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Choosing tomato varieties can feel overwhelming because there are so many options. Use our Tomato Chooser to narrow down the best tomatoes for your garden, growing space, and climate. Our article "Learn Tomato Terms" explains key concepts like hybrid vs. heirloom, indeterminate vs. determinate, and VFN disease resistance. Because tomatoes are more susceptible to disease than many other vegetables, growing a mix of varieties—including at least one or two disease-resistant types—is a smart strategy.
Quick Answers
- When should I plant tomatoes? Plant tomatoes in late spring or early summer after the last frost, except in zone 10 where they are grown in fall and winter.
- How much sun do tomatoes need? Tomatoes need at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day for best flavor and growth.
- How far apart should tomato plants be spaced? Indeterminate varieties should be spaced about 3 feet apart, while determinate types can be planted about 2 feet apart.
- Should I stake or cage tomatoes? Yes. Most tomato plants benefit from staking, trellising, or caging to keep fruit off the ground and reduce disease.
- Do tomatoes need deep planting? Yes. Burying about two-thirds of the stem encourages strong root growth and healthier plants.
How to Plant and Care for Tomatoes
- Tomatoes run on warmth; plant in late spring and early summer except in zone 10, where they are a fall and winter crop.
- For a head start on growing, plant starter plants instead of seeds. Choose young tomato plants from Bonnie Plants®, a company that has spent over 100 years helping home gardeners grow their best gardens.
- Devote a prime, sunny spot to growing tomatoes. Tomatoes need at least 6 to 8 hours of sun to bring out their best flavors.
- You will need to stake, trellis, or cage most tomato plants to keep them off the ground. Decide on a support plan before you set out your plants, then add that support directly after planting.
- Give each plant enough room to grow. Space robust, long-vined, indeterminate varieties about 3 feet apart. Stockier determinate plants can be grown 2 feet apart. Improve the planting area by mixing in a few inches of high quality garden soil, like aged compost-enriched Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® All Purpose In-Ground Soil, with the top layer of existing soil. If growing in containers, you'll need at least a 24-inch pot for an indeterminate variety, or an 18-inch pot for a determinate variety. Be sure to fill containers with premium potting mix, such as Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® All Purpose Container Mix, for best growth.
- Tomatoes take up nutrients best when the soil pH ranges from 6.2 to 6.8, and they need a constant supply of major and minor plant nutrients. To provide needed nutrients, mix a continuous-release fertilizer with calcium, like Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® Edibles Plant Nutrition Granules, into the soil as you prepare the planting holes. Continue feeding during the growing season as the label directs. This will help protect fruit from blossom end rot, a problem that can occur when the plant isn't getting enough calcium.
- At the same time, mix in 3 to 4 inches of compost, which will provide minor nutrients and help hold moisture and fertilizer in the soil until it is needed by the plants.
- To grow a really strong tomato plant, we recommend burying two-thirds of the stem when planting. This crucial step will allow the plant to sprout roots along the buried stem, so your plant will be stronger and better able to find water in a drought. Please note that this deep-planting method only works with tomatoes (and tomatillos), not other veggies.
- Immediately after planting, water seedlings to help settle them in.
- You can combine fast-maturing varieties with special season-stretching techniques to grow an early crop, but wait until the last frost has passed to plant main-season tomatoes.
- Cover the ground with 2 to 4 inches of mulch to minimize weeds and help keep the soil evenly moist. Straw and shredded leaves make great mulches for tomatoes.
- Water regularly, aiming for at least an inch of moisture per week (through rain or watering), more in the summertime. Feel the soil; if the top inch is dry, it's time to water.
How to Troubleshoot Tomato Problems
- As summer heats up, some tomatoes have trouble setting fruit. Be patient, and you will start seeing little green tomatoes again when nights begin cooling down. Meanwhile, promptly harvest ripe tomatoes to relieve stressed plants of their heavy burden. If you live in an area in which summertime temperatures are typically in the 90s, be sure to choose some heat-tolerant tomato varieties, bred for their ability to set fruit under high temperatures.
- If summer droughts are common in your area, or you tend to forget to water, use soaker hoses, drip irrigation, or other drought-busting techniques to help maintain even soil moisture. Not only will this help prevent cracked fruits, but also help keep blossom end rot at bay. (Moisture fluctuations can reduce the amount of calcium the plant is able to take up, which can lead to blossom end rot.)
- Humid weather creates ideal conditions for fungal diseases like early blight, which causes dark spots to first form on lower leaves. Be sure to remove any unhealthy looking or diseased leaves throughout the season. Late blight is a more devastating disease that kills plants quickly; the only way to control it is to protect against it by spraying the leaves with an approved fungicide such as chlorothalonil or copper, and to keep the garden clean of plant debris.
- You'll also want to be on the lookout for pests. In mid-summer, for example, big green caterpillars called tomato hornworms eat tomato foliage and sometimes damage fruits. One or two hornworms can strip a plant leafless in short order! Deal with pests as soon as you spot them.
- By late summer, plants that began producing early in the season will show signs of exhaustion. With just a little effort, you can extend the life of those sad tomato plants by pruning away withered leaves and branches. Then follow up with liquid plant food and treatments for leaf diseases or insects, if needed.
- Check out our article on Tomato Quirks for more troubleshooting information
How to Harvest and Store Tomatoes
- As tomatoes begin to ripen, their colour changes from vibrant medium-green to a lighter shade, with faint pink or yellow blushing. These "breakers," or mature green tomatoes, can be chopped into salsas, pickled, or pan-fried into a crispy appetizer. Yet tomato flavours become much more complex as the fruits ripen, so you have good reason to wait. The exact signs of ripeness vary with variety, but in general, perfectly ripe tomatoes show deep colour yet still feel firm when gently squeezed.
- Store picked tomatoes at room temperature indoors, or in a shady place outside. Never refrigerate tomatoes, because temperatures below 55° cause the precious flavour compounds to break down.
- Bumper crops can be frozen, canned, or dried for future use.
FAQs
Should I really plant tomatoes two-thirds of the way underground?
Yes, planting tomatoes deep helps create a stronger root system. The buried portion of the stem will sprout roots, making the plant better able to take up water and nutrients. This deep-planting method works for tomatoes and tomatillos, but not for most other vegetables.
Is full sun too intense for tomatoes in very hot climates?
In extremely hot climates, tomatoes benefit from some afternoon shade. While tomatoes need plenty of sun, temperatures over 100°F can stress plants, so giving them relief later in the day helps keep them productive.
What does “days to maturity” mean on a tomato plant tag?
Days to maturity refers to how long it takes for fruit to be ready after planting. This estimate is based on planting a seedling and can vary slightly depending on weather and growing conditions. It’s useful for planning early-, mid-, and late-season harvests.
What size cage or support should I use for tomato plants?
Most tomato plants grow best with a 5- to 6-foot stake, cage, or trellis. Indeterminate varieties can grow even taller, so using the largest cage possible—or making one from reinforcement wire—often gives the best results.
What does “full sun” actually mean for tomatoes?
Full sun means at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day. In very hot regions, however, tomatoes may benefit from some shade during the hottest part of the afternoon.
Is it better to always stake or cage tomato plants?
Yes, staking or caging tomatoes helps improve yield and reduce disease. Keeping fruit off the ground improves air circulation and helps prevent rotting.
Can I grow a tomato plant in a five-gallon container?
Yes, five gallons is the minimum container size for a tomato plant. For best results, containers should be at least 18 inches wide, or closer to 24 inches for indeterminate varieties, and must have drainage holes.
What do the letters VFFN mean on tomato plant labels?
These letters indicate disease and pest resistance. V stands for Verticillium wilt, F and FF for Fusarium wilt races 1 and 2, and N for nematode resistance. These designations help gardeners choose more resilient varieties.
Are there tomato plants that resist nematodes?
Yes, many tomato varieties are bred to resist nematodes. Look for an “N” after the variety name, which indicates nematode resistance.
Should I prune the lower branches of tomato plants?
Pruning lower branches is optional but can help reduce disease. Removing foliage 12 to 18 inches from the ground keeps soil from splashing onto leaves that may carry disease.
Does pinching off tomato flowers increase fruit production?
Pinching flowers does not increase total yield. It may slightly increase the size of remaining tomatoes, but overall production will not improve.
How can I protect tomato plants from late spring cold?
You can protect young tomato plants by covering them at night. Use row cover fabric, cardboard, or blankets, and avoid materials that transfer cold, such as metal or plastic touching the foliage.
Why are my tomatoes turning black on the bottom?
This condition is called blossom end rot. It’s usually caused by inconsistent watering and calcium uptake issues. Improving watering consistency helps prevent future problems.
Do tomato plants come back every year?
No, tomatoes are annual plants. They are killed by frost and must be replanted each growing season.
