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.
| Activity | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant | ||||||||||||
| Harvest |
Plant Harvest
Good companions
BasilBasil's aromatic oils help repel tomato hornworm and whiteflies; both love warmth and the same watering schedule.
CarrotTall tomatoes lightly shade carrots in summer, and carrots loosen soil around tomato roots.
MarigoldFrench marigold roots naturally suppress the tiny soil pests (nematodes) that attack tomato roots.




Keep apart from
Brassica (general)Both are heavy feeders that compete for nitrogen; brassicas can stunt tomatoes.
FennelFennel releases compounds that inhibit tomato growth — keep fennel in its own corner.
CornThey share the corn earworm / tomato fruitworm pest. Planting together amplifies infestations.
PotatoBoth are nightshades and share early/late blight pathogens.
Recommended varieties
- Better Boy75 daysboth
Classic large red slicer. Disease-resistant and reliable.
- Roma75 daysboth
Meaty paste tomato — the go-to for sauce and salsa.
- Sun Gold65 daysboth
Sweet, candy-like orange cherry tomato. Very productive.
- Cherokee Purple80 daysboth
Rich, smoky heirloom with deep purple shoulders.
- Early Girl62 daysboth
Classic early-season red slicer. Sets fruit in cool weather.
- Celebrity70 daysboth
Disease-resistant, reliable medium slicer — great beginner tomato.
- Brandywine90 daysboth
Famous large pink heirloom with exceptional flavor.
- Black Krim85 daysboth
Dark-shouldered heirloom with rich, complex, slightly salty flavor.
- Sweet 10065 daysboth
Prolific red cherry tomato — hundreds of fruits per plant.
- Juliet60 daysboth
Plum-shaped mini tomato. Crack-resistant and very productive.
- Mortgage Lifter85 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 →