How to Grow Grape Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
Grape tomatoes are a popular warm-season variety prized for their elongated shape and sweet flavor. Gardeners grow them for their prolific yield and suitability for fresh eating or drying.
📷 Wikimedia CommonsStarting Grape Tomato: indoors or direct sow?
🏠 Start indoors 8 weeks before your last spring frost, then move the seedlings outside.
Transplant seedlings outdoors only after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures are consistently warm.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.8 to ensure healthy root development. As a warm-season crop, you must wait until after the last spring frost when the soil is fully warm before planting outdoors. Start seeds indoors about 6-8 weeks prior to the expected frost date. Sow seeds ¼ inch deep; germination typically takes 7 to 14 days.
Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart in full sun, providing at least six hours of light daily. Install stakes or cages early for support as these vines can reach heights up to 10 feet. Maintain consistent moisture with deep watering and apply mulch to retain soil humidity. Feed regularly during the fruiting stage to sustain high production levels.
Watch for tomato hornworms, aphids, spider mites, and whiteflies; use insecticidal soap or hand-picking for control. Prevent early and late blight by ensuring good air circulation and avoiding overhead watering. Harvest fruits approximately 60 days after transplanting when they reach full color and slight softness.
When to Plant Grape Tomato
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | May | — | September – August |
| Zone 2 | April – May | — | September |
| Zone 3 | April | — | August – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | — | August – October |
| Zone 5 | March | — | July – September |
| Zone 6 | March | — | July – September |
| Zone 7 | February – March | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February | — | June – August |
| Zone 9 | January | — | May – July |
| Zone 10 | January | — | May – July |
| Zone 11 | January | — | April – June |
| Zone 12 | January | — | April – June |
| Zone 13 | January | — | April – June |
Companion Plants for Grape Tomato
✓ Good companions
Repels aphids, whiteflies, and hornworms while potentially improving tomato flavor
Help break up soil for tomato roots and don't compete for nutrients
Repel aphids and may improve tomato flavor and growth
Grows well in tomato shade and helps retain soil moisture
Deters nematodes, aphids, and whiteflies with natural pest-repelling compounds
Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles, protecting tomatoes
Repels many garden pests and may enhance tomato flavor
Attracts beneficial insects like parasitic wasps that control tomato pests
✗ Keep away from
Produces juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and stunted growth
Compete for nutrients and may stunt tomato growth when planted too close
Both attract corn earworm/tomato fruitworm, increasing pest pressure
Inhibits tomato growth through allelopathic compounds
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
