How to Grow Moneymaker
Solanum lycopersicum 'Moneymaker'
Moneymaker is a classic heirloom tomato prized for its reliable yield and rich flavor. Gardeners grow this warm-season variety to enjoy fresh fruit after the danger of frost has passed.
📷 Wikipedia: TomatoStarting Moneymaker: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Moneymaker is not usually started indoors.
Direct sow outdoors only after the last spring frost when soil temperatures are warm enough for this frost-sensitive plant.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. As a warm-season crop, start seeds indoors only after all risk of spring frost is gone or wait until late spring when soil is warm. Sow seeds about 1/4 inch deep; germination typically takes seven to fourteen days.
Space plants 24 to 36 inches apart and provide sturdy support like a cage or trellis, as this variety can reach ten feet tall. Maintain consistent moisture by watering deeply at the base and applying mulch to retain water. Feed regularly with balanced fertilizer throughout the season.
Watch for aphids, whiteflies, hornworms, and spider mites; control them with insecticidal soap or hand-picking. Prevent early blight, late blight, fusarium wilt, and blossom end rot by ensuring consistent watering and good air circulation. Harvest ripe fruit 75 to 85 days after planting.
When to Plant Moneymaker
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | May | — | October – August |
| Zone 2 | April – May | — | September |
| Zone 3 | April | — | September – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | — | August – October |
| Zone 5 | March | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March | — | August – October |
| Zone 7 | February – March | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February | — | July – September |
| Zone 9 | January | — | June – August |
| Zone 10 | January | — | May – July |
| Zone 11 | January | — | April – June |
| Zone 12 | January | — | April – June |
| Zone 13 | January | — | April – June |
Companion Plants for Moneymaker
✓ Good companions
Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve flavor
Repels hornworms and may improve tomato growth and flavor
Helps break up soil for better tomato root development
Repels aphids and may help prevent fungal diseases
Provides ground cover and doesn't compete for nutrients
Deters nematodes and repels hornworms and other pests
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies that eat aphids
✗ Keep away from
Produces juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and death
Compete for similar nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Both attract corn earworms and compete for nutrients
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathy
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
