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 6b 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

Post a comment or question Display Newest first | Oldest first, Show comments for USA | for all countries
01 Jan 10, Matthew (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Planted tomatoes they have fruited but no colour coming. Also the plant seems to have a blackish/brownish tinge to the trunk, is this bad.
Reply or Post a new comment
30 Dec 09, Annalisa (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Anxiously awaiting answers about wilting. I had success last year with tommies, and this year, all five plants had to be ripped out with green tommies all over due to disease. Is it in the soil? I use seaweed fertiliser... Pretty tired of fighting this thing, but willing to fight on. I want some healthy tommies!
Reply or Post a new comment
28 Dec 09, Alison (Australia - temperate climate)
Just south of Wollongong NSW, my beef steak's are about 6ft tall and were very slow to show flowers. Now I think I have a wilt fungus as the bottom leaves are turning yellow and dying. What do "they" mean when they say you shouldn't grow tomatoes in soil that previously had tomatoes in it? Perhaps the boiling water idea in November. Apparently eggplants are also affected by the same wilt - Vermillician or something like that. Any help or ideas guys? Cheers
Reply or Post a new comment
11 Dec 09, lisa (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have grown my tomatoes from seed from big tomatoes yet all five bushes are growing small cherry tomatoe size fruit lots and lots of them, what have i done wrong?
Reply or Post a new comment
11 Dec 09, Helena (Australia - temperate climate)
John - by any chance is it possible that you live somewhere close to Melbourne? Would like to see your savagelly clipped tomatoes. Grandmother (63) (interested ONLY in gardening)
Reply or Post a new comment
26 Nov 09, Freyja (Australia - temperate climate)
We are growing veggies for the first time and have started with tomatoes, pumpkins and zucchini. Of our eight cherry tomato seedlings - five are growing ok but slowly, two are hardly growing but look otherwise healthy and one has grown a little but looks a bit sick and slightly yellow. Two Black Krim seedlings seem ok, just slower than I had hoped. I'm feeding them seasol and am about introduce seasol powerfeed. They were planted into a well prepared bed with mushroom compost, cow manure, lucerne hay and premium garden soil. Does the sick one have a disease? Should I remove it? Also I think one of the pumpkin seedlings might have powdery mildew, do I need to remove it? Thanks, Freyja
Reply or Post a new comment
22 Nov 09, Marina (Australia - temperate climate)
My tomatoestook off and areproducing fruit but the wilt has set in worse than ever before. The leaves are yellowing and dying from the ground up. It happened last year too. I imagine the fungus is lying dormant in the soil and then attacks new seedlings. Help! Is there a drench or something I can apply to the soil in winter to kill off the spores? Is there a variety of tomato that does not fall victim? My egg plants aren't happy either. Would love a solution that does not involve leaving my garden fallow for years. Can you advise me? Marina
Reply or Post a new comment
19 Nov 09, Elle (Australia - temperate climate)
I am a first time tomatoe grower. My plants are fruiting well except that the green fruit and the few red ones we've got so far have a black/dark spot or patch on the side of the fruit furtherest from vine. Does anyone know what this is and how what I can do about it?
Reply or Post a new comment
16 Nov 09, Wayne (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Jared, I am doing it at the moment. The tomatoes in my garden are looking better. I find if you over water the upside down tomatoe the folige gets wet which is a bit of a no no. Overwise the experiment continues.
Reply or Post a new comment
14 Nov 09, jared (Australia - temperate climate)
Q:Has anyone heard or tried growing there tomatoes hanging in an upside down container i have heard of this method but havent tried it,has anyone had any experience with this method - pro's & con's?
Reply or Post a new comment
Showing 521 - 530 of 602 comments
See comments for all plants

-- WOW -- I'm not sure HOW MUCH of each amendment (manure, bone meal, blood meal) you put in ... but it sounds like there is enough nutrition there for awhile. I am concerned about 2 things: 1. The initial acidity of the pine mulch. Tomatoes do like slightly acidic soil, but the initial acidity here could be too much. Pine mulch does however break down neutral and pine mulch offers several benefits for gardens, including weed suppression, moisture retention, and improved soil structure. 2. You need to ensure your 5 gallon buckets have a few large holes on the sides near the bottom - this is to prevent your roots from cooking. Even if your containers are in the shade (with the plant in the sun) those containers need aeration. I suggest at least 2 (and up to 6) 3" holes around the bottom sides of your container -- don't worry, after the initial soil spill, the soil will stay put even during watering. As far as continued fertilization, you could top dress with chicken manure -- that is add an inch or two to the top of the soil (top dressing) of chicken manure, and when you water this will go into the soil. Perhaps monthly, maybe more if the plants are growing fast.... I might however hold off for the first couple of months (this really depends on HOW much of each amendment you added -- for example, half a 5 gallon bucket of chicken manure, opposed to several handfuls) -- additionally, when the plants are really small... they don't intake that much nutrition , but as they grow -- they really use up the nutrition fast (think a 5 year old boy compared to a teenager)

- Celeste Archer

Please provide your email address if you are hoping for a reply


All comments are reviewed before displaying on the site, so your posting will not appear immediately

Gardenate App

Put Gardenate in your pocket. Get our app for iPhone, iPad or Android to add your own plants and record your plantings and harvests

Planting Reminders

Join 60,000+ gardeners who already use Gardenate and subscribe to the free Gardenate planting reminders email newsletter.


Home | Vegetables and herbs to plant | Climate zones | About Gardenate | Contact us | Privacy Policy

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.
We cannot help if you are overrun by giant slugs.