How to Germinate Cherry Tomatoes

Fill a seed starting flat with moist potting soil.

Sow the cherry tomato seeds 1/4 inch below the surface of the soil. Push them into the soil with your finger or a pencil. Space the seeds 1/2 inch apart. Tamp the soil over the seeds gently.

Water the soil with a spray bottle to keep it moist. The spray bottle prevents exposing the seeds so that they remain covered in the soil.

Cover the seed flats with clear plastic to retain the moisture. Select a location with a temperature range between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Examine the soil daily. Water the soil with the spray bottle to keep it moist. Watering the soil too often will cause it to become soggy.

Remove the clear plastic once the tomato seeds germinate. Move the seed flat to a sunny window in a warm location with a temperature of at least 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Transplant the healthy seedlings to 3- to 4-inch pots once they are 5 inches tall and have one set of true leaves. Select growing pots that contain drainage holes. Plant the cherry tomatoes at the same soil level as the flats and cover the roots completely with soil.

Harden the tomato seedlings outdoors before you plant them in the garden. Set the plants outdoors for one hour and gradually increase the time they are outside every day until they can withstand six to eight hours of sunlight. Water the cherry tomato plants to keep the soil moist.

Transplant the seedlings outdoors into the garden when the soil temperature remains at 65 degrees F or higher. Select a bright and sunny location for the tomato seedlings to thrive. Space the tomatoes 24 inches apart and space the rows 30 inches apart.