deeper look at Matt’s Wild Cherry tomato. We’ll look at how to grow them and and give you ideas for different ways to use these tiny tomatoes. Let’s get started!

History of Matt’s Wild Cherry Tomato

The story of how Matt’s Wild Cherry tomato came to be is almost as interesting as the tomato itself. It’s actually a red currant tomato variety and its origins go back to Hidalgo, Mexico, in the eastern part of the country. Teresa Arellanos de Mena is credited with first distributing them to Matt Leibman, a former University of Maine AG faculty member. From there, they became known as Matt’s Wild Cherry tomato, and they’ve been making the world a tastier place ever since.

Characteristics of Matt’s Wild Cherry Tomato

Matt’s Wild Cherry is an indeterminate tomato in that it climbs and will likely require supports when it’s at maturity. The vines can grow from 4-8 feet long and will be covered tiny cherry tomatoes.

The fruit itself will be a deep-red color and has a smooth feel and texture.

Ripening Season

You should plant Matt’s Wild Cherry tomatoes in mid to late spring after the season’s last frost. Typically, they will be ripe and ready to pick 50 to 65 days after initial planting.

Tomato qualities

Matt’s Wild Cherry Tomatoes will be red, firm, and juicy when they’re ripe. They are very sweet to the taste as they have one of the highest sugar content of any tomato.

Tomato size

Matt’s Wild Cherry tomato plants produce copious amounts of 1/2″ round, tiny, red tomatoes.

Planting Zones

Matt’s Wild Cherry tomatoes are incredibly hardy and can be planted in hardiness zones 1-13. They will grow and produce fruit between the first frost and the year’s last frost.

Size and Spacing

You should leave at least 24-36 inches of space between each tomato plant. They grow tall and wide, and you should leave ample space between each plant.

If you’re planting the smaller, determinate tomato, space them 12-24 inches apart. Determinate Matt’s Wild Cherry tomato plants will only grow 4-6 feet tall.

Pollination

Matt’s Wild Cherry tomatoes are self-pollinating and don’t require cross-pollination. However, if you want to speed up the process, you can pollinate them by hand. To do this, gently shake the tomato plant with your hand to move the pollen to the plant’s pistil.

Plant Care

The following sections will provide highlights about tomato care. For a complete guide on optimal tomato plant care, from planting to harvesting and storage, please check out our article on How To Grow Tomatoes: The Complete Guide For the Best Tomatoes.

Properly caring for your tomato plant is critical for its production. Matt’s Wild Cherry tomatoes have a tendency to be low-producing, which means that you’ll have to be extra careful when caring for your plant. Let’s go over some details now to give your tomato plant its best chance.

Sunlight

Per day, these tomatoes should have around eight hours of sunlight.

Soil

Ideally, you should strive for a pH level of six to eight and make sure that it drains well but soaks up moisture. The goal is to plant your tomatoes fairly deep to allow for maximum growth.

Water

If you want tomatoes that don’t need water, Matt’s Cherry Tomatoes aren’t for you. They need about as much water as they do sunlight and you should make sure that the soil is always moist but not muddy.

Fertilizer

Tomatoes require specific nutrients (such as calcium) to produce their best crops of fruit. To learn how to determine what your tomatoes need and when they need it, consult our ultimate tomato fertilizer guide.

Pruning/Pinching

It’s a good idea with these little tomatoes to remove any suckers that you find. Specifically, those found under the first branch and cluster, because the bottom suckers often miss the trellis and lack support. They also allow for transmission of diseases originating in the soil and moving to other parts of the plant.

Pruning and pinching are a tomato care technique that can help your tomato put forth its best yield. But you need to know when to do this and what tomatoes need it. To help you with this, visit our pruning tomatoes guide.

Disease

Like all tomato plants, Matt’s Wild Cherry tomatoes are prone to various diseases. Bacterial wilt, early blight, and late blight are all diseases that Matt’s Wild Cherry tomatoes are susceptible to. To learn how to detect, treat, and take steps to prevent diseases, read our tomato diseases guide.

Pests (External Link)

Pests are just as big of a problem, if not more so, than diseases are with cherry tomatoes. Birds, bugs, insects, and anything else that can fly or crawl likes the taste of tomatoes, the leaves, or the stalks. For information to help you spot, eliminate, and deter 15 different pests, visit our guide on common tomato pests.

When to Harvest Matt’s Wild Cherry Tomatoes

You can harvest tomatoes from Matt’s Wild Cherry tomatoes anytime between the first and last frosts of the season. You should wait to plant your tomatoes until after the last frost of the season, which varies from place to place. From the time you plant them to the time the first tomato is ready for harvest is usually between 50 and 65 days.

Common Uses For Matt’s Wild Cherry Tomatoes

Matt’s Wild Cherry tomatoes are great for many different things. Let’s take a look at a few of them now.

What Does This Tomato Taste Like?

Part of the reason Matt’s Wild Cherry tomatoes are so useful is how sweet they are. Apart from their sweet taste, they produce a delicious crunch or pop when you bite into a fresh one.

Cooking

These tomatoes are great for making pasta or pizza sauce that you add to lasagna, spaghetti, pizza, or many other dishes.

Eating Raw

Like I said before, Matt’s Wild Cherry tomatoes are very sweet and make for a delicious treat when eaten raw in salads, salsas, bruschetta toppings, or as entree garnishes.

Canning / Freezing / Drying

Whether you’re canning, freezing, or drying tomatoes or tomato sauce, these tomatoes are the perfect ones to use.

Recipe Ideas

If you want to try using Matt’s Wild Cherry tomatoes in a few recipes, here are some to get you started.

Sundried Cherry Tomato Nachos Recipe

Cherry Tomato and Cheese Galette

Cherry Tomato Bites Recipe

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes Recipe

Cherry Tomato Salad Recipe

Health Benefits of Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C, A, and K. They’re also high in potassium and are considered by some to be a superfood. Here are some of the health benefits of Matt’s Wild Cherry tomatoes.

• They reduce the chance of heart disease.
• They improve your vision.
• They help with diabetes management.
• They boost skin health and reduce the risk of cancer.

Where to Buy Matt’s Wild Cherry Tomato Plants or Seeds

You can buy these tomato seeds at most nurseries and hardware/home improvement stores or online.

Where to Buy Matt’s Wild Cherry Tomatoes

If you want to skip the growing process, you can buy the tomatoes themselves at most farmers’ markets and even some grocery stores.

Wrapping Up Matt’s Wild Cherry Tomato

Matt’s Wild Cherry tomatoes are one of the most useful and versatile of all tomato plants. They can be used in many dishes and are excellent snacks when eaten raw. Whether you want to grow your own or skip the hard part and buy some of the tomatoes themselves, you won’t regret giving Matt’s Wild Cherry tomatoes a try.

Have you tried your hand at growing Matt’s Wild Cherry tomatoes? If so, tell us how you liked them in the comments section below! Excited for more tomato content? Then visit our tomato page for growing tips, comprehensive guides, and tasty recipes!