Our Growing Tomatoes Guide takes you from planting to harvesting! Find out when to plant America’s favorite garden crop, the best way to grow tomatoes, how long it takes a tomato to bear fruit, and what tomatoes need to thrive. We’ll touch on how to transplant, stakes and cages, the best tomato varieties, and more tomato tips!
There’s a reason why tomatoes are the #1 home garden vegetable. The taste of a tomato right off the vine is incomparable to a typical grocery store type.
Tomatoes are warm-weather vegetables and sun worshippers!
- In northern regions, tomato plants will need at least 6 hours of sunlight daily; 8 to 10 hours are preferred.
- In southern regions, light afternoon shade (natural or applied, e.g., row covers) will help tomatoes to survive and thrive.
How Long Does It Take to Grow a Tomato?
This is one of our most common questions. The exact “days to harvest” depends on the cultivar and it can range from 60 days to more than 100 days.
In addition, tomatoes can not be started too early in the ground as they are a tender warm-season crop that can not bear frost. In most regions, the soil is not warm enough to plant tomatoes outdoors until late spring and early summer except in zone 10, where they are a fall and winter crop. See when to start tomatoes for your location.
Due to their relatively long growing season requirements (and late planting date), plant small “starter plants” or transplants instead of seeds. Choose young tomato plants from a reputable nursery. Good starter plants are short and stocky with dark green color and straight, sturdy stems about the size of a pencil or thicker. They should not have yellowing leaves, spots, or stress damage nor have flowers or fruits already in progress.
Types of Tomatoes
- Determinate tomatoes, better known as “bush” varieties grow 2 to 3 feet tall. These varieties tend to provide numerous ripe tomatoes at one time, do not put on much leaf growth after setting fruit, and tend to fruit for a (relatively) brief period of time. They are generally productive earlier than the vining varieties, and not in the latter part of the growing season. Determinate tomatoes do not require staking or caging. These plants are idea for containers and small spaces. Most paste tomatoes are determine (which works well for making sauce and canning).
- Indeterminate tomatoes, better known as “vining” varieties produce the largest types of mid- to late-season slicing tomatoes all summer and until the first frost. Because indeterminates experience more leaf growth, their production tends to be spread more evenly throughout the season. Indeterminate tomatoes need staking. They are ideal in large gardeners. Most beefsteak and cherry tomatoes are indeterminate.
Tomatoes come in a wide range of flavors as well as colors and sizes, from tiny grape-sized types to giant beefsteaks. The choice also depends on how you will use this versatile fruit in the kitchen. For example, Roma tomatoes are not usually eaten fresh out of hand, but are perfect for sauces and ketchups. Tomatoes do need vigilant care, as the crop is susceptible to pests and diseases. To avoid problems, choose disease-resistant cultivars whenever possible.
Image: Tomatoes aren’t only red! Featured here is the flavorful heirloom ‘Green Zebra,’ a high-yielding indeterminate plant. Credit: VZaitsev/GettyImages
Check out this video to learn more about how to choose tomatoes.
Reader Comments
Leave a Comment
no Tomatoes
I have large tomatoes bushes but when the blossom comes on it drys up and dies with no tomatoe on the end What do I need to do?????
Tammy, I think we are in the
Tammy, I think we are in the same boat when it comes to raising tomatoes. I think I am going to take a chance on setting them out earlier next year, even before the last frost. We don't have much of a Spring here in the part of Texas I am in. Winter to Summer and that's about it. I heard and it's only hear-say, that if it stays above 72 degrees at night, the blossums would drop. I hope someone comes aboard and tells us what could be wrong with our Tomatoes.
Tomato Plants
My tomatoe plants are beautiful but all my blossums disappear before the fruit sets. I have been sprinking sevin-dust over plants, to ward off any insects. I live in Texas and it's hot here. Could that be the culprit? They get enough water.
blossums
I'm using Tomato & Peper Set on my tomato's and they are doing good, I've also heared that sugar water doe's well I don't know for sure.
Tomatoes
I have had the best tomatoe plants yet this year. But they won't get real red I have to pick them early so they won't get rotten. I have some sort of little flying bugs on the tomatoe themselves when I go out to work in the garden. I live i southeast TX can u help with this problem
Hi Edith, it sounds like it
Hi Edith, it sounds like it may be too hot in southeast Texas! Once tomatoes begin to turn pink, bring them indoors to finish ripening (it sounds like you've already been doing this). The plant cannot carry out its normal functions in excessive heat. The bugs you described sound like aphids. See tips here: http://www.almanac.com/content/aphids
tomatoes cracking
I live in Tucson. My Celebrity tomatoes are cracking. They are in raised beds and I water the same time every day with a drip hose. They get 4 hours of sun in the a.m. and 5 hours in the p.m. The rest of the day the sun screen shades them.
Any help I can get would be greatly appreciated.
Hi rcain, it sounds like you
Hi rcain, it sounds like you are taking good care of your tomatoes, but here are a few more tips to try: Add 2-4 inches of mulch around your plants. This will help provide uniform moisture throughout. Also, make sure you aren't over pruning. While 'Celebrity' is semi- crack resistant, next year, go for varieties that are crack resistant such as 'Avalanche' or 'Show Me'.
Thanks for the information.
Thanks for the information. I will try it and see if it works and change varieties next year. My Stupice tomatoes are working out just fine.
Tomato Plant Question
My tomato plants have healthy green leaves and robust growth. However there are very few blossoms or tomatoes set. How do I best encourage tomato growth rather than foliage growth? Plants have been fertilized with liquid seaweed (foliage), a liquid fertilizer and compost tea.
Hi Jim, Here are some tips to
Hi Jim, Here are some tips to encourage tomatoes: Make sure you water adequately. The plant needs enough moisture to produce the fruit--which is mostly water itself! Make sure your plant is getting 6 hours of direct sunlight per day, but don't expose it to high temperatures for long periods. You may have over-fertilized with nitrogen. Nitrogen causes foliage growth, but does little to encourage fruit set. You can try pruning off a few of the leaves. Finally, make sure you have a variety that is adapted to your Zone. Good luck, Jim!
Too much nitrogen
I would cut back on the nitrogen for a bit.
Nitrogen gives more leaves.
spotty tomatoes
im trying "hanging plants" for the first time. i used a good potting soil and it keeps drying out to fast. i re-water and the fruit has brown spots. where am i going WRONG on this
adding calcium
I wonder if placing one Tum's tablet under each tomato would do the trick? They are calcium tablets.
adding calcium
I have a book that says take eggs shells (cleaned)break up and put into soil around tomatoes. Another suggestion was to put eggshells in a water bottle or can and let set overnight and then use water on certain plants. I've tried the egg shells in the soil when planting. But not sure if helps yet; will see.
Soil acidity
My soil is pretty base (7.0 +), what is the most natural way to make it more acidic especially with tomatoes?
Soil acidity...
Espoma Organic Traditions Soil Acidifier
http://www.espoma.com/p_consum...
It is carried at Home Depot, Lowes, etc.
Natural Acidity
You can add leaf mulch or pine needles that have fallen from the trees.
pH Tomatoes
Simply stating "acidic" doesn't help the average gardener very much.
Tomatoes like a somewhat acidic soil: 6:2 - 6:8 w/6:5 probably the best, they do adapt though to some variance.
Tomatoes and eggs
Iv'e heard if you put a raw egg in the hole before you plant tomatoes It will help them. Is this true? Thanks Nancy
re: tomatoes and eggs
I would think that it would be beneficial if your soil is in need of nitrates and calcium; like adding a whole fish under a three sister's plot?
adding calcium
I wonder if adding a Tums tablet under each plant would help with the calcium? They break down easily and are basically all calcium.
Tums
Any Calcium based antacid will work. I have had to resort to this method a couple of times. I also found out you have to re-apply in a couple of weeks. Had not heard of the egg shells untill today. Makes sense though. I will be using that idea this year.
I'm not sure about the raw
I'm not sure about the raw egg, but Thymey's right about the fish.
The Native American tribes thought it was a great idea to bury fish with their corn seeds; they thought it helped grow healthier plants. Fish is a great fertilizer, and it probably works for tomato plants, too.
Tomatoes and Eggs...
Crushed up egg shells in the planting holes (approx. 2 tbls.) is good for blossom end rot, which is caused by lack of calcium.
Calcium
One could add crushed Oyster shell (fed to chickens to help harden shells on eggs). But if your calcium is locked up in the soil due to an imbalance this won't help. You could try epsom salts to add magnesium first. There must be magnesium in the soil to help the plants take up calcium.
Pages