Enjoy our tomato-growing page covering planting through harvesting—and even tomato recipes!
America’s favorite vegetable is fairly easy to grow and will produce a bumper crop with proper care. Its uses are numerous, however, tomato plants are susceptible to pests and diseases so proper plant care is important.
Are tomatoes a fruit or a vegetable?
Though we technically eat the fruit of the tomato plant, the tomato is typically treated as a vegetable in eating and cooking and, thus, commonly categorized as such.
Enjoy our post, “Tomatoes: Fruit or Vegetable?”
Reader Comments
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Harvesting Tomato in Green Color
Is it possible to ripen the tomato when it is harvested in green color?
about tomatoes
you have written very well I appreciate your blog about a tomato. Its very helpful.
damaged tomato plants
I have removed the hornworms from my plants but they have munched away. Just wondered if I should trim the branches off? Or will the plants recover.
Damaged by Hornworms
Leave the branches; they could still put out flowers and fruit.
Broken Tomato Plants
I was given a tomato plant when school closed. It was about 5ft tall with a few leaves at the top, in the middle and at the bottom of the stem.
I broke it into 3 pieces, making breaks at joints. I was told, that because I broke the plant, it will grow but not produce tomatoes.
Is this true? There are plenty of blooms...
Thank you for your thoughts on this!
Gail
Tomato Plants
Why is my tomato plant not producing blossoms?
no tomato blossoms
If no flowers form at all, then it could be that the plant received too much nitrogen, which encourages leafy growth at the expense of flowering. Also check whether the plants are getting enough sun; they should receive about 8 to 10 hours of direct sunlight. Be sure that the plant is getting enough water–too little can deter flowering. If flowers form but soon drop off, that could be due to high daytime temperatures. Hope this helps!
Harvesting tomatoes
Hi,
I read your article but still have no idea how to harvest the tomatoes. Maybe a novice question, but should I cut the stem/individual vine with the tomatoes on it or should I pull each tomato off the vine? When I buy tomatoes from the store, the package sometimes has the vine and the tomatoes still attached; other times the tomatoes are just loose. Any advice on how I should remove the tomatoes from my plant?
Thanks,
Andy
Harvesting Tomatoes
When tomatoes are fully matured and ready to be harvested, they will fall right off the vine without much effort at all. Simply give them a little tug and twist and they’ll let go if they’re ready.
If they’re not quite ripe, but you’d still like to harvest (because of impending bad weather, pests, etc.), then you should leave a bit of the stem on the fruit in order to encourage them to finish ripening. The tomatoes on the vine that you see at the store are likely harvested before they’re fully ripe so that they don’t go bad in transit.
Growing tomatoes
Hi, you mention water well and water for a few days. No one really explains the correct way to plant. The tomatoes or other vegetable plants should be watered well by watering the hole before the plant is put in and covered up. Once the plant is covered and watered most of the water runs off. If you fill the hole with water and cover the plant will establish well and not need any for at least two weeks.
Watering tomatoes
Your article says water tomatoes with 2 inches of water consistantly. How often should I water, once a week, 2x a week, more? What do you mean by 2 inches of water? I am trying to grow one plant in a pot in Northern California. It gets plenty of sun, but doesn't rain in the summer, so am concerned about the amount of water it gets.
watering tomatoes
Hi there! When we say 2 inches of water per week, that is the total amount that the ground receives during that time. An easy way to measure this, and monitor how much you are giving your plants, is to place an empty (clean) tuna can near your plants. The water from rain, hose, watering can, or irrigation system will collect there, and you can take a ruler and measure the depth of the water over time (taking into consideration evaporation on a hot day). Especially while tomatoes establish, water deeply about three times per week unless it rains. Fluctuations in water can lead to blossom end-rot and cracks in fruit. On the other hand, cutting back on water a little when the fruit is close to ripe can enhance flavor. Self-watering containers help keep moisture consistent, as does mulch.
For more information, you might like the following article:
https://www.almanac.com/content/when-water-your-vegetable-garden-watering-chart
watering tomatos
Any fool that says tomatos or any other plant takes water into their system at a certain time of day is a total moron! Has anyone ever seen it rain exactly at a particular time of day and repeat it over and over? The answer is no ,, it rains when it rains and all plants take water as they get it ,, which has been going on for millions of years ,,, watering any time of day or night is correct and keep it up when there is no rain for extended periods of time. Let your plants tell you if they need water ,,, they will not look right when dehydrated even a little! Never use city water since it has clorine in it ,, this is very bad for lawns and gardens.
Planting directional
This might seem like a dumb question but does it matter if plants are planted north to south or east to west?
Tomato Directions
There are no dumb questions when it comes to gardening! Generally, it’s best to plant in rows that go north-south. This way, the plants won’t block each other from getting morning, afternoon, and evening sun.
It’s also recommended to plant your shortest plant varieties in the southern part of the row and the tallest in the north, so the tall plants won’t shade out the short ones. However, if you’re growing all of one variety, it doesn’t matter, as they should all reach roughly the same height.
Diseases
How do I fight certain infections that attack tomatoes
tomatoes/peppers
I've been told that you shouldn't plant tomatoes and peppers close to each other. Is that true? Also, I've been told not to plant hot peppers next to sweet peppers as they can cross-pollinate causing the sweet peppers to become hot. Is there truth to this?
What kind of spray should I buy for tomatoes.
My husband said they get cut worms etc. which will kill them.
Started too soon!
I started germinating my tomatoes too early and we've had a run of cool weather (I'm in SE NY). So I'm looking at seedlings that are too big for their containers but can't put them out for a week to 10 days and they are showing some signs of stress (some wilting). Is it a bad idea to repot given that they are going out in 10 days or less? I use grow lights....is there another way to relieve that stress instead of repotting?
Thanks
repotting tomato plants
Many people repot tomato plants several times before transplanting outside to help build stong roots. You would be fine to replant them into bigger pots.
blossom rot on my tomatoes
I have a Roma plant which producing a lot of fruit but some of the fruit has developed blossom rot . I remove the affected fruit every day and wonder if the unaffected fruit is safe to eat, I would hate to throw the good fruit away it is a firm,nice shape and red,please tell me it is safe to eat.
blossom rot remains...
We would cut off the blossom rot and use the tomato in whatever way you would, sure.
While you’re enjoying that succulent tomato, plan now to avoid blossom rot again. Read here: https://www.almanac.com/pest/blossom-end-rot
Vegetable?
Tomatoes aren't a vegetable they are a fruit!!!!
Tomato
With all due respect, the tomato is a fruit, not a vegetable.
Golden Pear Tomatoes Going Dormant
Last year (2016) I planted golden pear tomatoes for the very first time. I started them from seeds in mid-march. Early Fall the golden pear tomatoes started producing/well. This year I started them from seeds in house at the end of January with all my other plants. After the last frost, I planted them outside.
I live in Nashville TN, and I container garden. All is going well with my 70 plants (a variety of tomatoes and peppers) with the exception of my golden pears. Two weeks ago my pear tomatoes plants are five feet tall with the first tomatoes starting to ripen and more flowers appearing. Then the heat wave hits. The heat index of 105 degrees hits Nashville. My Golden pears wilt and have started to die. I have cut off all the dead leaves trying to save the plants. My plants are in five gallon container and I water them twice a day. I do not allow them to dry out.
I have heard golden pear tomatoes go dormant in extreme July/August heat. Is this true? If it is true should I pinch all the remaining flowers and tomatoes off and hope the plant will rebound will a fall crop? Do you know of any websites dedicated to these plants? Any help will be appreciated.
Brian
tomatoes in hot weather
Although there are some heat-tolerant varieties, tomatoes in general do not like temperatures over 90F. They may drop flowers or have other pollination/fruiting problems. It helps to relieve the stress of the plant by providing some shade during the hottest part of the day, such as with shade cloth. It is good that you have kept up with the watering–they need extra water to help them survive the heat. However, it is very important that the water is draining properly, or it will encourage rot. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizer. Picking fruit can also help the plant redirect its energies to maintaining itself. Heat stress can make the plants more susceptible to disease, signs of which can sometimes be wilting. Check for spots on the leaves, discoloration within the stem, etc. If it is not a disease, it is possible that your plant might recover for a fall crop, but it is hard to predict. Good luck!
buds & type
I've read each of the blog/"garden journal" and the tomatoes page concerning care/gardening/soil. It doesn't address my problem of having buds/blossoms, but they don't pollinated. Also, they are only about 2' tall, how I determine whether they are indeterminate or determinate at this stage?
flowers but no fruit
If you have lots of tomato flowers but no fruit, it might be caused by inadequate light, too little water or inconsistent watering, too hot/cold (temps above about 75F night/90 day), or not enough pollinators. Too low humidity can also affect pollination; ideal is 40 to 70 percent. If humidity is too low, misting the plant can help pollen to stick. As to indeterminate/determinate: If you don’t know the name of the variety, take a look at the flower clusters. Determinate varieties form flower clusters at the tips of the shoots (a flower cluster will also eventually form at the top of the plant, at which point plant growth stops). Indeterminate plants form flower clusters along the stem.
Ya done good.
I'm discouraged by all the factors involved in what is claimed as an "easy" plant to grow. However, I think you nailed it. Here in Houston, the temperatures are getting a bit excessive, and yet they are thriving. They get plenty of light, in the morning, and shade envelopes them from a fence starting at about 1p. I believe they are Roma tomatoes. I water each of them about a pint and a half of water each day. So, can I pretty much determine that I will not be getting any fruit from them this year? Any chance they might put out some product before the first frost in late November?
growing tomatoes
This year is really my first go at planting a garden myself in years. I grew up tending our garden and enjoying the crops produced. But I didn't want to start out big so only planted a few things. I have I think 8 tomato plants, they are big and look healthy but very few blooms and very few tomatoes. Have picked a few green ones to eat but just not getting fruits like I feel it should. Not sure what to do they get plenty of sun and I water in the evening. Now thats my first issue. I also have okra that have plenty of blooms but not producing the okra, same with my cucumbers and bell peppers and sunflower. My corn is barely 8 inches tall, my carrots never even came up and nothing yet on my green beans. I have several hot peppers and they are producing so not going to be short on canned peppers for making nachos and other things. I know there something I should be doing but don't know what. I just was so excited about being able to enjoy the fresh produce and enjoy them all year by canning my produce. Advice please!!
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