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

18 Nov 11, ian (Australia - arid climate)
i always fertiilze every 10 to 12 days as you will always good growth and a healthy plant will always bear goood fruit or veg's
26 Sep 11, Lisa (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
When it says potatoes and tomatoes shouldn't be planted together does that just mean same bed? or same time? completely new to gardening thanks
18 Nov 11, ian Mckay (Australia - temperate climate)
no don't plant after one after the other always leave a years between as you may end up with namato's, i always leave a year or somethimes two between planting either between planting of either of them.
26 Sep 11, Liz (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Lisa, it means that they should not be planted in the same bed.
01 Sep 11, Nik in Melbourne (Australia - temperate climate)
Is is time to plant tomato seedlings out in the patch yet? Also, a patch I have does not get full sun till the middle of the summer. Should I delay planting tomatoes there?
08 Oct 11, Tracey in Melbourne (Australia - temperate climate)
Basically from the start of October to early November is considered tomato planting time in Melbourne but exactly when to plant out your seedlings depends on the microclimate of your garden. If your veg plot is sheltered from cold wind and gets lots of sun, or you have raised beds (which warm up quicker than an in-ground garden), or you are growing your toms in large pots (again, warmer than in-ground beds), then you can get away with planting them now. I have a heavyish clay-based soil which tends to take a little longer to warm up, so will not be planting mine out until around the end of this month. As far as planting in less than full sun, the minimum recommendation for plants like tomatoes is usually given as 6 hours of sun a day, so your patch doesn't necessarily need to get sun from dawn to dusk. If it's currently getting 6 hours you can proceed as per usual. I have a spot in my garden that is shaded by a shed in winter/early spring, which I'll be using for a tomato plant this year. I'll pot up the tomato seedling destined for that spot (an early fruiting variety) into a bigger pot as necessary, and plant it out mid-November, by which time the space gets about 6 hours and the seedling will be a good size.
27 Aug 11, Bill (Australia - temperate climate)
My dogs like to eat manure and blood and bone drives them nuts, so last year I used mushroom compost together with liquid fish fertiliser on the tomatoes. Had a staggeringly large crop.
24 Aug 11, Moshe Ioh (Australia - temperate climate)
Is it possible to use mushroom compost (alkaline) with tomatoes (liking acidic soil)? Has anybody used this technique and what were the results?
23 Aug 11, MICK (Australia - temperate climate)
DO YOU PRUNE GRAFTED TOMATOS THE SAME AS A NORMAL TOMATO
24 Aug 11, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I don't prune tomatoes at all. Diggers Club did a comparison of pruned vs unpruned and found no difference in fruit production.
Showing 601 - 610 of 799 comments

Tomato plants can handle night temps in the mid 40s but you should harden them off a bit if they're used to a hothouse. If you want to baby them so they'll grow a bit faster, consider covering them at night with horticultural fleece, though you shouldn't actually *need* to unless frost threatens or the night is forecast to be very windy.

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. GardenGrow is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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