Growing Tomatoes in 6 Months from Sowing to Harvesting Tomatoes

Quick start ⚡ Quick start info for sowing tomatoes ⚡

🌱 Sowing & planting

Tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) is a heat-loving annual that you Always sow in advance. First indoors or in a heated greenhouse, then prick out and plant out in the final location.

Sowing depth: approximately 3 mm.
Pre-cultivation: sow in seed trays and prick out when there are 2 true leaves into pots of ± 9 cm.
Germination temperature: 21–27 °C.
Germination time: 🕒 6–10 days.
Plant out when the plants are 25–50 cm tall and no longer sensitive to frost.
Planting distance: 45–60 cm between plants (depending on variety and support), 75–80 cm between rows.
Growth cycle: 🕒 approximately 160 days from sowing to final harvest.

📅 Growing times throughout the year

There are roughly two types of cultivation: under glass (greenhouse/greenhouse) and in open ground out of the rain.

Pre-sowing indoors / greenhouse / glasshouse: sow indoors from mid-February to mid-April, plant out under glass from mid-April to the end of May, harvest from mid-July to September.
Open ground (out of the rain): sow indoors from March to mid-April, plant out outdoors from mid-May to early June, harvest from early August to September.

Combine both crops for a long harvest period from summer to autumn. Under glass you get the earliest and most reliable harvest.

Start cultivation (sowing)

Harvesting

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

🪟 Greenhouse / greenhouse

🪏 Open ground (out of the rain)

🏠 Indoors / in the house (pre-sowing)

🪟 In greenhouse / conservatory

🪏 Outside / in the open ground (out of the rain)

Basic information about tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum )

Crop group: fruit crop.
Plant family: nightshade family.
Height: approximately 30–240 cm, depending on variety and growth habit (bush, pole, balcony, etc.).
Growth cycle: ± 160 days.
Frost resistance: no – tomatoes are very sensitive to frost and cold winds.
Root system: 45–120 cm deep, preferably stimulated with somewhat drier phases between waterings.
Soil: Well-drained, nutritious soil with a pH between 5.5 and 7.5.

☀️ Location & water requirements

Sun: 🌞 Lots of sun – tomatoes like a warm, sheltered spot.
Water requirements: 💧💧 average to a lot of water, but preferably deep and not every day. Let the soil around the plant dry out slightly occasionally so that the root system grows deep and strong. Better to water generously once a week than a little every day.
Tip: Watering too often and superficially creates a weak, superficial root system.

Good and bad neighbors

✅ Good neighbors

Root
Onion
Garlic
Asparagus
Marigold
Basil
Salad
Celery
Bush beans
Parsley
Chives
Coin

❌ Bad neighbors

Walnut
Dill
Broccoli and other types of cabbage
Corn
fennel
Kohlrabi
Rosemary
Potato

Dangers & Concerns

The biggest problem with tomatoes is the tomato and potato blight . Keep the plants as dry as possible: water on the soil, not on the leaves. Protect the For example, cover the leaves with basalt flour and ensure maximum ventilation in the greenhouse or conservatory. To reduce contamination, do not plant tomatoes near potatoes.

🧺 Harvesting & Use

Tomatoes are ready to harvest when the skin is evenly colored and shiny. The fruit feels firm, but gives slightly when you gently press on it with your finger.

Preferably harvest with scissors or turn the tomato with the crown and a piece stem of the truss. Ripe tomatoes can be stored for several days in a cool place (do not refrigerate for best taste).

Nutritional value (per 100 g raw tomato)

Energy: 18 kcal
Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 4 g
Proteins: 1 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sugars: 3 g
Vitamins: A, B6, C, E and K
Other nutrients: thiamine, niacin, folic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, potassium and manganese

Table of Contents:

Tomato varieties: from cherry tomatoes to beefsteak tomatoes Growing tomatoes in pots, open ground or greenhouses When to sow tomatoes? March, when the seed hits the ground Sowing tomatoes, don't give the starting signal too early Sowing tomatoes, moisture and warmth A propagator gives you more control The seed pod softens, you will surely do too The tomato seed germinates, light, light, light I turn on the switch of my propagator Growing tomatoes - April, the tomato seedlings become young plants Prick out your young tomato plants in good, airy potting soil Prick out your young tomato plants in P9 pots Back to the light, also a little more natural light in April Feeding your young tomato plants with liquid fertilizer Watering your mini tomato plants Why are early flowers not good The growth cycle of a tomato plant The ripening period from the end of June to the end of August Ripening too many bunches at once requires too much energy from your plant Growing tomatoes - May is the month of planting out, training and pinching out The young ones are gradually becoming ready for planting out Planting out tomatoes in your vegetable garden, finally indoors after all those weeks of care Growing tomatoes - The planting hole deeper than your root ball Growing tomatoes - The Planting hole, how do I go about it? Planting out tomatoes - compact plants versus stretched plants Growing tomatoes - tying up tomatoes to harvest more per square meter Growing tomatoes on string with tomato clips - How do you go about it Pinch-off tomato plants - also known as removing axillary shoots Removing tomato plant pinch-offs - which varieties should not be pinched Feeding and watering tomatoes in May Growing tomatoes - We get the first fruits in June What is the ideal situation for your tomatoes at the moment Do you continue to pinch-off indeterminate tomatoes Pruning your tomato plant is very important Harvesting the first ripe tomatoes in July Continuing to harvest in August and preparing to store your tomatoes Finally Frequently asked questions about growing tomatoes

I don't know why, but growing tomatoes is, for me personally, the most satisfying thing I do. I love dishes with a lot of acidity, maybe that's why. You can also use tomatoes in almost any dish. From a simple salad to a rich pasta sauce, you can use them in all sorts of ways.

You can buy tomato plants and start them in mid-May. But you can also choose to sow your own tomatoes, which you should do in mid-March. I highly recommend the latter. You'll have a much wider choice of colors, sizes, and flavors.

You can grow tomatoes in different ways: in the open ground, in pots on the terrace or balcony, or even in a greenhouse or under glass.

These tips are not only useful for the backyard, but also ideal if you want to grow tomatoes in your allotment. These are our favorite tomato seeds : Many people have questions about growing tomatoes; we'll answer these later in the article.