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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28 Dec 10, Pat Lightfoot (Australia - temperate climate)
From experience night temps will stop flowers from bearing fruit. We in Armidale (Northern Tablelands NSW) have experienced 1 C over the last few weeks at night. However, I have pot plants in a secure under the eves and one self seeded plant lived through winter, and has beared a few fruit. Not the most healthy looking either. But has three tomatoes on it.I don't think Armidale is the best place to have tomatoes unless in a green house. They grow well but don't bear much fruit, as night time temps go beneath 10 C.
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16 Nov 10, Pyley (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi David.. Whitefly can be controlled by using a low toxic product called Natrasoap. It suffocates the pests, then they dry up and fall off. You can also add a few drops of Peppermint or Eucalyptus oil as well.
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15 Nov 10, David (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Help!! Dear All, I live in St Kilda in Victoria, my Tomatos which are only a couple of feet high are covered in clouds of whitefly, Ive tried everything, concoctions of sunlight soap and vinegar, pyrethrum, you name it but nothing seems to work. I have heard companion planting in conjunction with at least one other method is the best way but as i have tried so many different methods, i am somewhat sceptical. Does anyone have any tried and true methods to stop whitefly (other than not growing tomoatos)?
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17 Jan 11, Grace (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi David, I'm not sure if you have found a solution to your whitefly problem, but I thought i'd post this anyhow. I haven't tried this yet, but I saw a great segment on GA ages ago where Colin uses a vegemite 'tea' to attract lacewing, whitefly's natural predator. I found the fact sheet for you, but I can't post it. Just google it: Gardening Australia, fact sheet 'home-made remedies', series 20, ep 22, Presenter: Colin Campbell, 27/06/2009 Also, basil is a great companion plant to tomatoes, I tend to interplant them between rows. I hope this helps, and isn't too late!
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13 Nov 10, (Australia - tropical climate)
will a tomato plant produce more than one crop?
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28 Jul 11, Carolyn (Australia - temperate climate)
It's true that tomatos are an annual but there IS a way to get"follow on" or late crops from a particular plant. . . take cuttings ("tip" or even better "heal" cuttings"take" eazily) The new plants will be genetically identical to the parent plant & will crop in 1/3 the time a seedling would. Best of all you can save a favorite (or a dozen if you wish) by overwintering in pots
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13 Nov 10, Sri (Australia - temperate climate)
Tomatoes are an annual so they grow then flower then they start to produce fruit and as long as you keep the water up to them and feed them regularly they should continue to flower and fruit for 4 to 6 months but when they are finished they dont usually bounce back the plant is spent. However small salad tomatoes (tiny tims,cherry tomatoes) have been known to flower and fruit again.
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18 Sep 10, (Australia - arid climate)
Hi collegues, Do you know any USA quarantine insect pests of tomato? Looking forward to getting your ideas Theo
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05 Aug 10, Garry (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Look up 'Poisonous Plants' on wikipedia, there is a good list there. Tomatoes and potatoes are part of the nightshade family, which means any green bits are toxic. Brassicas would be a good choice, all sorts of fancy lettuce and chinese cabbage you could try and the seeds are usually cheap and easy to grow. (My amateur 2c)
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05 Aug 10, ajp (Australia - temperate climate)
Am trying to help set up a veggie/herb plot at my daughters child care centre but we have a problem. Tomato leaves (and potato) are posionus so will not be able to plant as children will have access to the garden at alll times. I know that a lot of veggies have poisonus parts but cant seem to find a list of them anywhere. Does anyone have any ides?
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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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