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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06 Jan 12, Miguel (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Dianne, I've grown tomatoes as late as December, shortly before Christmas. I've had success but got only a small handful of tomatoes. They ripened on the windowsill as there was not enough sunlight or time to vine rippen them and some tasted a little bland. So in answer to your question, you can plant tomatoes now but don't expect them to give you more than 2-3 green tomatoes each plant.
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31 Jan 12, tim (Australia - temperate climate)
try tommy toe. i have grown them from february and picked full flavoured fruit through to end of june in southern riverina in frost free years.
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02 Jan 12, Cathy (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I am growing Grosse Lisse tomatoes, they have fruited well but the fruit is splitting before they are ripe. Does anyone have any ideas as to why this is happening?
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05 Jan 12, Mudhonei (Australia - temperate climate)
Sounds like too much water.
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23 Mar 12, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
generally it is caused by irregular watering or lack of lime
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28 Nov 11, Richard (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have good green growth on my tomatoes, have been fertilising them with seasol, cow dung and a little blood and bone, I have plenty of flowers but am not getting any fruit, the flowers have been out for about 1.5 weeks, how long should it take to see fruit form.
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04 Dec 11, Malcolm in Melton (Australia - temperate climate)
Patience, Richard, especially if you are south of Sydney, incl. Victoria where I am. The recent cooler-than-normal days have caused the plants to "baulk" - they'll only let their babies (the flowers) out to play (to start growing) in regular (and a succession of) temperatures of 20 deg. plus. Let's now about mid-December how they are going then.
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21 Nov 11, BCW (Australia - temperate climate)
Tomato and potato are the same family and carry the same deseases from one crop to the next so plant other vegies in rotation to avoid problems
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15 Nov 11, Lola (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
My tomatos started to fruit but now the plant is dying with green tomatos on the dead vines....
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17 Nov 11, dave (Australia - temperate climate)
i would say u may be over watering them , if u dig down in the soil about 4 to 5 inches and squeeze the soil if i stays in a ball soil is ok and dose not need water.
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Showing 401 - 410 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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