How to Grow Tomatoes: Complete Guide

Tomatoes are the most popular home garden vegetable for good reason—nothing beats a sun-warmed tomato picked fresh. This guide covers everything from seed to harvest, including the mistakes that kill most tomato plants.

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Quick Answer

Plant tomatoes after your last frost date when soil reaches 60°F. Give them 6-8 hours of sun, consistent water (1-2 inches/week), and support with cages or stakes. Feed every 2-3 weeks once fruiting begins. Harvest when fully colored and slightly soft.

Determinate vs Indeterminate

Before you buy plants, know the difference:

Type	Growth	Harvest	Best For
Determinate	Bushy, 3-4 ft	All at once	Canning, small spaces
Indeterminate	Vining, 6-10 ft	Continuous	Fresh eating, long season

Determinate varieties: Roma, San Marzano, Celebrity, Bush Early Girl Indeterminate varieties: Beefsteak, Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Sungold, Early Girl

When to Plant

From Seed (Indoors)

Start seeds 6-8 weeks before your last frost date.

Zone	Start Seeds	Transplant Outside
3-4	Late March	Late May
5-6	Mid March	Mid May
7-8	Late Feb	Mid April
9-10	January	March

From Transplants

Buy transplants when:

Nighttime temps stay above 50°F
Soil temperature reaches 60°F
Plants are 6-10 inches tall with thick stems

Site Selection

Sun: 6-8 hours minimum. More sun = more tomatoes.

Soil: Well-draining, slightly acidic (pH 6.0-6.8). Amend heavy clay with compost.

Spacing:

Determinate: 2 feet apart
Indeterminate: 3 feet apart
Rows: 4 feet between

Rotation: Don't plant where tomatoes, peppers, or eggplant grew in the last 3 years (disease prevention).

Planting Deep

Tomatoes root along buried stems. Plant deep for stronger plants:

Remove lower leaves
Bury 2/3 of the stem
Or dig a trench and lay the stem sideways (roots will grow along it)

This creates a massive root system that handles drought better.

Watering

How much: 1-2 inches per week

How often: Deep watering 2-3 times per week beats daily shallow watering

When: Morning, at soil level (not on leaves)

Signs of problems:

Wilting in afternoon sun = normal
Wilting in morning = needs water
Cracked fruit = inconsistent watering
Blossom end rot = calcium uptake issue from irregular watering

Pro tip: Mulch 2-3 inches deep to retain moisture and prevent soil splash (which spreads disease).

Support Systems

All tomatoes need support. Choose based on type:

Cages

Best for: Determinate varieties
Size: At least 18" diameter, 4 ft tall
Tip: Cheap cone cages are useless. Use concrete reinforcing wire or heavy-duty cages.

Stakes

Best for: Indeterminate varieties
Size: 6-8 ft tall, 1" thick
Method: Tie main stem every 12 inches as it grows

Florida Weave

Best for: Rows of tomatoes
Method: Stakes every 2 plants, weave twine between

Install support at planting time to avoid root damage later.

Fertilizing

At planting: Mix compost into the hole. Optional: 1 tablespoon of bone meal for calcium.

First 4-6 weeks: Don't fertilize. Let roots establish.

Once flowering begins: Feed every 2-3 weeks with:

Balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) early
Lower nitrogen, higher phosphorus (5-10-10) once fruiting

Signs of over-fertilizing: Lots of leaves, few flowers, no fruit

Pruning (Indeterminate Only)

Pruning increases fruit size and airflow. Skip this for determinate varieties.

What to remove:

Suckers below the first flower cluster
Suckers that grow in leaf axils (optional—some gardeners leave them)
Lower leaves touching soil
Yellow or diseased leaves

What to keep:

Main stem(s)
Suckers above first flower cluster (optional)
All flower clusters

When to stop: 4-6 weeks before first frost, top the plant to redirect energy to ripening fruit.

Common Problems

Blossom End Rot

Symptom: Black, sunken spot on bottom of fruit Cause: Calcium deficiency from inconsistent watering Fix: Water consistently. Mulch. Don't over-fertilize with nitrogen.

Blossom Drop

Symptom: Flowers fall off without setting fruit Cause: Temperature stress (below 55°F or above 95°F) Fix: Wait for better weather. Provide afternoon shade in hot climates.

Cracking

Symptom: Splits in skin, usually after rain Cause: Rapid water uptake after dry spell Fix: Water consistently. Harvest before heavy rain.

Early Blight

Symptom: Brown spots with rings on lower leaves Cause: Fungal disease, spreads from soil splash Fix: Remove affected leaves. Mulch. Improve airflow. Rotate crops.

Hornworms

Symptom: Large green caterpillars eating leaves Fix: Hand-pick (they're easy to spot). Leave them if covered in white cocoons (parasitic wasps will kill them).

Harvesting

When to pick:

Fully colored (red, yellow, orange depending on variety)
Slightly soft when squeezed
Pulls easily from vine

Ripening off the vine:

Pick at "breaker" stage (first blush of color)
Ripen indoors at room temperature
Never refrigerate—kills flavor

End of season:

Pick all green tomatoes before frost
Ripen indoors in paper bag with banana

Yield Expectations

Type	Plants	Expected Yield
Determinate	1 plant	10-15 lbs
Indeterminate	1 plant	20-30 lbs
Cherry	1 plant	200+ tomatoes

Assumption: Full sun, adequate water, 120+ day season

A family of 4 eating fresh tomatoes needs 4-6 plants. For canning, add 10-15 more.

Best Varieties by Use

Fresh eating: Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Mortgage Lifter Cherry/snacking: Sungold, Sweet 100, Black Cherry Sauce/canning: San Marzano, Roma, Amish Paste Containers: Patio, Tumbling Tom, Bush Early Girl Short season: Early Girl, Stupice, Glacier

Get Your Tomato Plan

Planning tomatoes is just the start. Our AI Garden Planner helps you:

Choose the right varieties for your zone
Calculate how many plants you need
Plan companion plants (basil loves tomatoes)
Get a planting calendar with exact dates

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