If you’ve ever planted tomatoes and ended up with big, beautiful plants… and almost no tomatoes—welcome to the club.

Tomatoes are one of those crops that seem easy. Everyone grows them. But getting plants that actually produce baskets of tomatoes? That’s where most backyard gardeners get stuck.

I’ve been growing tomatoes on our Kansas homestead for well over a decade—through drought, wind, heat waves, herbicide drift, and more trial-and-error than I’d like to admit.

This guide will walk you through exactly how to grow tomatoes step by step, what actually matters, and what you can safely ignore.

A t-shirt being used as a basket for freshly harvested cherry tomatoes and ripe red Roma tomatoes.

Table of Contents

Jump to:

How to Grow Tomatoes (Quick Summary)
Step-by-Step: How to Grow Tomatoes Successfully
Why Your Tomato Plants Aren’t Producing
Common Tomato Growing Mistakes
Growing Tomatoes in Raised Beds (What Works for Me)
Companion Plants for Tomatoes (What Actually Works)
Growing Tomatoes in Zone 6 (Kansas Reality Check)
How to Get More Tomatoes Per Plant
When to Harvest Tomatoes (And Why I Don’t Wait Until They’re Fully Ripe)
How to Preserve Tomatoes from Your Garden
What’s Wrong With My Tomato Plant? (Common Diseases + Pest Fixes)
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How to Grow Tomatoes (Quick Summary)

If you just want the basics, here’s what actually makes the difference:

Plant tomatoes deep (deeper than you think)
Give them full sun (6–8+ hours daily)
Use nutrient-rich, well-draining soil
Water consistently—not too much, not too little
Support plants early with cages or trellises
Fertilize correctly (not just more fertilizer)
Keep airflow good to prevent disease

👉 Do those things well, and you’ll be ahead of most gardeners.

Step-by-Step: How to Grow Tomatoes Successfully

Choose the Right Tomato Variety

Not all tomatoes grow the same—and this matters more than most people realize.

You’ll typically choose between:

Determinate (bush) – grow to a set size, produce all at once
Indeterminate (vining) – keep growing and producing all season

On our homestead, I mostly grow indeterminate varieties because I want a steady harvest—not everything at once.

👉 If you’re short on space or want easy management, determinate can be a great option.
👉 If you want ongoing harvests, go indeterminate.

Start from Seed or Buy Plants

Both work—this is more about your season and lifestyle.

Seeds: cheaper, more variety, but require planning
Transplants: easier, faster start

Living in Kansas (Zone 6), I often start seeds indoors so my plants are strong and ready to go once the weather cooperates. My favorite varieties to grow from seed are Gin Fizz, Cherokee Purple, Black Krim, San Marzano, and Brandywine.

👉 But if you’re just getting started, buying healthy plants is perfectly fine!

Plant Tomatoes Deep (This Is a Game-Changer)

This is one of the biggest differences between struggling plants and thriving ones.

Tomatoes can grow roots all along their stem—so when you plant them deep, you’re creating a stronger root system right from the start.

👉 I usually plant mine:

deeper than the original pot
sometimes burying ⅔ of the plant

More roots = stronger plants = more tomatoes.

How to Pot Up Tomato Seedlings (Don’t Skip This Step)

If you’re starting tomatoes from seed, one of the best things you can do for stronger plants is to pot them up into a larger container before planting them outside.

This is something I do every year on our homestead—and it makes a noticeable difference in how quickly plants take off once they hit the garden.

Why Potting Up Matters

Tomatoes are one of the few plants that can grow roots along their stems.

So every time you move them into a bigger pot and plant them deeper, you’re:

building a stronger root system
creating sturdier plants
setting yourself up for better production later

👉 More roots = more tomatoes (it really is that simple)

When to Pot Up Tomato Seedlings

I usually pot up when:

roots start filling the container
the plant has a few sets of true leaves
growth starts to slow or look cramped

👉 If your plant looks like it’s outgrowing its space—it probably is.

How to Pot Up Tomatoes Step-by-Step

Choose a larger container
Fill with nutrient-rich soil
Gently remove the seedling
Plant it deeper than it was before (bury part of the stem)
Water well and return to light

👉 I like to add a little boost here too (like Epsom salt or nutrients) to help them transition.

🎥 Watch: How I Pot Up My Tomato Seedlings

You can find the self-watering planter I'm using in this video by using my affiliate link here 👉 Shop Planters & Gardening Supplies

Give Them Full Sun (But Here’s the Catch)

You’ve probably heard “full sun”… but here’s what actually matters:

Tomatoes need:
👉 6–8+ hours of direct sunlight

But in hot, dry climates (hello, Kansas summers), too much intense afternoon heat can stress plants and slow production.

What I’ve found works best:

Full morning sun
Some relief from the harshest late-afternoon heat (if possible)

Use the Right Soil (Not Just “Good Soil”)

“Good soil” gets thrown around a lot, but here’s what tomatoes actually want:

Loose, well-draining soil
Rich in organic matter
Not compacted

In my raised beds, I focus on:

compost-rich soil
adding nutrients before planting
keeping the soil structure light and workable

👉 Tomatoes are heavy feeders—but dumping fertilizer on poor soil won’t fix the problem.

Water Consistently (This Is Where Most People Mess Up)

Tomatoes hate inconsistency more than almost anything.

Too much water → weak roots, disease
Too little → stress, blossom drop, poor fruit

What works best:
👉 Deep watering, less often
👉 Keeping soil evenly moist (not soaked)

On our homestead, I’ve learned that consistency matters way more than the exact amount.

Support Your Plants Early

If you wait until your plant is falling over… you’ve waited too long.

Tomatoes need support early so they can:

grow upright
get better airflow
produce cleaner, healthier fruit

Options:

cages
stakes
trellis systems

👉 I prefer sturdy support from the beginning—especially with indeterminate varieties that just keep growing.

Fertilize the Right Way

More fertilizer does NOT equal more tomatoes. This is one of the biggest reasons people get huge plants and no fruit.

In fact, too much nitrogen will give you:
👉 big leafy plants
👉 very few tomatoes

What you want is balance.

I focus on:

feeding the soil first
then supplementing as needed
avoiding overdoing it early on

👉 I go more in-depth on fertilizing in these posts:

Why Your Tomato Plants Aren’t Producing

If your plants look healthy but aren’t producing, here are the most common reasons:

Too much nitrogen (all leaves, no fruit)
Not enough sunlight
Inconsistent watering
Poor pollination
Heat stress (especially in mid-summer)

I’ve had seasons where everything looked perfect—and still struggled with production. It almost always came down to one of these.

Common Tomato Growing Mistakes

These are the mistakes I see over and over again:

Planting too shallow
Watering inconsistently
Ignoring airflow between plants
Fertilizing incorrectly
Planting too early in cold soil

👉 The good news? These are all fixable.

Growing Tomatoes in Raised Beds (What Works for Me)

Raised beds are hands-down my favorite way to grow tomatoes.

Why:

better soil control
improved drainage
easier management

What’s worked best for me:

spacing plants properly (don’t crowd them)
using rich, compost-based soil
adding support at planting time

👉 Raised beds make it easier to control the environment—and tomatoes love consistency.

Companion Plants for Tomatoes (What Actually Works)

Companion planting with tomatoes isn’t just about cramming more plants into a space—it’s about creating a garden that works with you, not against you.

Over the years, I’ve tested different combinations in my raised beds, and a few plants consistently stand out.

What Not to Plant with Tomatoes

Some plants just don’t play well with tomatoes:

Corn – attracts similar pests
Potatoes – can spread disease
Fennel – tends to stunt growth of nearby plants

👉 I’ve learned the hard way that giving tomatoes their space (and the right neighbors) makes a noticeable difference in how they perform.

Best Companion Plants for Tomatoes

Basil – helps repel pests and is a classic for a reason
Marigolds – great for deterring nematodes and other garden pests
Onions & Garlic – help keep unwanted insects away
Lettuce & Spinach – grow well in the shade of tomato plants
Carrots – can share space without competing too heavily

👉 I like mixing in herbs and flowers not just for pest control, but because it makes the garden feel full, intentional, and a lot prettier.

How I Use Companion Planting in My Beds

Instead of planting tomatoes in a single row, I like to:

tuck in basil and marigolds between plants
use lettuce as a living mulch early in the season
mix function (pest control) with beauty

The garden at Ninnescah Homestead bursting with zinnias, kale, tomatoes and cucumbers.

Growing Tomatoes in Zone 6 (Kansas Reality Check)

If you’re growing in Zone 6, timing matters.

Last frost: typically late April to mid-May
Soil needs to be warm before planting
Late frosts can still sneak in

And then there’s:
👉 heat
👉 wind
👉 unpredictable weather

What I’ve learned:

don’t rush planting
protect young plants
be ready to adjust as the season shifts

How to Get More Tomatoes Per Plant

If you want higher yields, focus on:

strong root systems (plant deep)
proper spacing
consistent watering
balanced fertilizing
pruning when needed

👉 It’s not about doing more—it’s about doing the right things consistently.

When to Harvest Tomatoes (And Why I Don’t Wait Until They’re Fully Ripe)

Knowing when to harvest tomatoes can make a big difference in both flavor and how many you actually get to eat.

Most gardening books will tell you to wait until tomatoes are fully ripe—deep in color, slightly soft, and ready to pick.

And yes… that works.

But here’s what I’ve found after years of growing tomatoes on our homestead:

👉 If I wait until they’re perfect, I’m usually too late.

Because you know what else loves a perfectly ripe tomato?
Raccoons. Rabbits. Hornworms. Ants. Basically everything in the garden.

What I Do Instead

Tomatoes release ethylene gas as soon as they start to ripen—usually when you see that first “blush” of color.

👉 That’s when I pick them.

I harvest my tomatoes when:

they’ve reached full size
just start to show color
are still firm

Then I let them finish ripening indoors, safely away from pests.

How to Tell When Tomatoes Are Ready to Pick

If you’re not sure, here’s what to look for:

A slight color change (even just a blush)
Fruit has reached expected size for the variety
Skin is smooth and slightly glossy
A faint tomato smell near the stem

👉 They don’t need to be fully red (or yellow, or orange) on the vine to be ready.

Can Tomatoes Ripen Off the Vine?

Yes—and very well.

Even tomatoes picked slightly early will continue to ripen indoors thanks to natural ethylene production.

👉 As long as they’ve reached mature size, they’ll finish ripening just fine.

Heirloom tomatoes sliced thinly and laid on a dehydrator tray.

How to Preserve Tomatoes from Your Garden

If you grow tomatoes successfully… you’re going to have a LOT of them all at once.

Here are a few of the best ways to preserve your harvest:

Canning – great for sauces, homemade salsa, crushed tomatoes. You can read more about canning tomatoes here → How to Safely Water Bath Can Tomatoes
Dehydrating – perfect for long-term storage and soups. For more information on dehydrating, read → How to Use a Food Dehydrator
Freeze drying – longest shelf life option. You can learn more about this method by readying How to Preserve Food for 25+ Years!
Fermenting – less common, but a great option

Personally, one of my favorite simple methods is dehydrating sliced tomatoes and adding them to soups later—it’s an easy way to bring summer flavor into winter meals.

A front view of salsa made with chunky peppers, tomatoes and onion in a ball mason jar.

A Simple Way to Use Fresh Tomatoes (My Favorite)

One of my favorite ways to use fresh tomatoes is about as simple as it gets:

Slice tomatoes
Add a few cloves of garlic
Sprinkle with salt and pepper
Drizzle with olive oil
Roast at 400°F for 10–15 minutes

Once they burst and release their juices, serve with sourdough bread or sourdough baguettes! It's so elegant, and so easy! I also highly recommend my Homemade Tomato Soup - it's a favorite!