When to Plant Tomato in Brisbane, Subtropical Guide
That soil figure is read off our own weather station in South East Queensland at 20:55 yesterday, not a model.
What this month normally looks like in Subtropical
In October the Subtropical zone normally runs 27°C by day and 15°C overnight, with about 77 mm of rain over 7 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -0.2°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 33 postcodes, SILO.
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This Tomato guide is written for the Subtropical zone, which takes in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Jan to Apr, Jul to Oct
- Days to harvest
- about 10 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 60 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
- Shop price
- $11.86/kg
Tomatoes are Australia's most popular home-grown vegetable and arguably the most rewarding. The difference between a sun-ripened home-grown tomato and a supermarket specimen is profound.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Subtropical
- Jan S
- Feb S/T
- Mar S/T
- Apr T
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul S
- Aug S/T
- Sep S/T
- Oct T
- Nov -
- Dec -
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
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How to Grow Tomato in Subtropical Australia
- Soil
- Well-drained, rich loam with plenty of compost. Deep soil preferred. pH-adjusted with lime if acidic.
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun (minimum 6-8 hours daily). More sun = more fruit = more flavour.
- Spacing
- 60cm apart, 90cm between rows
- Watering
- Deep watering 2-3 times per week, consistent and at the base. NEVER overhead water, promotes fungal disease. Inconsistent watering is the #1 cause of blossom end rot and fruit splitting. Drip irrigation is ideal.
- Good companions
- Nasturtium, Carrot, Radish, Basil, Chives
- Keep away from
- Broccoli, Cabbage, Chickpeas, Chinese cabbage, Collards, Dill (attracts tomato hornworm), Fennel, Galangal, Kale, Kohlrabi, Mustard greens (Listed under 'keep apart from' for mustard greens; no reason is given.), Peach, Pear, Popcorn (Listed as a bad companion for corn.), Potato (shared diseases), Raspberry (share diseases), Strawberry, Sweet Corn (shared corn earworm), Walnut (juglone sensitive)
- Grow before it
- Leafy greens and brassicas (Lettuce, Silverbeet, Broccoli)
- Grow after it
- Roots and alliums (Carrot, Beetroot, Onion)
Give the bed 3 turns before nightshades go back in. Tomato, capsicum, eggplant and potato share wilts and blights that live on in the soil.
Subtropical Growing Tips for Tomato
Recommended Varieties
- Grosse Lisse
- Roma
- Tommy Toe (cherry heirloom)
- Black Russian
Key Challenges
- Fruit fly from October, critical
- Summer heat above 38C causes poor fruit set
- Late blight in humid autumn
- Blossom end rot from inconsistent watering
Pro Tips
- The autumn crop (plant Feb-Mar, harvest May-Aug) is Brisbane's secret weapon. Fewer pests, no heat stress, excellent fruit
- Fruit fly netting ESSENTIAL from October. Non-negotiable in SEQ.
- Afternoon shade cloth (30%) December-February prevents heat damage
Pests and problems for Tomato in Subtropical
- Early Blight and Late Blight Crop rotation (3 year minimum with non-Solanaceae). Mulch to prevent soil splash. Remove lower leaves below first fruit truss. Stake and... High
- Bacterial Wilt Watch
- Queensland Fruit Fly Fruit fly from October, critical Watch
- Bacterial Spot Watch
- Tomato Potato Psyllid Watch
- Blossom End Rot CONSISTENT deep watering is the cure and prevention. Mulch 10cm. Avoid disturbing roots. Don't over-fertilise with nitrogen. Add lime or... Watch
Organic prevention (Early Blight): Crop rotation (3 year minimum with non-Solanaceae). Mulch to prevent soil splash. Remove lower leaves below first fruit truss. Stake and space for airflow. Never overhead water.
Harvesting Tomato
When ready: Fully coloured (red, pink, yellow depending on variety), slight give when gently squeezed, aromatic. For best flavour, pick vine-ripened. In fruit fly zones, pick at 'breaker' stage (first colour change) and ripen indoors.
How to harvest: Twist and snap or cut with clean secateurs. Harvest in morning when cool. Handle carefully to avoid bruising.
Storing and preserving tomato
How to keep it
- Sun-drying / Dehydrating. Halve Roma/paste types. Salt lightly. Dehydrate at 60C for 8-12 hours until leathery (not crisp). Pack in sterilised jars, cover with good olive oil. Store in fridge. Keeps: 6-12 months in oil, refrigerated.
- Freezing (whole). Wash, core, freeze whole on tray. Bag when solid. Skin slips off when thawed. Use in cooked dishes. Keeps: 12 months.
- Freezing (roasted). Halve, toss with olive oil, garlic, herbs. Roast at 200C for 30-40 min. Cool and freeze in portions. Intensified flavour. Keeps: 12 months.
- Passata/Sauce (Italian-style bottling). Blanch 30 seconds, ice bath, peel, core. Cook down with optional basil/garlic (no other vegetables for shelf-stable passata). Bottle in sterilised jars while boiling hot. Water bath 30-40 minutes. Ensure lid seals (button depresses). Keeps: 12 months (sealed jar, cool dark place).
- Green Tomato Chutney. End-of-season green tomatoes: dice, combine with onion, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard seeds, ginger, chilli. Simmer 1 hour until thick. Jar hot in sterilised jars. Keeps: 12 months.
- Tomato Kasundi. Australian-Indian condiment: ripe tomatoes, ginger, garlic, mustard seeds, turmeric, chilli, vinegar, oil. Cook down 45 min. Jar hot. Keeps: 6-12 months.
Grow vs buy
A 2.4 m × 1.2 m bed fits 9 plants, about $480 worth at today’s Aldi and Coles prices, checked today.
That is roughly 41 kg at $11.86 a kilo.
Draw your tomato bed → No account needed.
What tomato costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Tomato
When do you plant tomato in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Mar to Jul
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Apr, Jul to Oct
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to Feb, Aug to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Aug to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Aug to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jan to Feb, Jul to Oct, Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan, Jul to Dec
Can you grow tomato all year round in Brisbane?
No. In the Subtropical zone the planting months are Jan to Apr, Jul to Oct. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Tomato in Brisbane?
Two windows work: sow from January to March for an autumn to winter crop, and from July to September for a spring crop. Plants set in December and January struggle with heat, rain and fruit fly.
What soil temperature do Tomato need?
Tomato germinate best when soil temperature is between 18°C and 30°C.
How do I know when Tomato are ready to harvest?
Fully coloured (red, pink, yellow depending on variety), slight give when gently squeezed, aromatic. For best flavour, pick vine-ripened. In fruit fly zones, pick at 'breaker' stage (first colour change) and ripen indoors.
What are the best Tomato varieties for Brisbane?
Recommended varieties for the Subtropical zone include: Grosse Lisse, Roma, Tommy Toe (cherry heirloom), Black Russian.
What grows well with Tomato?
Good companion plants for Tomato include: Nasturtium, Carrot, Radish, Basil, Chives.
Are tomato salt tolerant?
Only a little. Tomato are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Subtropical zone, Brisbane is its reference city.