Tomato

Tomato

vegetable

Stake or cage. Avoid planting near brassicas — they stunt each other.

At a glance

USDA Zones
3–11
Sun
Full sun (6+ hrs)
Water
Medium — water when top inch of soil is dry
Soil
Loam, sandy
pH
Acidic, neutral
Spacing
24 in. between plants
Space needed
A 2×2 ft block of the bed
Days to maturity
About 75 days

Planting & harvest windows

Northern Hemisphere timing. Adjust ±4–6 weeks based on your last/first frost dates.

ActivityJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Plant
Harvest

Plant  Harvest

Good companions

  • Basil
    Basil

    Basil's aromatic oils help repel tomato hornworm and whiteflies; both love warmth and the same watering schedule.

  • Carrot
    Carrot

    Tall tomatoes lightly shade carrots in summer, and carrots loosen soil around tomato roots.

  • Marigold
    Marigold

    French marigold roots naturally suppress the tiny soil pests (nematodes) that attack tomato roots.

  • Lettuce
  • Onion
  • Parsley
  • Asparagus

Keep apart from

  • Brassica (general)
    Brassica (general)

    Both are heavy feeders that compete for nitrogen; brassicas can stunt tomatoes.

  • Fennel
    Fennel

    Fennel releases compounds that inhibit tomato growth — keep fennel in its own corner.

  • Corn
    Corn

    They share the corn earworm / tomato fruitworm pest. Planting together amplifies infestations.

  • Potato
    Potato

    Both are nightshades and share early/late blight pathogens.

Recommended varieties

  • Better Boy
    75 daysboth

    Classic large red slicer. Disease-resistant and reliable.

  • Roma
    75 daysboth

    Meaty paste tomato — the go-to for sauce and salsa.

  • Sun Gold
    65 daysboth

    Sweet, candy-like orange cherry tomato. Very productive.

  • Cherokee Purple
    80 daysboth

    Rich, smoky heirloom with deep purple shoulders.

  • Early Girl
    62 daysboth

    Classic early-season red slicer. Sets fruit in cool weather.

  • Celebrity
    70 daysboth

    Disease-resistant, reliable medium slicer — great beginner tomato.

  • Brandywine
    90 daysboth

    Famous large pink heirloom with exceptional flavor.

  • Black Krim
    85 daysboth

    Dark-shouldered heirloom with rich, complex, slightly salty flavor.

  • Sweet 100
    65 daysboth

    Prolific red cherry tomato — hundreds of fruits per plant.

  • Juliet
    60 daysboth

    Plum-shaped mini tomato. Crack-resistant and very productive.

  • Mortgage Lifter
    85 daysboth

    Huge, meaty heirloom slicer bred to be nearly beefsteak-sized.

Add Tomato to your raised bed — the planner handles spacing and companion warnings automatically.

Open the planner →