Growing Tomato

Lycopersicon esculentum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
                  S S  
T                     T

(Best months for growing Tomato in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • 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 61°F and 95°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 16 - 24 inches 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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22 Jul 19, Gerald Kent (USA - Zone 10a climate)
What is the best tasting tomato to grow in zone 10a in Westlake Village California, area code 91361
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10 Aug 20, Gina (USA - Zone 10b climate)
we had great success growing san marzano (redorta) tomatoes... great for homemade pasta sauces!
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18 Jul 20, Jessica (USA - Zone 10a climate)
The best tasting tomato depends on what you value in a tomato. There are thousands of tomato varieties and you just need to find one that you like. I suggest you start with indeterminate heirlooms first, unless you a beginner gardener, then I would go with Hybrids. Good luck with your harvests.
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23 May 19, Brod (New Zealand - temperate climate)
How can i grow Tomatoes all year round in CHB Do i need a Greenhouse?????? In winter we get regular frosts
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23 May 19, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Tomatoes are frost tender, so yes you need some sort of protection for them, if you want to grow all the year round.
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22 May 19, Nkhangweleni (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
I want to know about how we can treat the diseases or just give me the name of medicine that can be used?
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21 Apr 19, Geoffrey Wilson (Australia - tropical climate)
I have tried to grow tomatoes at Palm Beach Gold Coast for many years. They will grow nicely up to when they start to form fruit and then the bush starts dying off from the bottom up until there are no leaves left I have asked so many people about this but no one can give me an answer Maybe you can give me some suggestions of what is wrong
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02 Jun 19, Ruby (Australia - arid climate)
I have grown tomatoes for many years on the coast and now in Hervey Bay. Forget growing in summer. It's too humid. The soil temp at night is too hot and too humid. I start on April once night temps ate under 29 deg. Back off on watering too much and less nitrogen. Plant deep, cut off lower leaves and talk to them!!! Hope this helps.
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03 May 19, Green thumb (Australia - temperate climate)
Try a new area. Dig the soil and add compost/manure or fertiliser. Add some Epsom salts to the soil - buy at supermarket. As the plants grow up to 600-800mm tall, pick off the bottom few leaves and suckers. Always leave the top 6-8-10 leaves. Tie plants to a stake each 300mm in an 8 configuration around the plant and pole. Water in the morning and water at the soil level. When a tomato plant grows and you prick fruit, the bottom leaves die. Little plants need a little water each day or two - big plants need a good deep watering 2-3 times a week, unless it is summer they may need more. My toms are 1.8m high, green as anything and not a dead leaf yet. Fruit developing.
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25 Jun 19, Green Thumd (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
These tomatoes were seeds from seedlings given to a seed seller who grew them out and harvested the seeds and sold them. They are from Guyra Glasshouse (NSW) - biggest tomato grower in Aus I read. These plants have been unbelievable. I grow them on trellises 6-7' long - 3 plants to a trellis. I have 3 trellises about 2.5' apart running N -S and another trellis at my house. The middle trellis of the 3 hasn't produced too many tomatoes - shaded by the others but gee have all the rest produced heaps. I don't know what variety they are (a hybrid) but they produce a lot of fruit and no disease or grubs. Have picked about 40kg and still have approx. 25-30 kg to pick.
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Of course there are lots of factors (soil watering etc.), I\ll point out a few you may have issues with. I'm a little concerned about your night time temperatures harming the growth or steady growth of your tomatoes -- in addition Blossom drop will occur in if daytime temperatures are warm but night temps drop below 55 F. (13 C.) -- a condition that can easily occur in a greenhouse in winter. When you look at days to harvest for tomatoes -- they are assuming spring/summer growing -- which means the NUMBER of daylight hours is HIGHER. Your area may drop from 12 hours of daylight in summer to 9 in winter.... that's a big difference. Additionally the INTENSITY of the sun is not as great in winter as it is in summer. This means the plant is not collecting as much light. I would GUESTIMATE you need to at double the DAYS to harvest to account for your growing conditions. If you decide to go forward I would opt for varieties that tend to grow well in colder climates that NATURALLY have less intense sun and shorter days (or install lighting if you don't have it and perhaps some heat). REMEMBER your soil temp needs to stay at about 16c -- so if your pots are on the ground or if you are planting directly into the soil, the cold may creep into the soil from below. There are specific tomato varietals bred for cold hardiness which will tolerate conditions at or below 55 degrees F. (13 C.). The best choices for colder climates are short to mid-season tomatoes. These tomatoes set fruit not only in cooler temps, but also reach maturity in the shortest number of days; around 52-70 days. I would look to some indeterminate cherry or plum size tomatoes (so small tomatoes) with very low days to harvest. I have never grow this tomato -- but -- Originally developed for cool rainy nights, Quedlinburger Frühe Liebe (or as I like to say, QFL) is a German heirloom tomato variety that’s ready for harvest in just 40 days after transplanting (!!!) and keeps producing until killed by a freeze. This makes it quite an amazing all-season plant and a real keeper in the garden if you’re prone to cold snaps. QFL is sweet and flavorful with small, juicy red fruits ==> tomatofest (internet site in the USA) says : Old German potato-leaf variety means "Early love of Qued Linburg". Small spindly vines produce 1 1/2-inch, round, 4-lobed fruit in clusters of 4. These tomatoes have great flavor with good acidity. Developed for cool rainy nights. Prolific even during colder summers. **** you really need to review the conditions in your green house -- day and night time temps, hours of sunlight --and you need to choose your variety wisely -- and even then, this might be difficult -- a lot depends on your greenhouse.

- faith Celeste Archer

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