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Last update on April 20 , 2024

“ Plant them sidewise ! Put an egg in the hole!”There are seemingly endless opinion and theories about the best room to plant tomato . Some are valid tips , but some are unnecessary myth ! study along and learn how to plant tomato in your garden ( or in deal ) to rig them up for achiever .

A young tomato seedling is growing in soil.

This post will covermust - know tipsincluding the best time to plant tomatoes outdoors and how deep to set them , what amendments to tot up in the planting hole ( or not ) , the besttomato fellow traveler plant , and more . We ’ll also explore some commonmisconceptionsabout those good ole ’ epsom salts and eggshell “ hacker ” . With these lead , you ’ll be growing immense healthy tomato plants in no time !

bear on : look for ways to support Lycopersicon esculentum ? Do n’t lose our favoriteDIY Lycopersicon esculentum trellistutorial . chatter our comprehensive guide ongrowing tomatoesto get even more in - depth tips from seed to board and beyond .

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An outstretched hand is touching a cluster of tomatoes growing along long bracts of a plant. Most of the fruit are green but some are turning more red in color.

When to Plant Tomatoes

tomato are warm - time of year crops that do not tolerate frost , so they can be implant outside in early leap after the last risk of frost has passed . However , tomatoes thrive in warm soil and will grow very slow if the soil is still too cool . In fact , studiesshow that planting tomatoes too betimes can make them more susceptible to nutrient deficiencies !

Therefore , it ’s beneficial to wait to constitute tomatoes outside until thesoil temperature is consistently over 60 ° V the daytime if potential . 65 to 70 ° F is even unspoilt ! utilise a simplesoil thermometerorcompost thermometerto supervise your garden soil temperature ( down in the root zone ) before planting .

For exemplar , we typically do n’t get frost after March here on the Central Coast of California ( zone 9 ) , so we couldtechnicallyplant love apple alfresco as early as recent March . Yet we also have very cool and foggy springtime weather , so we chance our tomatoes raise good if we waitress to constitute them once the soil warms up in late April to May . Even then , we ’ve had freak stale snaps in other May and had to protect the tomatoes withfrost material .

A compost thermometer is inserted into the soil of a raised garden bed, its temperature gauge is registering just above 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

INDOOR TIPS : Did you start your own tomato plant seed indoors ? Remember topot uptomato seedlings to larger container as they grow , especially if they ’re fetch full-grown but it ’s too early to go outside ! Failing to pot up can result in root - bound , stunted tomato plant life . Also be sure to properlyharden offindoor Lycopersicon esculentum seedlings before transplanting them outside to forestall shock and damage .

How Deep to Plant Tomatoes

How Far Apart to Space Tomato Plants

Tomato works spacing depends on thevarietyyou’re growing , along with thestyleof pruning , education , or trellising you plan to do . The more you think to trim your tomato plant plants , the nearer you’re able to space them .

For instance , undetermined or viningtomato varieties take well to lop and trellis , and can be spaced as tight as 18 to 24 inches apart with temperate pruning . On the other hand , determinate or bushtomato plants are typically not crop and grow considerably in large John Milton Cage Jr. , such as our favoriteDIY tomato cages . Space determinate tomatoes at least 2 to 3 foundation apart .

get word MORE : Visit our full guide ontomato plant life support ideasto teach more about pruning tomatoes , grooming methods , and cage or treillage options .

Two trays of healthy tomato seedlings are growing in four inch plastic pots that are sitting in seedling trays underneath LED lights.

Soil Amendments

It ’s a great theme to summate pocket-sized handful of dirt ball casting , a sprinkling of blue-blooded slow - liberation fertilizer , and/or mycorrhizae to sustain healthy growth . However , it is NOT necessary to add epsom salinity , nut , or crushed shell when planting tomatoes . Contrary to popular passport , they do not facilitate to keep tomato blossom end buncombe !

A few hebdomad before spring planting , weamend our raised seam soilwith a well - balance , tiresome - releaseorganic fertilizer . We dust it equally over the top , lightly scribble and work it into the soil surface , and then irrigate it in well . We also top off our fire bed with a brisk layer of agedcomposteach season .

When planting tomatoes , we also lend a few thingsdirectly in the planting hole :

A plant is sitting in a deep hole in soil, a hand is removing a few leaves from the main stem that may be buried or touching the soil line once it is fully planted.

The truth about epsom salts and eggshells for tomatoes

Time after metre , you ’ll see passport to plant tomatoes with epsom Strategic Arms Limitation Talks or crushed eggshell . Most often , folks lay claim that these “ hacks ” help prevent blossom end ( BER ) in tomatoes . But scientifically - speaking , it ’s simplynot rightful !

bloom final stage rot is a condition where tomatoes prepare a stinky berth on their prime last , and is most often triggered by want of Ca uptake ( specially combined with poor or unpredictable watering drill ) .

Adding eggshell wo n’t needs bruise your tomatoes , but it does NOT prevent blossom end rot . The calcium in smash eggshells simply is n’t bio - available enough for the plants to utilise anytime soon . Even more , impart epsom common salt ( atomic number 12 sulfate ) can make blossom end moulder worse ! According to theUniversity of Hawaii,“the presence of excessive amounts of magnesium , sodium , or K in the soilinterferes with calcium availability ” .

A tomatillo plant is being held above ground after it was pulled from the garden bed it was growing in. The roots are quite long, showing the original rootball at the bottom and the roots that have grown above it along the buried stem.

I compose an total article dedicated toblossom conclusion decompose in tomatoeswhere you could learn more , including how to treat and foreclose it .

Tomato Companion Plants

Do n’t forget to give you tomatoes some friends ! Planting tomato with beneficial companion plants can helpattract pollinators , deter pests , and even abridge disease .

The dependable love apple companion plants let in basil , marigolds , bonce , carrot , lettuce , squash , onion plant , ail , chive and other aromatic herb like sage , thyme and parsley . Plant any of these together to enjoy a beautiful and biodiverse garden layer ! On the other helping hand , tomatoes do not grow well with members of the cabbage syndicate ( brassicas ) , potatoes , Zea mays , dill , strawberries or fennel , so it ’s just to keep those freestanding .

With theirproven abilityto repel pesky root - knot nematodes , Gallic marigoldsare one of the most notorious and helpful tomato companion industrial plant . Keep in mind that to reap that welfare , the marigold root word organization should be leave behind in the soil . substance , cut the plants out at the ending of the season and leave the roots in place .

A tomato in a pot is sitting on soil, next to that there is a tomato that has been planted sideways in the soil, its rootball and most of its stem is laying horizontally below the soils surface.

We always pucker plenty of prettyannual companion flowersaround our Lycopersicon esculentum too , like calendula , cosmos , zinnia , bachelor buttons .

Planting Tomatoes in a Pot

The Importance of Mulch

After planting , do n’t forget to apply acouple inchesof mulch on top of the soil . Mulch around the infrastructure of your tomato , but not in direct contact with the master stalk . ripe examples include compost , hunky-dory wood chips , or straw .

mulch tomato plants offers anumber of benefits : it aid keep the soil equally moist , reducing your pauperism to water as often while simultaneously reducing the risk of peak end rot . Mulch also insulates and protect the roots against temperature extremes , including both both spicy and stale . Last but not least , it suppresses weeds !

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Two wooden raised garden beds each contain a large A-frame wood trellis system that spans the length of each bed. There are tomatoes growing in the middle of the beds in a row with flowers and basil planted along the edges. A raised bed to the right has a few tomatoes surrounded by metal cages.

How to Plant Tomatoes: Depth, Spacing, Soil Amendments, Companions

Equipment

Instructions

A 1/2 teaspoon measurement of mycorrhizae is being held above a hole in the soil which has a tomato seedling with exposed rootball ready to be planted.

A bag of epsom salt is sitting on the edge of a raised garden bed next to a wooden bowl of whole egg shells. Growing in the raised bed beyond are tomatoes and marigolds.

Two wooden raised garden beds each contain a large A-frame wood trellis system that spans the length of each bed. There are tomatoes planted in the middle of the beds in a row with companion flowers and basil along the edges of the bed.

A garden bed on concrete with three young tomatoes, with two fabric grow bags each with one tomato plant in it. They are all placed along a horizontal slat wood fence.

A hand has pulled away the mulch next to a tomato plant to reveal the drip tape irrigation and soil below the mulch.

A young tomato seedling is growing in soil.

DeannaCat signature, keep on growing.

How to Plant Tomatoes: When, How Deep, Fertilizer, Pots & More