How to Grow Tomato
Get Your Exact Tomato Planting Dates
Enter your ZIP, city, state, or zone for a personalized planting calendar.
Ready to grow Tomato?
Order seeds from trusted suppliers.
* Affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
🛠️ Supplies You'll Need
* Affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
🌿 Plant Overview
☀️ Growing Requirements
☀️
Sun
Full Sun (6-8 hours)
💧
Water
Regular (1-2 inches/week)
↔️
Spacing
24" apart
🌱
Depth
0.25" deep
📏
Height
36-72"
🌱
Germination
5-10 days
Ready to Grow Tomato?
Find quality seeds from trusted suppliers.
* Affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Common Tomato Varieties
Popular cultivars to look for at your local nursery or seed supplier.
Early Girl
A reliable slicer that ripens 50–52 days after transplanting — great for short-season gardens.
Celebrity
Disease-resistant and productive, producing firm 8 oz slicers ideal for beginners.
Brandywine
Large, pinkish-red heirloom prized for rich, complex flavor; one of the most-loved slicers.
Cherokee Purple
Deep mahogany-purple heirloom with a smoky, sweet flavor and dramatic color.
Better Boy
High-yielding hybrid with large, uniform fruits and resistance to cracking.
Black Krim
Dark, smoky-flavored heirloom from Russia with beautiful deep red-black skin.
Days-to-maturity figures are approximate and vary by climate and growing conditions.
Common Tomato Problems
What to watch for — and how to fix it before it spreads.
Pests
Large green caterpillar that can strip a plant of leaves overnight. Look for dark frass pellets on leaves as an early sign.
Handpick caterpillars; plant dill or basil nearby to attract predatory wasps.
Tiny soft-bodied insects that cluster on new growth, causing curled leaves and stunted shoots.
Blast off with a strong stream of water; introduce ladybugs or apply insecticidal soap.
Small white-winged insects that feed on leaf undersides, weakening plants and spreading viruses.
Use yellow sticky traps; spray neem oil on leaf undersides in the early morning.
Soil-dwelling larvae that sever seedling stems at the soil line overnight.
Place a collar (paper cup with bottom removed) around each transplant stem at planting.
Diseases
Dark concentric-ring spots on lower leaves that spread upward, causing premature defoliation.
Remove affected leaves immediately; mulch heavily; avoid overhead watering.
Water-soaked gray-green patches on leaves and fruit that turn brown and destroy the plant rapidly in wet weather.
Plant resistant varieties (e.g. Defiant, Mountain Merit); destroy infected plants immediately.
Not a disease — a calcium uptake disorder causing dark, sunken spots on the blossom end of fruit.
Maintain consistent soil moisture; mulch to regulate soil temperature; avoid over-fertilizing with nitrogen.
Soil-borne fungus causing yellowing on one side of the plant, then rapid wilting even when watered.
Plant F1-resistant varieties (look for "F" in disease codes); rotate crops; solarize soil before planting.
Common Mistakes
Cold soil (below 60°F) stunts roots and invites disease; plants put in the ground after the soil warms overtake early transplants.
Wait until nighttime temps stay above 50°F and soil is 60°F+ before transplanting.
Indeterminate varieties allowed to sprawl use energy on foliage instead of fruit.
Pinch suckers growing in the "V" between main stem and branch; stake or cage early.
Alternating drought and flood causes blossom end rot and cracked fruit.
Water deeply 1–2 inches per week; use drip irrigation or soaker hoses with mulch.
Tomatoes can root all along their buried stem — shallow planting wastes this advantage.
Bury 2/3 of the stem (remove lower leaves first) to build a massive root system.
🌾 Seed Saving Guide
🟢 EasyWhen to Harvest Seed
Let fruit ripen fully on the vine — slightly past peak ripeness gives the most viable seeds.
Processing
Scoop seeds into a jar with water, ferment at room temperature for 2–3 days, rinse and dry flat on a screen.
Seed Viability
Up to 4 years when stored cool, dark, and dry.
Pro Tip
Fermentation removes the germination-inhibiting gel coat. Tomatoes are largely self-pollinating.
Seed Storage Supplies
* Affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Raised Bed Planting Guides
A 4×8 bed fits 8 plants of Tomato. See plant counts, spacing grids, and companion pairings for every bed size →
Tomato Planting Calendar by Zone
Tomato Planting Calendar by State
Other Plants
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I plant Tomato? +
Start Tomato seeds indoors 6 weeks before your last frost date, then transplant outdoors 2 weeks after the last frost. Use the search on this page to find exact dates for your ZIP code or city.
How long does Tomato take to grow? +
Tomato typically matures in about 70 days from planting. Exact timing varies by variety, soil conditions, and local climate.
Should I start Tomato indoors or direct sow? +
Tomato should be started indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date. This gives seedlings time to establish before being transplanted outside after frost danger has passed.
How much sun does Tomato need? +
Tomato requires full sun (6-8 hours) to thrive.
How far apart should I plant Tomato? +
Space Tomato plants 24 inches apart to allow adequate airflow and root development.
How much water does Tomato need? +
Tomato has regular (1-2 inches/week) water needs. Consistent moisture is important especially during germination and early growth.
Can you save seeds from Tomato? +
Yes — seed saving difficulty for Tomato is rated easy. Let fruit ripen fully on the vine — slightly past peak ripeness gives the most viable seeds. Scoop seeds into a jar with water, ferment at room temperature for 2–3 days, rinse and dry flat on a screen.
How long do Tomato seeds last in storage? +
Properly dried and stored Tomato seeds remain viable for up to 4 years. Store in a cool, dark, dry location in an airtight container with a silica gel packet for best results.
Are Tomato seeds open-pollinated? +
Yes — Tomato is open-pollinated, meaning seeds saved from your harvest will grow plants true to the parent variety. This makes it an excellent candidate for building a self-sustaining garden.
About Tomato
Classic garden vegetable perfect for slicing, salads, and cooking. Requires staking or caging for support.
Expect your Tomato to be ready for harvest in approximately 70 days from planting.
Use the search above or browse by zone or state to find the perfect planting dates for your location.