Tomatoes are the most popular crop in home gardens, and one of the most rewarding. They are warm-season plants that need full sun, warm soil and steady water. Get those three right and a few plants will keep you in fruit from midsummer until frost. This page covers when to plant, how to space and support them, how to water and feed them, and how to deal with the problems that show up most often.
Tomato at a glance
| Type | Vegetable |
|---|---|
| Season | Warm-season |
| Sun | Full sun |
| Plant spacing | 24 in |
| Row spacing | 48 in |
| Per square foot | 1 |
| Seed depth | ¼ in |
| Days to maturity | 60–85 from transplant |
| How to start | Indoors 6–8 weeks before last frost |
| Water | 1.5 in per week |
These are the same numbers our plant spacing, square foot and harvest date calculators use. See every crop in the plant database.
When to plant tomatoes
Tomatoes are killed by frost and sulk in cold soil, so timing is everything. Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Move transplants outside 1 to 2 weeks after the last frost, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil has warmed to about 60°F. Planting into cold ground gains nothing: the plants sit still until the soil warms up.
Look up your last frost with the frost dates by ZIP code tool, then use the planting calendar to count back to your seed-starting date. Before planting out, harden seedlings off over about a week so they adjust to sun and wind.
How to plant tomatoes
- Pick the sunniest spot you have. Tomatoes need at least 6 hours of direct sun, and 8 or more gives the best harvest.
- Plant deep. Tomatoes grow roots along any part of the stem that is buried. Strip the lower leaves and set the plant so only the top few sets of leaves sit above the soil. Leggy transplants can be laid sideways in a trench.
- Give them room. Crowded plants stay damp, and damp leaves spread disease. Use the spacing in the table above; use the plant spacing calculator to see how many fit your bed.
- Add support at planting time. Put cages or stakes in when you plant, before the roots spread. Indeterminate (vining) varieties keep growing all season and need tall, sturdy support.
Caring for tomatoes
Water deeply and evenly. Uneven watering, dry then soaked, is the main cause of cracked fruit and blossom-end rot. Water at the base of the plant rather than over the leaves, and lay 2 to 3 inches of mulch once the soil has warmed to hold moisture steady. Our garden watering calculator turns the weekly amount into gallons for your bed.
Mix compost into the planting hole, then feed lightly once the first fruits set. Too much nitrogen gives big leafy plants with few tomatoes, so avoid high-nitrogen lawn fertilizers.
Companion plants
| Grow nearby | Basil, parsley, calendula, sweet alyssum, lettuce |
|---|---|
| Keep apart | Potatoes (shared diseases such as late blight); anything near black walnut trees |
Basil and parsley share tomatoes' sun and water needs. Small-flowered plants such as alyssum and calendula attract beneficial insects. Lettuce can grow in light shade beside tall tomatoes. Check other pairings with the companion plant finder.
Common problems
| Problem | What you see | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Blossom-end rot | A dark, sunken, leathery patch on the bottom of the fruit | Water evenly and mulch. It comes from the plant failing to move calcium into the fruit, usually because watering is uneven. Remove affected fruit; new fruit usually comes in clean. |
| Early blight | Brown spots with rings like a target on lower leaves, which then turn yellow | Remove affected leaves, mulch to stop soil splashing onto leaves, and water at the base. Rotate tomatoes to a new spot next year. Check yellowing with the yellow leaf identifier. |
| Tomato hornworm | Large green caterpillars, stripped leaves and dark droppings on the leaves below | Hand-pick them in the morning or evening. Leave any covered in small white cocoons; those are parasitic wasps that will control the rest. See the pest identifier. |
| Cracked fruit | Splits running around or down from the stem end | Caused by a heavy watering or rain after a dry spell. Keep moisture steady and pick ripening fruit before a big storm. |
| Flowers drop without fruit | Healthy plants that bloom but set little or no fruit | Usually heat or cold: fruit sets poorly when days are above about 90°F or nights drop below about 55°F. It recovers when temperatures settle. |
Not sure what you are looking at? The plant problem identifier ranks likely causes from the symptoms you see, and our guide to common tomato problems goes into more detail.
When and how to harvest
Pick tomatoes when they have their full color and give slightly when squeezed. They also ripen well off the vine: fruit picked once it starts to change color will finish ripening on the counter at room temperature, out of direct sun. This is useful before heavy rain, when birds find your crop, and at the end of the season. Do not store ripe tomatoes in the fridge; cold dulls their flavor.
Before your first fall frost, pick every full-sized green tomato and ripen them indoors. Use the harvest date calculator to see when your first fruit should be ready.
Plan your tomatoes
- Plant spacing calculator: how many plants fit your bed
- Planting calendar: sowing and transplant dates for your frost dates
- Frost dates by ZIP code: your last spring and first fall frost
- Harvest date calculator: when your crop will be ready
Frequently asked questions
How far apart should I plant tomatoes?
Space tomatoes 24 inches apart in rows 48 inches apart. In a square foot garden, plant 1 per square foot.
How deep do I plant tomato seeds?
Sow seeds ¼ inch deep. When you transplant, bury the stem deep, up to the top few sets of leaves, because tomatoes grow extra roots along the buried stem.
How long do tomatoes take to grow?
Most varieties are ready 60–85 days from transplant. Check the seed packet, because early and late varieties differ.
How much water do tomatoes need?
About 1.5 inches of water a week, from rain and watering combined. Water deeply once or twice a week rather than a little every day, and keep it even to prevent cracking and blossom-end rot.
When should I plant tomatoes outside?
Plant out 1 to 2 weeks after your last spring frost, once nights stay above 50 degrees F and the soil has warmed to about 60 degrees F.
Why are my tomato plants not producing fruit?
The most common causes are too little sun, too much nitrogen fertilizer, and temperatures outside the range where fruit sets, roughly 55 degrees F at night to 90 degrees F during the day.