Planting guide
When to plant tomato
Sun-ripened tomatoes straight off the vine; cherry types are the easiest and sweetest start. In Melbourne it goes in Oct–Jan.
- Start as
- Seedling or Seed started indoors
- Ready in
- 8–13 wks
- Spacing
- 50 cm
- Depth
- 0.5 cm
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- Regular
- Effort
- Some care
- Frost-tender
- Yes, plant after the last frost
When it goes in
● means tomato can go in that month, ○ means wait. Worked out from each town's climate zone and season, the way planting guides do it. Pick your town for the full list for that month.
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Melbourne | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Brisbane | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Perth | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Adelaide | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Gold Coast | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Newcastle | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Sunshine Coast | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Canberra | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Central Coast | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Geelong | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Wollongong | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Hobart | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Townsville | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Cairns | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Toowoomba | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Darwin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Ballarat | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Mandurah | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Bendigo | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Launceston | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Mackay | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Rockhampton | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Coffs Harbour | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Blue Mountains | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Bunbury | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Bundaberg | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Alice Springs | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Mildura | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Port Macquarie | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Wellington | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Christchurch | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| London | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Manchester | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Edinburgh | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Dublin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| New York City | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Los Angeles | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Chicago | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Seattle | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Austin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Toronto | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Vancouver | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Cape Town | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Johannesburg | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Singapore | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Mumbai | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Paris | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Berlin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
How to plant tomato
- Start seed indoors 6 weeks before it is warm, or buy seedlings.
- Plant deep, up to the first leaves, in rich soil.
- Stake early and pinch out side shoots.
- Water deeply at the base and feed fortnightly once fruiting.
Tomato varieties
Classic varieties are the reliable, widely grown ones. Adventurous ones are heirlooms, odd colours and rarities.
- Tommy Toe Classiccherry · heirloom · pot-friendly · 8–10 wksAussie favourite cherry; tall plants and bowlfuls of sweet fruit
- Grosse Lisse Classicheirloom · heavy-cropper · 11–13 wksAustralia's classic slicing tomato; reliable and full-flavoured
- Roma Classicheavy-cropper · disease-resistant · 11–12 wksMeaty paste tomato for sauce; sets a big crop at once
- San Marzano Classicheirloom · heavy-cropper · 11–13 wksItalian sauce tomato with thick flesh and few seeds
- Tiny Tim Classiccherry · dwarf · pot-friendly · 8–10 wksCompact plant for pots and balconies with bite-sized fruit
- Moneymaker Classicheavy-cropper · 10–12 wksOld British favourite; steady crops of medium red fruit
- Black Krim Adventurousheirloom · colourful · 11–13 wksMahogany Crimean beefsteak with rich, smoky flavour
- Big Rainbow Adventurousheirloom · colourful · giant · 12–14 wksHuge yellow-and-red beefsteaks with sweet flesh
- Green Zebra Adventurousheirloom · colourful · 10–12 wksTangy lime-green fruit with darker stripes
- Yellow Pear Adventurousheirloom · cherry · colourful · 10–12 wksPear-shaped yellow cherries on rampant vines
- Black Cherry Adventurouscherry · heirloom · colourful · 9–11 wksDark, rich and sweet cherries with complex flavour
Where to buy seeds
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Shops shown are for Australia. The chooser picks shops for your country.
Good companions
Basil, Marigold, Carrot
Tomato by month
Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
More to plant
Capsicum · Chilli · Eggplant · Cucumber · Zucchini · Sweetcorn
Not sure tomato is right for your space? Answer a few taps and see everything that can go in this week.
Find what else you can plant now