Growing tomatoes can be a rewarding experience for everyone from container gardeners to homesteaders.  This popular crop is relatively easy to grow and the flavours of homegrown tomatoes are incomparable to lackluster store-bought tomatoes.

These beautiful fruits are a fun crop to grow.  As tomato vines reach for the sun, your knowledge and confidence in the garden will grow with them.

Let this tomato growing guide help you on your journey from beginner tomato grower to confident tomato enthusiast.

Why Grow Tomatoes?

Rich in vitamin C, fiber, and potassium, tomatoes are packed with nutrients and antioxidants that are essential for good health. 

Whether growing bite sized cherry tomatoes, or large beef steak tomatoes, home grown tomatoes provides the gardener with a plethora of options.  

There are hundreds of tomato varieties available for you to try, each with its own unique size, shape, colour, and taste.  With a sweeter, juicer, and more intense flavour than store-bought tomatoes,  homegrown tomatoes cannot be beat.  It is fun to experiment with the different varieties and learn which ones you and your family love.  

The Magic of Tomatoes

In the heart of every tomato seed lies the potential for transformation—a promise of juicy abundance.  Grow tomatoes for more than just food.  Infuse the experience with intention and find the magic within this amazing fruit.

Representative of the element of fire, tomatoes symbolize passion, vitality, and transformation.

From the tender germination of seeds to the harvest of ripe, sun-kissed fruits, each step of this journey can be infused with magic — a magic that resonates in the rustle of leaves, the scent of earth, and the gentle hum of bees.  

Prepare to be enchanted by the flavours that await you.

What Kind of Tomatoes Do I Buy?

Understanding the reasons you want to grow tomatoes will help you understand the varieties of tomatoes to buy.

Do you like small tomatoes for snacking or in a salad?

Do you intend to preserve your tomatoes by making pasta sauce and canning it?

Is your favourite way to enjoy a tomato sliced and eating on toasted sourdough bread?

Tomatoes are identified in two ways: types and categories. Tomatoes will have both a type to describe its grow habits and a category to describe its fruit.

Another thing to consider is colour.  This is a third option that exists in all types and categories.

There are endless possibilities when you put all 3 of these together.  You can have a red determinate paste tomato, a green indeterminate beefsteak tomato,  or a purple indeterminate cherry tomato.  Have fun exploring all the different varieties of tomatoes!

Types of Tomatoes

The tomato type will describe how the tomato plant grows.  There are 3 main types of tomatoes: determinate, indeterminate, and semi-determininate.  This is based on how the tomato plant grows and fruiting patterns.

Determinate Tomatoes

Deteminate tomatoes grow to a determined height and fruit yield.  The deteminate tomato plant is a bushier plant and all the tomatoes will ripped around the same time.

Many container friendly tomato plants will be determinate.

Semi-Determinate Tomatoes

Semi-Determinate tomato plants are very similar to determinate plants but the fruits will ripen at different times.

Indeterminate Tomatoes

Indeterminate, or vining tomatoes, will continue to grow and fruit all season long.  These tomatoes can continue to grow as long as the conditions are right for it to survive.  Fruit will ripen at different times as the plant continues to grow and set new fruit.

Tomatoes Categories

There are 8 main categories, or groups, of tomatoes.  The type of tomato references how the plant grows, tomato categories specifically refers to the fruit.  The categories will tell you the size and shape of the fruit that that tomato plant will produce.

Current Tomatoes

Current tomatoes are the smallest varieties of tomatoes.  You will get clusters of many small fruits.  They typically have a lot of flavour, thicker skins, and lots of seeds (compared to the size of the fruit).

Cherry Tomatoes

Cherry Tomatoes are round, bite-sized tomatoes that are perfect for a snack.  Pick directly from the plant and pop it in your mouth for a delightful, juicy treat.  They are also great for salads and skewers or kebabs.  Cherry tomatoes typically weigh less than 1 ounce.

Pear Tomatoes

Pear tomatoes typically weigh less than 1 ounce but are pear shaped as opposed to the round cherry tomatoes

Grape Tomatoes

Grape tomatoes typically weight 1 to 2 ounces and are elongated fruits.  They are great in salads.

Plum Tomatoes

Plum tomatoes are between grape and paste tomatoes.  They are lower in water content which is great for canning. Plum tomatoes typically weight 1 to 3 ounces.

Paste Tomatoes

Paste Tomatoes are designed for making tomato paste or sauces.  They have low moisture content and very little gel.  This reduces the amount of processing needed.  Paste tomatoes weight approximately 3 to 5 ounces and are high producing.

Slicer Tomato

Slicer tomatoes is a high moisture content tomato that is approximately 5 to 8 ounces.  They would require a lot of processing for sauce making because of the high moisture content.  Slicer tomatoes are great to slice and put on a sandwich.

Beefsteak Tomato

Beefsteaks tomatoes are big, meaty tomatoes. They are drier than slicer tomatoes and can weigh 8 ounces and above.  Some beefsteak tomatoes can weigh upwards of 2 lbs!

There are varieties of tomatoes called beefsteak tomatoes, but also beefsteaks with different names such as brandywine or mortgage lifter tomatoes.  

Understanding the type and category of tomato you are growing, can help you make the best choices for your plants.  It is important to read the seed package or online listing to know what kind of tomatoes you are going to buy.

Now that we understand that tomatoes come is a variety of shapes, sizes, and colours, it is time to get growing.

How to Grow Tomatoes

Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
Difficulty: Beginner to Intermediate

Timing:

Tomatoes are warm-season plants. Start them indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date for your area. 

If you have a longer growing season, tomatoes can be directly sown outdoors after the danger of frost has passed and the soil temperature is consistently above 50°F (10°C).

Tomatoes should be transplanted out when nighttime lows are 10°C (50°F) or warmer.  

Starting Tomatoes From Seed:

If starting from seeds, sow your seeds 5mm-10mm (¼-½ inch) deep.  Seed-starting trays filled with a well-draining seed starting mix or soil blocks are great ways to start your tomato seedlings. Use a humidity dome to keep the soil consistently moist and provide plenty of light to prevent legginess. Remove the humidity dome once your tomatoes have germinated.

You may have to pot up your seedlings into bigger containers to allow for root growth.  Wait until your seedlings have their first true leaves before transplanting them into a bigger container.

Days to Maturity:

Tomatoes take anywhere from 60 to 85 days to reach maturity after transplanting outdoors or into a greenhouse.  This will vary depending on the variety you have chosen.

Your seed package will indicate the days to maturity of the tomato variety you selected.

Transplanting:

Before transplanting, harden off your seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over the course of a week. 

When transplanting, space bush type (determinate) tomato plants 45-60cm (18-24 inches) apart and vining type (indeterminate) tomato plants 50-75cm (20-30”)  apart.  If following the square foot gardening method and utilizing trellises to grow vertically, you can plant one indeterminate tomato plant per square foot.  Determinate tomatoes may require 1 to 4 square feet depending on the size of the plant (see your seed packet for this information).

You can plant your tomatoes deep, burying the stem up to the first set of leaves. This encourages stronger root development.

Growing Conditions:

Tomatoes thrive in full sun and well-draining soil rich in organic matter. Tomatoes are heavy feeders.  Depending on your soil, you may want to fertilize throughout the growing season.

They prefer slightly acidic soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8. 

Regular watering is essential, aiming to keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Mulching around the base of the plants helps retain moisture and suppresses weeds.

Tomato Trellising Techniques:

Trellising indeterminate tomatoes not only saves space but also improves air circulation and reduces the risk of diseases. 

As your plants grow, tie them to sturdy trellises or stakes using soft ties or twine. This supports the heavy fruit and prevents the plants from sprawling on the ground.  You can buy tomato clips which clip around the stem of your tomato plant and secures it to twine or string that you have strung from an upper support down to the ground.

Determinate tomatoes can be supported using a tomato cage.

Pruning:

While not necessary, pruning can help improve airflow and reduce the risk of disease. 

Removing the suckers (the small shoots that develop in the crotch between the main stem and branches) regularly from indeterminate tomato plants will encourage the plant to put more energy into fruit production.

I like to prune my indeterminate tomatoes to one main steam by removing suckers and let my determinate tomatoes grow however they wish to.

To improve airflow around the base, remove leaves lower than the lowest fruit.  This also makes room for companion planting and high-intensity gardening.

Disease and Pest Management:

Common tomato diseases include blight, wilts, and powdery mildew. To prevent these, practice crop rotation, avoid overhead watering, and ensure good air circulation. 

If pests like aphids, hornworms, or whiteflies become a problem, try handpicking them, use trap crops, or use an organic insecticidal soap.  

The easiest way to attempt to avoid pest problems is by planting a variety of plants and flowers to encourage beneficial insects to come to your garden and deal with the pests themselves – the way nature intended it.

Tomato Harvesting Information:

Tomatoes are ready to harvest when they reach full color and are slightly soft to the touch. Simply twist or cut them from the vine, being careful not to damage the plant. Harvesting regularly encourages more fruit production.

If you have a shorter growing season, you may find yourself with a lot of unrippened fruit on your plants at the end of the season.  You can put unripened fruit into a paper bag and let they ripen inside.

Storage:

For short-term storage, keep tomatoes at room temperature out of direct sunlight. Avoid refrigeration, as it can affect their flavor and texture. 

If you have an abundance of ripe tomatoes, consider canning, freezing, or drying them for long-term storage.

When canning tomatoes, I will store my tomatoes in the freezer in large zip top bags until I have enough to make a large batch of my recipe.

Companion Planting Recommendations:

Tomatoes benefit from companion planting with herbs like basil, which can improve their flavor and repel pests. 

Other good companions include:

Avoid planting tomatoes near members of the Brassica family, such as cabbage and broccoli, as they can inhibit each other’s growth.

Food Security

Growing your own tomatoes to preserve can improve your food security.  

Canning tomatoes can be done in either a water bath canner or a pressure canner, depending on the recipe, which makes it more accessible than foods that require pressure canning.

There are so many ways to can tomatoes!  Pictured above is my homemade pizza sauce.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Salsa
• Tomato Paste
• Pasta Sauce
• Diced Tomatoes
• Ketchup
• Barbeque Sauce

By growing your own food, you can reduce your dependence on grocery stores.  In a time of crisis, knowing you have high-quality produce on your shelves will bring you peace of mind when it comes to feeding yourself and your family.

Get Started – Grow Tomatoes

Whether you start your tomatoes from seeds or buy plants from the store, growing tomatoes in your garden in a rewarding experience.  Being able to go out to the garden and pick fresh fruit to accompany your meal offers a level of satisfaction that no trip to the grocery store can compare to.

Whether you have one pot with a cherry tomato plant in it, or rows upon rows full of dozens of varieties of tomatoes, it is time to get started.

I encourage you to try growing tomatoes this summer season.  You can do it.