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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20 Mar 17, Jack (Australia - temperate climate)
Sorry to hear about your bad run with tomatoes. I also live in Gippsland (Vic) and had the same problem with some of my tomato varieties last year but not others. I understand it is called Tomato (or Tobacco) Mosaic Virus. It is soil-borne and can also be transmitted by smokers when handling plants. I would look for virus-resistant varieties for next season and don't plant tomatoes, potatoes or capsicums in that spot for 3 seasons. We planted 'Tommy Toe' this year and have had an abundance of fruit with no disease. TT is a golf-ball sized tomato that bears heavily and has a great flavour.
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27 Mar 17, Meredith (Australia - temperate climate)
Thank you for this information. I fear I have spread it without knowing although I am not a smoker. What is the best way to discard the diseased plants now. I have been composting and I guess this helps to spread the virus. Meredith
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16 Mar 17, Joan Fox (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Would tomato plant grow and produce fruit if planted in a pot on a sheltered veranda during winter months?. Would get all morning sun.
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17 Mar 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Tomatoes need heat to grow and produce. If you can where the soil in the container will stay warm enough you could certainly give it a try. You would need maximum sunshine and protection from frosts and cold winds. I have heard of people putting pots against a brick wall so that some of the heat absorbed by the wall can help overnight. If you have a sunny spot near a window inside what about planting them inside in a pot or a hanging basket. 'Tumbler' is a good hanging basket variety that bears very well and looks good. Let us know on this site how you get on.
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18 Mar 17, Robyn (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I agree that Tumbler is a great "cherry type" tomato, and a great performer. I grow both yellow and red variety. Plant two plants in each large hanging basket, feed well and you should get toms from Oct till April. I hang mine off the picnic table on my deck, we pick our own for meals, easy!
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12 Feb 17, Joe (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted a crop 6 plants of Roma in virgin beds this year and did quite well, how ever in years gone by have had poor results in beds previously cropped with tomatoes, why is this so?
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13 Feb 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
The tomatoes would have done well because of your 'virgin' beds. Vegetables have varying nutrient requirements, with leaf crops able to take lots of nitrogen from recently manured soil. If you follow a leaf crop with a fruit crop, such as tomatoes, beans or pumpkins (or plants from within that family), then complete the cycle with a root crop such as carrots you will end up with a fairly good balance. After the root crop add more manure or compost and start the cycle again. The only extra thing I will say is - don't plant tomatoes, capsicums, potatoes or egg plant in the same spot next year as this will encourage soil borne diseases that they are susceptible to. Trust this helps.
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13 Jan 17, Penny (Australia - temperate climate)
Is it too late to plant a Roma tomato plant now? Ta
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16 Jan 17, John Mauger (Australia - temperate climate)
Roma tomatoes need about two and a half months from planting to harvest, so if you planted some now you would have them ready by late March. You should scrape in before any frosts. If they are still bearing and frosts are imminent pull the whole plant out (including the roots) and hang it up by in a sheltered place where the remaining tomatoes will continue to ripen. The worst case scenario would be to make green tomato pickles at the end of the season. Trust this helps.
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11 Jan 17, Sandra (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, I got about 5 varieties of tomatoes growing and they are all doing great and tasting fantastic! And totally organic as well.....my only problem is that I am sharing my delicious fruit with these big fat green caterpillars .....so I end up throwing a lot away.......would you have an idea what I could do to get rid of them? A non-chemical solution if possible.... Thank you :)
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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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