Growing Tomato in Australia: The Complete Guide
Tomato is a moderate nightshade to grow, needing full sun with deep, consistent watering.
Tomato is one of the moderate additions to a home garden, and this article walks through everything behind our one-page printable guide in a bit more depth.
Stake early
Tomatoes are heavy, floppy plants once loaded with fruit. Stake or cage at planting time, not later — disturbing roots after the plant is established sets it back.
Planting Tomato
Method — plant seedlings deep, burying part of the stem — buried stem grows extra roots. Soil — rich, well-drained, high organic matter. Timing — plant after frost risk passes and nights are reliably mild.
Day-to-Day Care
A few things matter most here:
- Stake or cage at planting.
- Water deeply at the base — wet leaves invite fungal disease.
- Remove lower leaves touching soil and side shoots on staked varieties.
- Feed with a potassium-rich fertiliser once fruiting begins.
Problems to Watch For
The key things to get right:
- Blight — dark leaf and stem lesions in humid weather; improve airflow, avoid overhead watering.
- Blossom end rot — irregular watering or calcium deficiency; keep watering steady.
- Fruit fly — net or bag ripening fruit.
- Splitting — heavy rain after a dry spell; mulch to even out soil moisture.
Harvest and Storage
Signs — full colour, slight give when gently squeezed. Method — twist or cut from the vine, leaving the calyx attached. Curing — none needed — ripen on a windowsill if picked slightly early. Storage — room temperature for best flavour, used within a week. Never refrigerate.
That's the full picture behind tomato. The printable A4 version of this guide — with the quick-reference gauges and diagram in one page — is available on the main guide page below.