Growing Tomato

Lycopersicon esculentum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Mar	Apr	May	Jun
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

22 Sep 14, clive sea lake (Australia - arid climate): Justin Bendigo, planted out my( seed grown ) tomatoes last week . when I consider frosts are waning .I harvest the seed from the best looking fruit put them down in punnets about July then transplant up into pots .this years plants were about 30/40 cm high I always plant them deep about the 2nd leaf (remove bottom leaves)
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21 Sep 14, justin (Australia - temperate climate): hi I live in Bendigo Victoria when is the best time to plant tomatos? thanks.
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22 Aug 14, allen lee (Australia - temperate climate): Tried the new tomato seed Black cherry found it a prolific fruit bearer with very tasty fruit was away a month and these tomatoes when I returned few had ripened and were very sweet they weren't watered and relied on nature for water.great tomato.
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18 Aug 14, John (Australia - temperate climate): Can I grow tomatoes directly into soil in late August in South Victoria, a temperate climate
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09 Aug 14, Deb (Australia - cool/mountain climate): I'm looking at growing tomatoes in containers - not got a lot of space on my balcony & I have so many veggie plants already. What would be the best small plant which is delicious. I've had trouble in the past, it6's a bit hit & miss?
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26 Jul 14, Deepak Bhatia (New Zealand - temperate climate): How much sunlight does the tomatoe plant need Thanks
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30 Mar 16, Mike (New Zealand - temperate climate): For best results, 6 - 8 hrs of direct sunlight per day. Calculate every hour before midday as being only a 1/2 hr. For instance, if your plants are sheltered from the morning sun until 10:00am, calculate that as only 1 hr, therefore you require another 5 - 7 hours of afternoon sun.
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21 Jul 14, Hester (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate): I live in the Klein Karoo, winter everythig dies with frost and in the summer the birds eats everything the sun don't scorge. I want to put up a hot house. Which variety is best for growing in a hothouse?
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21 Sep 19, Dave Ridley (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate): Hothouse is good for winter, summer time I recommend shade netting house constructed with cheap treated wooden poles and at least 40% shade netting to keep sun off a bit and birds out. Grow your own choice of tomatoe variety and any other summer vegetable you wish. PS. Make the structure tall enough to stand up in or you’ll get a pain in the back crouching over.
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05 Jun 14, mike millar (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate): I grow tomatoes and peppers in my small town house garden. The fruit of both of these plants get stung by something leaving a black dot on the outside. When you open the fruit the inside is all rotten. What can I do to stop this from happening. Regards Mike
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More information is needed: for example amount of water... soil conditions. The MOST GENERIC, and probably most correct answer is LACK OF NUTRIENTS. Most people plant their plants (tomato) adding lots of compost and/or manure at the time of planting. The plant grows using the nutrients (some are washed away... maybe trees manage to confiscate some nutrients); but as the soil nutrition drops, the plant, still wanting to grow, starts to take nutrition from its lower leaves so it can grow leaves higher up. That is, it is deciding how to best used it's own self to maximize it chances of success; since it can't source the needed nutrition from the soil What you need to do is: ADD manure or compost or anything else you may have to put nutrition back into the soil. I rinse my coffee pot in the garden, I also try to drain things (like the water from soaking dried beans) into the garden. Manure/compost/nutrition (in any form) needs to be added at planting, middle of the season, and close to the end of the season to give that LAST burst of energy to bring the fruit/vegetables into full form. Don't feel like you need to spend a lot of money; get creative; in Canada we can stop by our local coffee shops and pick up the days used grinds for use in our gardens (free); you can add micro nutrients to your garden by filling a pail with water and adding a layer of rocks (rocks are minerals) stir and use this to water your plants. Left over tea bags, left over coffee grinds, stuff that you might rinse down the sink (food juices), blood from meat when you wash it before cooking it ..... anything like that all puts nutrition back in the soil.

- Celeste Archer

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Growing Tomato

Lycopersicon esculentum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

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Keep your garden growing - see what to plant right now

Growing Tomato

Lycopersicon esculentum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

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