Tomato
Garden Tomato, Slicing Tomato, Cherry Tomato, Beefsteak, Tomato
Plant after last frost when soil reaches 60°F. Stake or cage indeterminate varieties; prune suckers for better airflow. Water deeply and consistently — uneven watering causes blossom end rot. Feed low-nitrogen fertilizer after first fruit set. Monitor for hornworms and blight in humid conditions.
- Germination
- 5–10 days
- Soil temperature
- 21–29 °C
- Harvest after planting
- 60–85 days
- Spacing
- 60–90 cm
When to plant tomato
Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before your last spring frost, and plant out 1–2 weeks after it.
Dashed line: typical last spring frost in zone 7 (Apr 5). Zone dates are averages; most of the UK is zone 8–9, central Europe 6–7 and the Baltics and Scandinavia 4–6. In the app, Tomatograph uses your garden's own frost dates.
How to grow tomato
- 1
Sow indoors
Sow 6 mm deep in warm seed compost 6–8 weeks before your last frost. Keep the tray at 21–29 °C; seedlings appear in 5–10 days.
- 2
Plant out
Harden off for a week, then plant out 1–2 weeks after the last frost, once nights stay above 10 °C. Bury the stem up to the lowest leaves so it roots along its length.
- 3
Support and water
Cage or stake at planting time. Water deeply at the base on a steady schedule: swings between dry and soaked cause blossom-end rot. Feed a low-nitrogen fertiliser once the first fruit sets.
- 4
Harvest
Pick when fruit is fully coloured and gives slightly to gentle pressure, usually 60–85 days after planting out.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun
Water
High water
Temperature
10–35 °C
Frost tolerance
Frost-sensitive — protect below 0 °C
Days to maturity
70 days
Plant spacing
60 cm
Ideal soil pH
7–7.5
How Tomatograph watches your tomato
Tomatograph checks your local forecast every morning and only speaks up when one of these applies to your garden.
- Forecast of 2 °C or lowerFrost alert the evening before: cover plants with fleece or bring pots inside.
- 3 days at 35 °C or aboveHeat-wave alert while plants are flowering or fruiting: shade and water early.
- Humidity above 80% for 48 hoursCheck for early blight, which thrives in those conditions.
- Under 5 mm of rain forecast over 3 daysWatering reminder: water deeply at the base, early in the morning.
- Within a week of maturityHarvest-window reminder based on when you planted.
Tomato questions
- When should I plant tomato?
- Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before your last spring frost, and plant out 1–2 weeks after it.
- How long do tomato seeds take to germinate?
- Usually 5–10 days at a soil temperature of 21–29 °C.
- How long until I can harvest tomato?
- About 60–85 days after planting out, depending on variety and weather.
- How far apart should I plant tomato?
- Allow 60–90 cm between plants.
- What grows well with tomato?
- Good neighbours include basil, carrot, parsley, marigold.
Growing guide written by Tomatograph. Planting figures from openplantdb (CC0 1.0). Zone frost dates are averages from openplantdb (CC0 1.0).