Growing Tomato

Lycopersicon esculentum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

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

(Best months for growing Tomato in Australia - temperate regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed

August: Frost tender. Start undercover

  • 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 16°C and 35°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 40 - 60 cm 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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09 Jan 15, Blake (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Got catapillers try Beat a bug natural pesticide and prior to planting tomatoe i mix in a solid amout of cow manure and this seems to work where i am keeping the plant healthy and producing tomatoes
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07 Jan 15, Khing (Australia - tropical climate)
tomato leaves with purplish veins. What could be the causes?
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27 Mar 15, tomato expert qld (Australia - tropical climate)
try adding trace elements.you can buy trace elements from places like bunnings etc.sounds like iron-boron- deficiency to me.
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10 Jan 15, Yuri Dreason (Australia - temperate climate)
I dare say it is either psyllids feeding on your plants or a deficiency in phosphorus.
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16 Dec 14, Kevin Spencer (Australia - temperate climate)
Try Dipel, it is an environmentally friendly product which is dynamite with caterpillars.
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13 Dec 14, kevin spencer (Australia - temperate climate)
My tomatoes (mortgage lifter) are growing and flowering but not setting fruit. Are they dependent on bees? If so can I manually pollinate?
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09 Jan 15, Nathalie (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi. I have read that before the flowers open, you gently tap the flowers branch so that they gently vibrate and that apparently pollinates them.
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29 Nov 14, Michael J Garrett (Australia - tropical climate)
As I suffer from Gout.I am looking for a non or low acidic tomato plant,which will grow in Cairns Qld Humid Clmate. Regards Mike
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31 Dec 14, (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Michael :) I lovvvvveee non acidic tomatoes and as far as I am aware, Roma tommies are the only ones with no acid :) Good luck !!
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20 Nov 14, Shaun (Australia - temperate climate)
Try scattering a handful of lime around the base of your plants and water it in and also as Derbyiter mentioned, some ash from burnt, untreated wood. Has done wonders for my tomatoes. Comfrey tea will set them free.
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Showing 301 - 310 of 595 comments
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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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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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