The easiest of all tomatoes to grow, cherry tomatoes come in a rainbow of colors and a pleasing variety of shapes. In addition to the round red classics, such as ‘Sweet 100’ and ‘Sweet Cluster Hybrid,’ there are bite-size pear and grape kinds, all available in yellow, green, pink, maroon, white, and bi-colors. All tomatoes are heat-loving perennials usually grown as summer annuals. Although large beefsteaks can be fussy about climate, the many cultivars of cherry tomatoes are far less so. To start tomatoes, sow the seeds 1/4-inch (0,6 cm)  deep in good potting-soil mix six to eight weeks before your last frost. Tomatoes grow best when planted in soil with a pH between 6 and 7; add lime every few years if you garden in an acid-soil area. Keep the containers in a warm place at 70 °F (21 °C) until germination occurs, then move them into full sun near a south-facing window. When all danger of frost is past and the plants are about six inches (15 cm) high. Transplant them into a full-sun area of the garden. Always “harden off” tomatoes seedlings before transplanting them to the garden, start by placing them outside in the shade for a few hours a day. Then each day, give them a little more sun and time outside. And finally place them in a sheltered location for several days to allow them to adjust to outside conditions. Set the transplants deep — the soil should come up to the first set of new leaves. They should be spaced two or three feet (60 – 90 cm) apart in a well-drained soil amended with a good amount of organic matter. Keep your tomato plants evenly watered; deep but fairly infrequent waterings are best. Once the plant has grown larger, you will need to prune every so often. Prune when sprouts and branches start to grow off of the central stem, and when leaves look dry or dead. Use small pruners or scissors. Cherry tomato plants do get pests, but fungus is often a larger problem. Symptoms of a fungus problems include yellowing leaves, moldy blotches, and dark spots. Stems may be affected as well. Pick the leaves off and spray your plant with fungicide immediately if you notice any of these symptoms. Potato beetles and stink bugs are common pests. Pick them off or use a natural insect spray to repel them.