Growing Tomato

Lycopersicon esculentum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
                S S S  
T                 T T T
                  P P  

(Best months for growing Tomato in Australia - temperate regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed

August: Frost tender. Start undercover

  • Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 16°C and 35°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 40 - 60 cm apart
  • Harvest in 8-17 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Asparagus, Chervil,Carrot, Celery, Chives, Parsley, Marigold, Basil
  • Avoid growing close to: Rosemary, Potatoes, Fennel, Cucumber

Your comments and tips

Post a comment or question Display Newest first | Oldest first, Show comments for Australia | for all countries
16 Feb 19, Peter (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
my roma tomatoes have got a big brown spot on the very end just as it starts to show colour, what would you say that is ?
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19 Feb 19, Carmen J. (Australia - temperate climate)
Looks like is lacking calcium, normally we put fertilizer but we forget to put calcium, get some dolomite or some rock dust.
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25 Jun 19, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Use Epsom salt - a teaspoon in the hole at planting and even sprinkle another on top of the soil a few weeks later.
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18 Feb 19, mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Blossom end rot by the sounds of it. Buy some Epsom Salts and put in your garden - from supermarkets. Couple of $$ for 1 kg.
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20 Aug 19, Marie B (Australia - temperate climate)
Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate and doesn’t address the lack of calcium. For this coming spring you can buy calcium at Bunnings or your nursery but if you add finely crushed eggshells in your soil and let it degrade over the winter months you will not have to buy calcium again. Boiled eggs water and fish bones buried in soil work wonders against blossom end rot.
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28 Dec 18, stephen musgrave (Australia - temperate climate)
tomatoes look healthy have plenty leafs but not many fruit
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05 Jan 19, Mike Logan (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Maybe too much N. Depends how tall they are now.
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11 Dec 18, Peter Smith (Australia - temperate climate)
Growing tomatoes for years now and keep getting small holes like a grub mark as the fruit is rippening and then goes rotten what treatment if any can be used
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13 Dec 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I had similar problems - I used some spray from Aldi - don't know if that did any good. Then used tomato dust and I also used some yellow sticky fly cardboards. I think that stopped it a bit. Some kind of grub was in mine.
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09 Dec 18, Lida (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi,my tomatoe seedling grow well up to about 30 -40cm then all the new shoots and leave curl up and plant stops growing ,can u please help?
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Showing 91 - 100 of 601 comments
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-- WOW -- I'm not sure HOW MUCH of each amendment (manure, bone meal, blood meal) you put in ... but it sounds like there is enough nutrition there for awhile. I am concerned about 2 things: 1. The initial acidity of the pine mulch. Tomatoes do like slightly acidic soil, but the initial acidity here could be too much. Pine mulch does however break down neutral and pine mulch offers several benefits for gardens, including weed suppression, moisture retention, and improved soil structure. 2. You need to ensure your 5 gallon buckets have a few large holes on the sides near the bottom - this is to prevent your roots from cooking. Even if your containers are in the shade (with the plant in the sun) those containers need aeration. I suggest at least 2 (and up to 6) 3" holes around the bottom sides of your container -- don't worry, after the initial soil spill, the soil will stay put even during watering. As far as continued fertilization, you could top dress with chicken manure -- that is add an inch or two to the top of the soil (top dressing) of chicken manure, and when you water this will go into the soil. Perhaps monthly, maybe more if the plants are growing fast.... I might however hold off for the first couple of months (this really depends on HOW much of each amendment you added -- for example, half a 5 gallon bucket of chicken manure, opposed to several handfuls) -- additionally, when the plants are really small... they don't intake that much nutrition , but as they grow -- they really use up the nutrition fast (think a 5 year old boy compared to a teenager)

- Celeste Archer

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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