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 Mar 17, Bill (USA - Zone 10b climate)
In Miami, you'll want to plant your tomatoes in the cooler months.....the typical summer months that you'd think to plant tomatoes are too hot here in Florida....the night time temp needs to get below 80 degrees otherwise they will flower and then the flowers will fall off and not produce any fruit. So our cooler months, although still warm are the best months for tomatoes as well as some other veggies.....like peppers.
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01 Mar 14, GJX (USA - Zone 6a climate)
Tomatoes usually take 90 days to harvest. Tip: you need good fertilizer and do not water every day; yes it promotes growth, but once the plant is planted and well watered, then you should water only once a week. Of course this depends on your environment. Watering less will trigger the plant to produce more flowers. Plant 2" deeper than normal Use: 1 cup of gypsum in the hole 1 cup of calcium in the hole Your Tomato plant will be happy.
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15 Oct 11, jeffrey (USA - Zone 5a climate)
found a great calendar all about tomato it is from the butte county Master Gardener program they have a great calendar out all about tomato i picked one up last week at an event you should check it out
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List of tomato diseases. ( Wikipedia ). Tomato cultivars vary widely in their resistance to disease. Modern hybrids focus on improving disease resistance over the heirloom plants. Various forms of mildew and blight are also common tomato afflictions, which is why tomato cultivars are often marked with a combination of letters which refer to specific disease resistance. The most common letters are: V - verticillium wilt, F - fusarium wilt strain I, FF - fusarium wilt strain I & II, N - nematodes, T - tobacco mosaic virus, and A - alternaria. Another particularly dreaded disease is curly top, carried by the beet leafhopper, which interrupts the lifecycle, ruining a nightshade plant as a crop. As the name implies, it has the symptom of making the top leaves of the plant wrinkle up and grow abnormally. Some common tomato pests are cutworms, tomato hornworms and tobacco hornworms, aphids, cabbage loopers, whiteflies, tomato fruitworms, flea beetles, red spider mite, slugs,[6] and Colorado potato beetles.

- Perry

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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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