Overwintering guide
How to overwinter chocolate cherry tomato
Winter watering
Cut watering right back — chocolate cherry tomato uses far less while growth slows, and cold, wet compost is the usual cause of winter root rot. Stop feeding until spring.
The mistake that kills chocolate cherry tomato in winter
Watering on the same schedule as summer. In winter that keeps the roots sodden while the plant is barely drinking, and chocolate cherry tomato rots from the base.
More chocolate cherry tomato care
- Overwintering tomato — the species this cultivar belongs to
- Full chocolate cherry tomato care guide
- Chocolate Cherry Tomato temperature range
- How often to water chocolate cherry tomato
- How to prune chocolate cherry tomato
- Common chocolate cherry tomato problems & fixes
- Best plant identifier apps — tested and ranked
Overwintering chocolate cherry tomato — FAQ
Does chocolate cherry tomato need to come indoors for winter?
No hardiness zone is recorded for chocolate cherry tomato; it prefers to stay above about 18°C (64°F) while in growth, so treat it as frost-tender unless you know otherwise for your area. Chocolate Cherry Tomato is frost-tender, so overwintering means bringing it inside and letting it rest rather than pushing it to grow. Move it indoors well before the first frost, give it the brightest spot you have (light levels indoors drop sharply in winter), and keep it away from both cold window glass and hot radiators — the swing between the two does more damage than the cold itself.
When should I move chocolate cherry tomato for winter?
Bring indoors when nights start dropping below about 10°C, ahead of the first frost.
How often should I water chocolate cherry tomato in winter?
Cut watering right back — chocolate cherry tomato uses far less while growth slows, and cold, wet compost is the usual cause of winter root rot. Stop feeding until spring.
What kills chocolate cherry tomato over winter?
Watering on the same schedule as summer. In winter that keeps the roots sodden while the plant is barely drinking, and chocolate cherry tomato rots from the base.