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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26 Sep 11, Liz (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Lisa, it means that they should not be planted in the same bed.
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01 Sep 11, Nik in Melbourne (Australia - temperate climate)
Is is time to plant tomato seedlings out in the patch yet? Also, a patch I have does not get full sun till the middle of the summer. Should I delay planting tomatoes there?
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08 Oct 11, Tracey in Melbourne (Australia - temperate climate)
Basically from the start of October to early November is considered tomato planting time in Melbourne but exactly when to plant out your seedlings depends on the microclimate of your garden. If your veg plot is sheltered from cold wind and gets lots of sun, or you have raised beds (which warm up quicker than an in-ground garden), or you are growing your toms in large pots (again, warmer than in-ground beds), then you can get away with planting them now. I have a heavyish clay-based soil which tends to take a little longer to warm up, so will not be planting mine out until around the end of this month. As far as planting in less than full sun, the minimum recommendation for plants like tomatoes is usually given as 6 hours of sun a day, so your patch doesn't necessarily need to get sun from dawn to dusk. If it's currently getting 6 hours you can proceed as per usual. I have a spot in my garden that is shaded by a shed in winter/early spring, which I'll be using for a tomato plant this year. I'll pot up the tomato seedling destined for that spot (an early fruiting variety) into a bigger pot as necessary, and plant it out mid-November, by which time the space gets about 6 hours and the seedling will be a good size.
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27 Aug 11, Bill (Australia - temperate climate)
My dogs like to eat manure and blood and bone drives them nuts, so last year I used mushroom compost together with liquid fish fertiliser on the tomatoes. Had a staggeringly large crop.
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24 Aug 11, Moshe Ioh (Australia - temperate climate)
Is it possible to use mushroom compost (alkaline) with tomatoes (liking acidic soil)? Has anybody used this technique and what were the results?
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23 Aug 11, MICK (Australia - temperate climate)
DO YOU PRUNE GRAFTED TOMATOS THE SAME AS A NORMAL TOMATO
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24 Aug 11, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I don't prune tomatoes at all. Diggers Club did a comparison of pruned vs unpruned and found no difference in fruit production.
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13 Jun 11, Les Telfer (Australia - tropical climate)
My Tomatoes Flowered Then turn black and drop off ?
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02 May 11, Judy (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
My tomatoes have been good but, because of all the rain, they've stopped changing colour. Should I just pull up the plants and let them ripen indoors?
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11 Apr 11, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You can over feed your plants but that usually won't kill them. For the wilting, the reason being is either it is getting too much sun and not enough water or justis not in any sun at all and is being over watered. Tomatoes like part shade but most sun and that's what I have found that works best.
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Showing 621 - 630 of 816 comments
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Tropical climate - plant tomato seeds May, transplant June and July. Your soil mix is very porous, it would dry out very quickly especially in hot Darwin. And with watering it would leach out the fertilisers. With your soil mix you probably needed to water 3-4 times a day. The wet season probably leached all the Dynamic Lifter out of the soil. Ok- potting mix has a lot of wood in it. Material like this grabs the nitrogen before the plant does. Compost would do the same if it is not completely broken down. Here is what I do, sub tropical, in the fallow season Nov to April, I dig/turn my soil over adding grass clippings, shrub trimming etc mulched with the mower. With normal rain it will keep this moist and help break down the grass etc. You can add a little D Lifter. By late April /early May after the wet season you should have some good friable soil (depends what the original soil was like). You could add some more compost if you like and maybe manures, about 3-4 (?)

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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