Growing Tomato

Lycopersicon esculentum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    S                  
      T T T            
      P P              

(Best months for growing Tomato in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 61°F and 95°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 16 - 24 inches apart
  • Harvest in 8-17 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Asparagus, Chervil,Carrot, Celery, Chives, Parsley, Marigold, Basil
  • Avoid growing close to: Rosemary, Potatoes, Fennel, Cucumber

Your comments and tips

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20 Aug 19, Marie B (Australia - temperate climate)
Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate and doesn’t address the lack of calcium. For this coming spring you can buy calcium at Bunnings or your nursery but if you add finely crushed eggshells in your soil and let it degrade over the winter months you will not have to buy calcium again. Boiled eggs water and fish bones buried in soil work wonders against blossom end rot.
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28 Dec 18, stephen musgrave (Australia - temperate climate)
tomatoes look healthy have plenty leafs but not many fruit
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05 Jan 19, Mike Logan (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Maybe too much N. Depends how tall they are now.
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11 Dec 18, Peter Smith (Australia - temperate climate)
Growing tomatoes for years now and keep getting small holes like a grub mark as the fruit is rippening and then goes rotten what treatment if any can be used
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13 Dec 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I had similar problems - I used some spray from Aldi - don't know if that did any good. Then used tomato dust and I also used some yellow sticky fly cardboards. I think that stopped it a bit. Some kind of grub was in mine.
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09 Dec 18, Lida (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi,my tomatoe seedling grow well up to about 30 -40cm then all the new shoots and leave curl up and plant stops growing ,can u please help?
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10 Dec 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Sounds like tomato yellow leaf curl virus. Go on the internet and read about it. A couple of tablespoons of lux soap flakes in some hot water and dissolve then add to 6 l of water and spray all over and under the leaves. The leaves look like the fingers in your hand all curled up.
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20 Nov 18, Andrew S Cowell (Australia - temperate climate)
Just a quick piece of advice...avoid planting too close to cabbages, trust me, you'll have spindly tomato plants!
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20 Nov 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Normally you wouldn't plant tomatoes close to cabbage if planted north - south. The tomatoes would shade the cabbage for half the day. Try and plant tall crops together. If you want good strong tomato plants dig a trench 12-15
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23 Sep 18, David Perry (Australia - temperate climate)
What temperature should the soil be to plant out tomatoe seedlings in Melboune? It is now Sept 23. Is it too early. Thank you.
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Showing 221 - 230 of 811 comments
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You dont say much about your particular situaion, and I'm no expert. I had a similar issue with a potted Patio Prize but it was before I had whitefly/thrip. While I was watering it was hitting the leaves, and I think I overused tomato dust. The leaves not only curled, but they also went thick and felt waxy. Plant growth stunted and the small amount of fruit were really acidic tasting too (symptom of inefficient leaves). You should be able to rescue this plant by mulching and only watering the ground under the plant. Trim the worst couple of leaves/branches off every 5-7 days, continue as new growth takes hold. Google an appropriate fertiliser, i cant comment on that yet. New growth should take, but of course they then become a rich target for pests, enter my white fly problem as well. Gentle spray with confidor and rehash the sticky paper similar to the previous post. I'm not skilled enough to go chemical free yet.

- Phil

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