Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
16 sources cited · Verified
The short answer
- Sow
- Late March to early April
- Plant out
- Late May
- Ready in
- 52–90 days
- Site
- 6+ hours of sun, soil pH 5.8–6.8
- Biggest risk
- Late blight
In the UK, tomatoes are sown late March to early April, planted out late May, and are ready to harvest 52–90 days after sowing.
Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) — Tender perennial.
Timing is the decision that matters most in the UK: there are 4 separate regional planting out windows, ranging from late May in southern England to early June further north.
Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.
Regional Planting Calendar
| Region | Sow | Plant out |
|---|---|---|
| Southern England | late March to early April | late May |
| Midlands derived | late March to early April | late May to mid June |
| Northern England | late March to early April | early June to mid June |
| Scotland | late March to early April | early June to mid June |
Rows marked derived are interpolated between regions our sources do state, because no source we consulted gives a figure for that region specifically. They are deliberately wider to reflect that uncertainty.
Southern England - detail & sources
Sow indoors late March to early April for an outdoor crop; for a greenhouse crop RHS advises sowing earlier, from late February to mid-March. Plant out from late May in southern England (SoilCommander editorial). RHS gives the governing rule rather than a date: plant into the final position in early summer, once temperatures are reliably above 16C (60F). Met Office notes that in southern and coastal regions the average last air frost tends to occur earlier in spring, often before April comes to an end.
Midlands - detail & sources
DERIVED, NOT DIRECTLY SOURCED: no source consulted states a Midlands-specific planting-out window. This window is interpolated between the stated southern England date (late May) and the stated northern England / Scotland date (early to mid June), and is deliberately wider to reflect that uncertainty. Sowing window follows national RHS guidance. Apply the RHS rule in preference to the calendar: plant out only once temperatures are reliably above 16C (60F) and frost risk has passed.
Northern England - detail & sources
Sow indoors late March to early April. Northern regions may need to wait until early to mid June to plant out (SoilCommander editorial), against the RHS rule of planting out once temperatures are reliably above 16C (60F). Met Office notes that further north, and over higher ground, the average last air frost often extends well into May and, in a few places, even into June.
Scotland - detail & sources
Sow indoors late March to early April. Scotland may need to wait until early to mid June to plant out (SoilCommander editorial). Met Office notes the average last air frost further north and over higher ground often extends well into May and in a few places into June, so a greenhouse or polytunnel materially extends the viable season here. RHS rule still governs: plant out only once temperatures are reliably above 16C (60F).
Quick Facts
| Factor | Value |
|---|---|
| Soil pH | 5.8 - 6.8 |
| Sunlight | 6-8 hours direct sun |
| Germination temp | 18C |
| Optimal growing temp | 21.1-26.7C |
| Minimum survivable temp | 5C |
| Time to harvest | 52-90 days |
| Soil texture | clay, loam, sand |
| Drainage | moist but well-drained |
| Soil organic matter | 5% target |
| Lifecycle | Tender perennial: persists and fruits for multiple years in frost-free climates (USDA zones 10-12), but is frost-sensitive and physiologically halted by freezing temperatures, so it is cultivated as an annual throughout temperate regions including the UK. This is a cultivation-practice adaptation, not the plant's underlying botanical lifecycle. |
| Edible parts | fruit |
At a Glance
Soil & Growing Conditions
Growth Stages
| Stage | Notes |
|---|---|
| Establishment | Grown from seed, typically started indoors/under glass in UK conditions given frost sensitivity. |
| Vegetative Growth | |
| Flowering | Cordon types: side shoots removed as they appear; pinch growing tip after 7 trusses under cover or 4 outdoors (RHS). |
| Fruit Development | |
| Ripening / Harvest | Killed by frost; cycle ends at first frost in UK outdoor/unheated conditions (tender perennial grown as annual). |
| Senescence / Dormancy | Tender perennial grown as an annual in the UK; killed by first frost. End-of-season unripe fruit can be lifted and ripened off the vine (RHS). |
Harvest & Storage
Diseases
Pests
Nutrient Issues
Companion Planting
Pollination
Watch: Growing Tomatoes at Home
A quick SoilCommander video on growing tomatoes at home in UK conditions — sowing, spacing, care and harvest in under a minute.
🍅 Did you know? Sowing tomatoes too early without heat and light is the most common UK mistake — late March is the sweet spot for strong, productive plants.
Choosing the Right Variety
Variety selection is crucial in the UK climate. Choose varieties that ripen reliably in our shorter, cooler summers.
- Gardener's Delight — reliable cherry tomato, excellent flavour, good disease resistance.
- Alicante — classic medium-sized tomato, reliable cropper, good for outdoor growing.
- Tumbling Tom — bush variety, perfect for hanging baskets and containers.
- Tigerella — striking red and yellow striped fruits, early ripening.
- Ferline F1 — excellent blight resistance, large fruits, reliable outdoors.
- Sungold and Moneymaker — two further varieties well suited to the British climate.
Sowing, Planting Out & Care
Sowing
- Fill modules or small pots with good quality seed compost.
- Sow 2 seeds per cell at 1cm depth, thinning to the strongest seedling.
- Keep warm at 18–22°C for germination (7–14 days).
- Pot on when roots fill the module, into 7.5cm then 10cm pots.
- Keep in bright light to prevent leggy growth.
Planting out and ongoing care
- Harden off gradually over 7–10 days before planting outside.
- Deep planting: bury the stem up to the first set of true leaves to encourage additional roots.
- Support: stake cordon varieties at planting; tie in regularly as they grow.
- Side shooting: remove side shoots on cordon (indeterminate) varieties weekly. Leave bush varieties unpruned.
- Feeding: begin weekly high-potassium liquid tomato feed once the first flowers appear; containers every 10–14 days once fruits swell.
- Watering: water consistently — irregular watering causes blossom end rot and splitting.
- Pinch out the growing tip in late summer to direct energy into ripening existing fruit.
Fruit Disorders to Watch For
These are physiological disorders rather than diseases: they are caused by growing conditions, not by a pathogen, so no spray will fix them and nothing is passed between plants.
- Splitting. Heavy rain after a dry spell causes fruits to split. Keep soil moisture even and harvest ripe fruits promptly.
- Greenback. A hard green patch at the top of the fruit, caused by excess sun or potassium deficiency. Choose resistant varieties and feed regularly.
- Blossom end rot. A dark, sunken patch at the base of the fruit — a calcium-transport problem driven by irregular watering, not a disease. See the Nutrient Issues section above.
Recommended Tools & Supplies
Having the right tools makes growing tomatoes easier. Our hand tools for gardening include precision secateurs ideal for removing side shoots and harvesting fruit, and the soil and plant care range covers everything from propagators to high-potassium feeds.
Planning the wider plot? See the UK vegetable planting calendar, or the monthly guides for March, April and May.
References
-
Penn State Extension - Tomato Production
Tier 1. Soil pH 5.8-6.6; optimal 60-90F, growth/pollination slows above 90F or below 55F.
-
University of Maine Cooperative Extension (Bulletin #4135) - Storage Conditions: Fruits and Vegetables
Tier 1. Tomato mature-green 55-70F, 90-95% RH, 1-3 weeks; firm-ripe same conditions, 4-7 days.
-
University of Maryland Extension - Organic Matter and Soil Amendments
Tier 1. Goal for vegetable and flower beds should be 5%-10% soil organic matter. General vegetable-bed guidance, not tomato-specific.
-
University of Florida IFAS Gardening Solutions - Tomatoes
Tier 1. At least four to six hours of sun per day; pH 6.2-6.5. Florida climate context.
-
Clemson Cooperative Extension (HGIC) - Tomato
Tier 1. Soil pH 6.0-6.5; best 70-80F day / 60-70F night; days to harvest 52-90 by cultivar; storage guidance.
-
Ohio State University Extension (Ohioline HYG-1624) - Growing Tomatoes in the Home Garden
Tier 1. 6-8 hours direct sun; pH 6.5-6.8; 1-1.5 inches water per week; ripening 68-77F.
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NC State University Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox - Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato)
Tier 2.
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Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew - Plants of the World Online: Solanum lycopersicum L.
Tier 1.
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SoilCommander Editorial Team - When to Plant Tomatoes UK
Tier 3. First-party editorial, not third-party verification. Southern England transplant typically late May; northern regions and Scotland early to mid June. Cross-checks with RHS on spacing (45-60cm) and frost-tenderness.
-
Alabama Cooperative Extension System - Greenhouse Tomato Production
Tier 1. Pollinate when humidity is between 60 and 70 percent; day 80-85F, night 60-65F.
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Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - GBIF Backbone Taxonomy match: Solanum lycopersicum
Tier 1.
-
Met Office - Why frost can still occur in late Spring
Tier 1. Qualitative only: southern/coastal last air frost often before end of April; further north well into May, in a few places into June. No numeric per-region frost dates published here.
-
Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder - Solanum lycopersicum
Tier 2.
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Royal Horticultural Society - RHS Plant Profile: Solanum lycopersicum 'Red Cherry'
Tier 1.
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Royal Horticultural Society - How to grow Tomatoes | RHS Guide
Tier 1.
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World Flora Online Consortium - World Flora Online: Solanum lycopersicum L.
Tier 1.
16 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I plant tomatoes outside in the UK?
Plant tomatoes outside from late May to early June, once all risk of frost has passed. In cooler northern regions and Scotland, wait until early-to-mid June to be safe.
Can I sow tomatoes too early?
Yes — sowing much before late March without extra heat and light produces leggy, weak seedlings that struggle once planted out. Late March to early April is the sweet spot for most of the UK.
Do I need a greenhouse to grow tomatoes in the UK?
No, but a greenhouse or polytunnel lets you start earlier and extends the harvest season considerably. Outdoor tomatoes grown in a warm, sheltered spot still crop well from July to October.
How long after planting do tomatoes start fruiting?
Most varieties take 8-10 weeks from planting out to first ripe fruit. Outdoor plants set out in late May typically begin fruiting from late July, while greenhouse-grown plants often fruit from mid-to-late June. In Scotland and northern England, where the last frost can linger into June, outdoor plants go in later and fruiting typically starts from August instead.
What causes blossom end rot on tomatoes?
A dark, sunken patch at the fruit's base caused by calcium deficiency triggered by irregular watering, not a disease. Keep soil evenly moist rather than alternating between wet and dry.
How often should I remove tomato side shoots?
Check cordon varieties each time you water and pinch out the small shoots that appear in every leaf joint — leaving them creates a mass of leafy stems at the expense of fruit.
How often should tomatoes be fed?
Feed container-grown plants every 10–14 days with a high-potassium fertiliser once fruits begin swelling; plants in the ground often need only fortnightly feeding.
Plan next season before the problems start
Most of the advice on this page comes down to timing and spacing — sowing at the right moment, rotating beds, and giving plants enough airflow. The UK Garden Planner lays your plot out month by month so those decisions are already made before the season starts.
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Last verified 2026-07-27
Tools That Help With This Crop
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