Modern Mama Life

Timeline for growing tomatoes – How long does it take for tomatoes to grow?

I’ll be honest – I’m an impatient gardener.
When I planted my first tomato plant, I expected to see instant results. This is probably the reason I failed at gardening for so many years. I would plant my seeds, water it, give it sunlight and then rush to check on it first thing the next morning. Well of course, nothing had changed. I would check again the following day expecting some dramatic growth. If you are currently trying to grow tomatoes and wondering why they are taking so long, I completely understand, especially if you are growing your tomatoes in containers on your balcony.

Although my plant was growing, it was extremely slow and I often wondered if I was ever going to see a single tomato grow. At the time, I wasn’t sure if it was getting enough water? Was it getting enough sunlight?

Before that, I only owned two houseplants, a money plant and a peace lily, both seemed to be very comfortable no matter where I put them. The only reason I had them was because they were known as “hard-to-kill plants.”

Tomato plants need time, about 3 months or 100 days to produce ripe tomatoes. Believe me, once you spot the first green tomato, you will realize that it was worth the wait.

You may also be interested in my post Gardening for small spaces where I share how I do all of my gardening on my balcony.

My Experience growing tomatoes

After weeks of constantly checking on my plant, rearranging my balcony so that it gets sufficient sunlight, and constantly looking up online “how long will it take for my tomatoes to grow” and trying various natural fertilizers, I was thrilled when I saw the first yellow flower appear on one of my tomato plants. Like ridiculously excited.

A few weeks later tiny green tomatoes began forming from the flowers. I felt like those green tomatoes were taking forever to ripen. I was extremely impatient and even though I know patience is one of the most important skills for a gardener, I still get excited every morning when I check on my plants to see a new flower or a new leaf on one of my seedlings.

You don’t need to spend hours in the garden to have a successful harvest. In fact, I wrote an entire post about how even just five minutes a day in the garden can make a huge difference.

How long does it actually take to grow tomatoes?

From my experience, cherry tomatoes are the fastest to grow in containers in terms of producing fruit when compared to other varieties.

Weather, sunlight and plant care play a very important role in the timeline. Mostly, cherry tomatoes can start producing fruit after 75-80 days of planting whereas the larger varieties can take up to 100 days. Below is the detailed timeline.

Timeline to grow tomatoes

1. Germination (3-5 days)

If you are planting your tomatoes from scratch using seeds, they can take anywhere from 3 – 5 days to germinate. You can use a seed starter tray or small 2-inch pots. I used a plastic cupcake box to germinate my seeds. Try sowing 3-4 seeds, so there is a chance of at least 1-2 germinating, if not all of them.

At this stage, you will see tiny seedlings sprout from the soil. When trying to germinate your seeds, remember these tips:

• Keep the soil moist, make sure it isn’t soggy
• Cover the pot with plastic to maintain humidity
• Provide plenty of sunlight, keep it outdoors

2. Seedling stage ( Upto 6 weeks)

This is the stage when your plant starts growing its first few sets of leaves and roots. If you began sowing with a seed starter tray or a small pot, now is the time to move your plant to a bigger pot.

During this stage, growth may seem quite slow but there is a lot happening. Seedlings need the below to grow healthy roots and stems:

• Bright sunlight or you can use grow lights
• Regular watering
• Good air circulation

3. Further growth (week 6-7)

After week 6, your plant begins growing faster and starts growing strong stems and roots and there is an increase in the number of leaves too. If you are growing your plant in a container, your plant may need support like a tomato cage or some support stakes. Try installing these at an earlier stage to prevent damage.

An important step to growing healthier plants is pruning your stems. Sometimes, in between your stem and branch, an extra branch begins growing. It is very important that you pinch off the piece when it begins growing. We want the plant to focus on bearing fruit and not divert its nutrients to produce more leaves.

I usually do this once a week.

4. Plant Flowering (week 7-8)

Most tomato plants start flowering after 7 weeks from planting the seeds. You will notice tiny yellow flowers that appear on the stems. This is when you know that you will harvest your tomatoes soon.

5. Appearance of the first tomatoes

After the flowers appear, it should take about 1-3 weeks to see the first green tomatoes forming. Sometimes, the flowers may fall off, but don’t be disheartened. It can happen sometimes. The photo above was how they looked.

I remember being super excited about them that I would go out every morning to check if they have ripened yet.

6. Ripening of the tomatoes

Sometimes, it can take upto 20 days for the tomatoes to ripen once they are formed. Ofcourse, other factors should be considered like the plant health, water, sunlight and weather conditions.

This step can really test your patience. So if it is your first time growing tomatoes, I would recommend trying to grow cherry tomatoes as they ripen faster and are the easiest to grow in containers. They can be ready for harvest sometimes within 60 days from planting.

Factors that highly contribute to how long it takes to grow tomatoes

1. Sunlight: Aim for 6-8 hours of sunlight
2. Watering: Tomato plants are very thirsty plants. Ensure the soil is always moist
3. Quality of soil: Use rich, well draining soil
4. Fertilizers: Regular use of natural fertilizers in addition to fertilizer high in pottassium (every 14 days)
5. Supporting the plant: Provide support early, once the plant reaches 6 inches in height

If you are currently waiting for your harvest, stay consistent. Keep watering, feeding and caring for your plants. It is going to be worth the wait.