How to grow tomato
Solanum lycopersicum · Solanaceae · Vegetable
When to plant tomatoes: the short answer
Start seeds indoors about 7 weeks before your last spring frost; plant out about 1 week after it. Wait until the soil is at least 50°F; tomatoes sprout fastest near 80°F.
Zone 5: plant out Apr 30 – May 17. Zone 7: plant out Apr 5 – Apr 22. Zone 9: plant out Feb 20 – Mar 9. See every zone.
Tomato is a warm-season vegetable in the Solanaceae family, usually started indoors and set out as transplants. It wants full sun (six or more hours of direct light) and consistent moisture — it resents drying out. From sowing to first pick is about 60–85 days. It is killed by frost, so nothing goes outside until the danger has passed and the soil has warmed.
Grower’s note: Days to maturity counted from transplant. Bury 2/3 of the stem at transplanting for extra roots. Determinate types suit containers and one big harvest; indeterminate types need staking and produce until frost.
Sowing
Sow about 0.25″ deep, into soil between 50–95°F — germination is quickest near 80°F. It comes up fast (5–10 days). For an early crop, start seed indoors about 7 weeks before your last spring frost and grow it under bright light.
Spacing & layout
Give each plant about 24″ along the row with roughly 36″ between rows. On a square-foot grid that is 1 per square foot. Allow at least 18″ of loose, workable soil for the roots. It grows well in containers at least 16″ deep.
Fitting it to your season
Tomato needs roughly 60–85 frost-free days to crop. Where the season is shorter than that, start it indoors and choose the earliest-maturing varieties, or grow it in a container you can move under cover on cold nights. In long, hot-summer regions it can often be planted twice — once in spring and again in mid-to-late summer for a fall harvest.
Quick facts
Growth stages: how long tomatoes take to grow
From seed to first harvest takes roughly 17-20 weeks: about 8 weeks as a seedling indoors, then 60-85 days in the garden.
When to plant tomato
When to plant tomatoes by USDA zone
Dates worked out from each zone’s typical frost dates for 2026. Find your zone on the zone map, or pick your state below for dates from its own frost dates. Zones 11 and above are frost-free, so timing there depends on heat and rain instead.
| Zone | Last / first frost | Start indoors | Sow or plant out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 15 / Sep 15 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 15 – Jun 1 |
| Zone 4 | May 10 / Sep 25 | Mar 15 – Mar 29 | May 10 – May 27 |
| Zone 5 | Apr 30 / Oct 5 | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 30 – May 17 |
| Zone 6 | Apr 15 / Oct 15 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 15 – May 2 |
| Zone 7 | Apr 5 / Oct 25 | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Apr 5 – Apr 22 |
| Zone 8 | Mar 20 / Nov 5 | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Mar 20 – Apr 6 |
| Zone 9 | Feb 20 / Nov 30 | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Feb 20 – Mar 9 |
| Zone 10 | Jan 30 / Dec 15 | Dec 5 – Dec 19 | Jan 30 – Feb 16 |
Or browse tomato planting dates for every state as static pages.
Companions
Basil, Carrot, Onion, Lettuce, Parsley
Potato, Dill, Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower
Common problems
Pests: tomato hornworm, aphids, whitefly, flea beetle.
Diseases & disorders: early blight, late blight, septoria leaf spot, fusarium wilt, blossom-end rot (calcium disorder).
Same family (Solanaceae)
Rotate these so they don’t follow each other in the same bed year to year.
Questions gardeners ask
When should I plant tomatoes?
Start seeds indoors about 7 weeks before your last spring frost; plant out about 1 week after it. Wait until the soil is at least 50°F. The table on this page gives dates for each USDA zone, and the planting calendar gives dates for your own state or ZIP code.
How long do tomatoes take to grow?
About 60-85 days from transplanting to the first harvest, or roughly 17-20 weeks from sowing the seed indoors. Seeds germinate in 5-10 days.
How much sun do tomatoes need?
They need at least six to eight hours of direct sun a day.
What soil pH do tomatoes need?
A soil pH between 5.5 and 7.5. It tolerates fairly acidic soil better than most vegetables. Test before adding lime or sulfur - see the soil pH and testing guide.
How far apart should I plant tomatoes?
Space plants about 24 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart, or 1 per square foot in a square-foot bed. Sow seeds about ¼ inch deep.
Can I grow tomatoes in a container?
Yes. Use a container at least 16 inches deep with drainage holes and a good potting mix, and water more often than you would in the ground.
Figures are typical home-garden ranges from Cooperative Extension planting guides, cross-checked against multiple state sources. Your variety and conditions will vary.