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
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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.
All that you have told are
All that you have told are true but they can be avoided just follow the correct procedures.
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!!
tomato wilt
Tomato plants are wilted. some tomatoes are set on but leaves are wilted. I have tried watering but that doesn't help. There are quite a few walnut trees near, would be affecting them?
Wilted Leaves on Tomato Plants
If watering deeply hasn’t helped, wilted leaves could be a sign of one of primarily two issues: a fungal infection, such as Verticillium or Fusarium wilt, or walnut toxicity. If your tomatoes are less than approximately 75 feet from the walnut trees, then the latter is likely the cause. In either case, there’s not much you can do aside from planting the tomatoes in a different spot next year.
Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Tomatoes
would want to do better i growing tomatoes so that i can have big harvesting.
I Wanna buy a tool to measure
I Wanna buy a tool to measure bromine in tomato soil and after many research I found the following. Can you check it and tell if it's a good one ?
Many thanks
Tomato plants not blooming
I planted tomato plants in large buckets and have big beautiful bushes and not one bloom on any of the plants. I live in central Ga. Any suggestions as to why?
tomato flowers
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. Hope this helps!
Tomato leaves turn colour
My plants turns colour and the leaves are shrinking. Looks like some disease. I have planted this in pots in my balcony. We are in UAE. Weather here is 13 to 22 degree Celsius. Please give me a solution to get rid of this diseases.
Thank you
Plant care
My brother gave my a tomato plant as a gift to start my own garden but I have never actually planted or cared for any plants so I have no idea what to do now that I actually have one.
The plant he gave me is small (about a foot tall +/-) and he put it in a pot for me. It already has a couple of tomatoes growing but they are still small and green. His instructions were to "just water it," but I'm not sure how reliable his expertise is.
How should I properly care for this plant? My house is a rental so I prefer to keep it potted rather than planting it directly in the yard; is it ok to keep it in the pot? Any information or advice would be great. Thanks!
first tomato
Anna, we’ll try to help you—but you’ve got to help yourself. Books have been written about growing tomatoes, and we’ve condensed decades (nay, centuries!) of advice into this Web site. Here are some pages to explore, note, and return to regularly. As your plant grows, you may need/want to repot it. You might need/want to stake it. You need to give it lots of sunshine and water it regularly. Here is some advice on doing so. Welcome to the garden!
• http://www.almanac.com/content/container-gardening-vegetables
• http://www.almanac.com/blog/gardening-blog/tomato-tips
• http://www.almanac.com/video/how-water-vegetables-better-taste
Since you do not indicate the type of tomato, perhaps it’s cherry/grape: http://www.almanac.com/blog/gardening/gardening/growing-cherry-tomatoes
There is a lot more information on this Web site, Anna. You can search (beneath the soc media icons above by dropping your cursor on the “magnifying glass”) for “tomato,” “tomatoes in containers,” and the like and peruse the pages at your leisure.
Veggies easily grown in first garden.c
I live in central Arkansas. Im just now planting my garden. Any suggestions on what to plant.
Care of heirloom tomatoes
I am trying to develop a guide and schedule for the treatment of my tomatoes through the growing season.A plan to help prevent disease and keep plants healthier so they can fight off disease.Best uses of fertilization and type, treatment to help keep plants healthy and prevent disease.Just best ideas for keeping plants healthy.
Reply
This partly depends on your location. In the north, make sure the plant does not get shade. In the south make sure the plant gets late afternoon shade. If you add compost and organic manure to your soil, keep a consistent watering schedule and monthly spray down the plants (in the Morning Only)(this gets rid of aphids), you will most often need no fertilizer or pesticides.
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