Growing Tomatoes

Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Tomatoes

Tomatoes on Vine
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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?”

Planting

When to Plant Tomatoes

  • If you’re starting tomatoes from seed (versus transplants), you’ll want to start your seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the average last spring frost date. See our Planting Calendar for seed-starting dates specific to your area and our article on “Tomatoes From Seed the Easy Way” for more tips.
  • Transplant seedlings after the last spring frost when the soil has warmed. See our Planting Calendar for suggested transplanting dates.

Selecting and Preparing a Planting Site

  • Select a site with full sun and well-drained soil. For northern regions, it is VERY important that your site receives at least 6 hours of daily sunlight. For southern regions, light afternoon shade will keep tomatoes protected from the harsh midday sun and help them thrive.
  • Two weeks before transplanting tomato plants outdoors, dig into soil about 1 foot deep and mix in aged manure or compost. Learn more about preparing soil for planting.
  • Some sort of support system is recommended, but sprawling plants can also produce fine crops if you have the space and if the weather cooperates. However, the plants will be more susceptible to soil-borne disease and rot if not kept off the ground.

How to Plant Tomatoes

  • Harden off seedlings or transplants for a week before planting in the garden. Set young plants outdoors in the shade for a couple of hours the first day, gradually increasing the amount of time the plants are outside each day to include some direct sunlight. Learn more about hardening off seedlings.
  • Plant transplants about 2 feet apart.
  • Place tomato stakes or cages in the soil at the time of planting to avoid damaging roots later on. Staking keeps developing tomato fruit off the ground, while caging lets the plant hold itself upright. Learn how to build stakes and other tomato supports.
  • Pinch off a few of the lower branches on transplants, and plant the root ball deep enough so that the remaining lowest leaves are just above the surface of the soil.
  • If your transplants are leggy, you can remedy this by burying up to ⅔ of the plant, including the lower sets of leaves. Tomato stems have the ability to grow roots from the buried stems.
  • Water well to reduce shock to the roots.

Tomatoes. Photo by ozgurdonmaz/Getty Images
Photo by ozgurdonmaz/Getty Images

Growing Tomatoes in Containers

  • Use a large pot or container with drainage holes in the bottom.
  • Use loose, well-draining soil. We recommend a good potting mix with added organic matter.
  • Plant one tomato plant per pot. Choose from bush or dwarf varieties; many cherry tomatoes grow well in pots. 
  • Taller varieties may need to be staked.
  • Place the pot in a sunny spot with 6 to 8 hours of full sun a day.
  • Keep soil moist. Containers will dry out more quickly than the garden soil, so check daily and provide extra water during a heat wave.

Care

Tomato Plant Care

  • Water generously the first few days that the tomato seedlings or transplants are in the ground.
  • Water well throughout the growing season, about 2 inches per week during the summer. Water deeply for a strong root system.
  • Water in the early morning. This gives plant the moisture it needs to make it through a hot day. Avoid watering late afternoon or evening. 
  • Mulch five weeks after transplanting to retain moisture and to control weeds. Mulch also keeps soil from splashing the lower tomato leaves. 
  • To help tomatoes through periods of drought, find some flat rocks and place one next to each plant. The rocks prevent water from evaporating from the soil.
  • Side dress plants with fertilizer or compost every two weeks starting when the tomato fruits are about 1 inch in diameter.
  • If using stakes, prune plants by pinching off suckers (side stems) so that only a couple of branches are growing from each plant. The suckers grow between the branch and the main stem. 
  • Tie growing stems to stakes with twine or soft string.
  • As the plants grow, trim all the lower leaves off the bottom 12 inches of the stem. Splashes from rain can transfer diseases from soil to foliage; trimming lower leaves helps to prevent this. 
  • Practice crop rotation from year to year to prevent diseases that may have overwintered.
  • Check out this post for even more tomato tips.

Pests/Diseases

Tomatoes are susceptible to insect pests, especially tomato hornworms and whiteflies. Link to our pest & problem pages below.

  • Aphids
  • Flea Beetles
  • Tomato Hornworm
  • Whiteflies
  • Blossom-End Rot
  • Late Blight is a fungal disease that can strike during any part of the growing season. It will cause grey, moldy spots on leaves and fruit which later turn brown. The disease is spread and supported by persistent damp weather. This disease will overwinter, so all infected plants should be destroyed. See our blog on “Avoid Blight With the Right Tomato.”
  • Mosaic Virus creates distorted leaves and causes young growth to be narrow and twisted, and the leaves become mottled with yellow. Unfortunately, infected plants should be destroyed (but don’t put them in your compost pile).
  • Cracking: When fruit growth is too rapid, the skin will crack. This usually occurs due to uneven watering or uneven moisture from weather conditions (very rainy periods mixed with dry periods). Keep moisture levels constant with consistent watering and mulching.

See our post about tomato diseases and disorders.

Also, watch our video on troubleshooting tomato problems.

Spacing for Tomatoes

Harvest/Storage

How to Harvest and Store Tomatoes

  • Leave your tomatoes on the vine as long as possible. If any fall off before they appear ripe, place them in a paper bag with the stem up and store them in a cool, dark place.
    • Never place tomatoes on a sunny windowsill to ripen; they may rot before they are ripe!
  • The perfect tomato for picking will be firm and very red in color, regardless of size, with perhaps some yellow remaining around the stem. If you grow orange, yellow or any other color tomato, wait for the tomato to turn the correct color.
  • If your tomato plant still has fruit when the first hard frost threatens, pull up the entire plant and hang it upside down in the basement or garage. Pick tomatoes as they ripen.
  • If temperatures start to drop and your tomatoes aren’t ripening, watch this video for tips.
  • Never refrigerate fresh tomatoes. Doing so spoils the flavor and texture that make up that garden tomato taste.
  • To freeze, core fresh unblemished tomatoes and place them whole in freezer bags or containers. Seal, label, and freeze. The skins will slip off when they defrost.
  • You can harvest seeds from some tomato varieties. Learn how here.

See more on properly storing tomatoes and other vegetables.

Recommended Varieties

Tomatoes grow in all sizes, from tiny “currant” to “cherry” to large “beefsteak.” There are thousands of tomato varieties to suit different climates and tastes. Here are a few of our favorites:

Early Varieties (60 or fewer days to harvest)

  • ‘Early Cascade’: trailing plant, large fruit clusters
  • ‘Early Girl’: one of the earliest tomatoes, produces through the summer

Mid-season Varieties (70 to 80 days to harvest)

  • ‘Floramerica’: firm, deep red flesh, strong plant
  • ‘Fantastic’: meaty rich flavor, heavy yields, crack resistant

Late-season Varieties (80 days or more to harvest)

  • ‘Amish Paste’: Large paste tomatoes, good slicers, heavy yields
  • ‘Brandywine’: A beefsteak with perfect acid-sweet combination, many variants are available

Cherry Tomatoes 

  • ‘Matt’s Wild Cherry’: bright red tomatoes, foolproof in any climate, bears abundant fruit in high or low temps and in rain or drought
  • ‘Sun Gold’: golden orange tomatoes, very sweet yet tart flavor, huge clusters 

For more about tomato varieties, see our post on “Tomato Trials: from blue to grafted; what grew this summer“ and this video on choosing tomato varieties.

Wit & Wisdom

  • In 1522, Spanish explorers returned home from the New World with tomatoes. Wealthy people believed that the fruits were poisonous. Only the peasants were brave (and hungry) enough to eat them.
  • In the 19th century, the tomato was called “The Apple of Paradise” in Germany and “The Apple of Love” in France.
  • Ease a headache by drinking tomato juice blended with fresh basil.
  • People have argued for quite a long time about whether tomatoes are fruits or vegetables!

Recipes

Cooking Notes

Capture the garden-fresh taste of tomatoes all year long! See this helpful post on how to can tomatoes.

Many people also love dried tomatoes, so learn how to dry your own tomatoes here.

See our Best Tomato Recipes Ever!

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Reader Comments

Leave a Comment

QN

Submitted by sandysgs514071236 on

QN

tomatoes

Submitted by Dave Duke on

My plants are growing like crazy,But they getting so tall.6foot plus. if I don't tied them to the
stake they fan out.4 ft across. It don't matter if I grow by the stakes the still get 6 ft.If I grow
in a cage and they still grow 6ft and try to fan out over the cage.I have put stakes in the cage
and they grow even taller.And have seen tomatoes all long the stem and they are still growing with new blooms on top of these long stems.Doing great here in Kansas

Tomatoe Questions

Submitted by Brenda on

The sun is scorching my tomatoes also I'm getting bad spots on the outside, because of this I have decided to go ahead & pick before the tops turn, the base of the tomatoes is orange to red they have been dusted with 7 dust once. Is it best to wash now or wait till I'm ready to eat & the tops have turned red, no bad spots on these they are beautiful & I don't want to loose them. Thanks for your help Brenda

early harvest

Hi there. There are two schools of thought on whether to wash or not. Some gardeners wash their just-picked tomatoes in water, rub the skin gently to remove dirt etc., rinse, and then dry them carefully with a paper towel. This helps to remove pathogens on the surface of the tomato. Other gardeners prefer not to wash until just before eating the tomatoes, because the water may encourage disease if it is left on the tomato or gets inside via the stem scar or any wound or crack. There is also the slight risk of causing injury to the fruit when washing it. Whichever method you choose, avoid ripening tomatoes in direct sunlight, which can also encourage disease. Refrigeration, on the other hand, can ruin flavor. Room temperature (above 55 F) is best; stored in a single layer (no stacking).

Fully grown plant and tomatoes

Submitted by Neal Hanchey on

tomatoes are still green. When I cut tomatoes in half they are green throughout. Very hard

Green Tomatoes

Make sure the plant is getting enough sun and water. Other than that, more time is what’s needed!

Young struggling plant with green tomaotes

Submitted by Hannah Bunek on

Hello,
I bought a young New Girl tomato plant at a farmers' market. I kept it in its little pot for a few days, and it began to grow tomatoes. I then transplanted it to my garden. It hasn't seemed to grow much and is very dry by the end of the day. Should I pluck the tomatoes off to let the plant grow more instead of putting its energy into growing the tomatoes?

Reply to your question regarding your tomato plant

Submitted by Melissa Neal on

I am fairly new to gardening but what I have learned through my own experience and research is that before transplanting a tomato plant pick off the all the tomatos, flowers and the bottom leaves. This has helped my plants tremendously! I left a tomato on one plant just to see what happened and it stunted the growth of the whole entire plant. My plant nor my tomato would grow, so after a few weeks I plucked the tomato off and it's finally growing now. On 22 of my plants that I have on my porch I had to pluck off leaves due to leaf spot and and the new leaves are growing back bigger and brighter. My garden plants have grown so tall and bushy and need plucked again. When you pluck them they do look a little sad and I was very worried that what I was told would be the end of my plants, but it wasn't! It just took time for them to grow better. Also, anytime your leaves start to discolor or get holes im them then pluck them off. The plant will spend way too much time trying to correct bad leaves that it takes away from the rest of the plant which in turn does not allow it to grow properly. I hope this helps you and that your plant starts growing good! Good luck!

Tomatoes plant shock

Submitted by Sheila on

I planted my flowering plant in a garden box. It was cool the first couple of nights so I covered it with a sheet but this morning when I removed the sheet all the leaves were wilted. Will it come back or have I lost it.

lost it?

You do not provide many details—where you are, how cool, even more about the sheet (a bed sheet? cotton or something else? these can be heavy on a plant of any size)—but if the plant is still standing and the leaves have some natural green color (not black), you might be ok. Black leaves are a sign of frost bite and almost always certain death of a tomato plant. Give it a couple of (warm) days and see if it appears to have growth. If there is no change in a week or so it is probably time to start again…when the weather warms up consistently.

tomato plants

Submitted by Rick Miras on

top leaves curled and wilted on some plants and some plants the tomatoes will be curled in at the top and cracked some others will be rotted on the bottom in a circle

Tomato plants

Submitted by Tom Amann on

Top leaves are wilted on some of my tomato plants. ????

fusarium wilt tomatoes

It sounds like a case of fusarium wilt. You will need to pull up and discard (but do not compost!) your tomato plants ASAP. It will be a good idea to sterilize any garden equipment you used in the area and with the plants. The disease can survive in the soil so do not plant potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, or peppers in that area of your garden. You can try disease resistant varieties of tomatoes if this is your only space for growing. Both ‘Celebrity’ and ‘Big Beef’ are resistant to fusarium wilt.

Maters

Submitted by Jeff State on

Make sure you are planting Heirlooms. Forget the hybrids.

My plants grow, but arent producing fruit.

Submitted by Roxanne on

My tomato plants seem to do well. they grow tall, but dont produce any fruit. Been in ground since March and no blooms. They get really tall, taller than me and I'm 5'7.

no fruit

Are there pollinators around? Are the plants in a breezy environment? Sometimes a bit of wind, even shaking, will help. Did you fertilize? Potassium (or potash) will encourage flowering and then fruiting. Nitrogen, on the other hand, encourages foliage. Also, too high temps and even high humidity will slow or stop fruit production. Does anything here sound like something that might be the solution?

Tomatoes

Submitted by Hurdle on

More plants very little tomatoes.

Pee on your Tomato Plants

Submitted by Mark on

Human urine works remarkably well as a fertilizer for tomatoes. Plants fertilized with a mixture of stored human urine and wood ash produces 4.2 times more fruit than plants without pee. Healthy human urine is rich in nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, and phosphate, all key ingredients for healthy plants.

New to Gardening

Submitted by Linda on

What a wealth of information, guides and how-to’s. Thank you!!

appreciation

Submitted by ebong dan on

i just want to give a word of thanks because the site was so useful to me and it has helped me in my research

Best tomato seed

Submitted by Saeed on

Hi.
I looking for the best tomato seed for my farm. I loking for Comodoro tomato seed.whats your opinion about my selection?
We have cool spring and hot , dry summer.
Thanks.

tiny brown things that pop up from tomato on window sill

Submitted by Terry Stockelman on

We have noticed these tiny brown things that kinda pop out of tomato as it sits on window sill. Does anyone know what they are? They are not bugs. Definitely not alive. Thanks

tomato spots

The Editors's picture

Submitted by The Editors on

It is possible, if these are not entrance holes for insects, that they are symptoms of a disease. There are several that can cause spotting on the fruit, but one that comes to mind in particular is bacterial speck, which can appear as small raised spots on the fruit (sometimes with a yellow halo around them), which can sort of look like freckles. In the early stages, this disease only affects the skin, so you can peel it off before eating. More advanced stages will travel deeper into the tomato, so you might want to cut any discolored parts out, although a tomato affected with bacterial speck is still safe to eat. This disease likes moisture to grow, so make sure to store you fruit in a dry location. Bacterial spot and bacterial canker may be similar on fruit, but the halo is white rather than yellow (bacterial spot halos disappear in later stages). Green fruit are most susceptible to the introduction of these diseases (which also affect the leaves). Hope this helps!

Keeping plants.

Submitted by Amanda on

This is a true beginner's question, but is it possible to cut a plant down to the stemm and regrow it again next year? I have a cherry tomato plant in a container by my window, and it has a pretty good root system going. However it's slowly dying as it gets less and less sun, so I was wondering if I could cut it to the stem (like a raspberry plant) and have it grow back, or do I have to plant new seeds come spring?

Tomatoes as Perennials

The Editors's picture

Submitted by The Editors on

Don’t worry, it’s a good question! In their native tropical habitat, tomatoes are perennial plants, meaning that they live and produce for more than one season. In North America, tomatoes are treated as annuals because it’s hard to keep them alive through the cold part of the year (unless you have a greenhouse). If you were to cut the plant back to the roots, it’s unlikely that the roots would survive to spring, as tomatoes aren’t designed to go into that kind of dormancy. 

If you have your heart set on keeping this plant, you could try bringing it inside your home, though you’ll need to keep it above 65°F at all times (the warmer, the better) and it will need as much light as you can give it. A strong grow light will most likely be needed to keep it from withering away if you can’t give it full sun.

Harvesting Tomato in Green Color

Submitted by Hyacinth on

Is it possible to ripen the tomato when it is harvested in green color?

Asking for help from well wishers especially tomatto growers

Submitted by Elvis gardner on

Am writing from southern part of Africa Zambia in particular. I developed interest in tomato growing but our area does not really support this type of farming it is sandy and very hot. please am asking from well wishers to help me with a green house. Thanks in advance

about tomatoes

Submitted by yash on

you have written very well I appreciate your blog about a tomato. Its very helpful.

damaged tomato plants

Submitted by Debra K on

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.

Pages

Growing Tomatoes

Botanical Name Solanum lycopersicum
Plant Type Vegetable
Sun Exposure Full Sun
Soil Type Loamy
Soil pH Acidic
Bloom Time Summer
Flower Color Yellow
Hardiness Zones 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
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