9 Places to Avoid Planting Tomatoes for Optimal Growth

“Location, location, location” is a frequently used phrase in the real estate industry, and it applies to tomatoes too. Choose a poor planting spot and you’ll end up with spindly, weak plants lacking fruit. This list of 9 places you should never plant tomatoes will ensure you select the perfect location for your prized plants so they’ll produce a bumper crop for you this summer.

1. In the Shade

Tomatoes demand 8 hours or more of direct sunlight a day. Optimally, the plant is bathed in sunlight from morning to night. Beware of nearby buildings, fences, and plants that can cast a shadow on plants. Tomatoes stressed by lack of sunlight have spindly, weak stems and minimal fruit.

If your landscape doesn’t offer and sunny inground planting spot for a tomato plant, consider growing a tomato in a large pot on a sunny driveway or deck. Sunlight is critical to plant growth and fruiting.

2. In Soggy Soil

 Slow-draining soil presents a host of problems for tomato plants. Root growth is comprised in the dense soil which leads to limited shoot growth and fruit. Soggy soil is a breeding ground for destructive pests and diseases.

The best soil for tomatoes is dark brown in color and crumbles easily when gathered in your hands. If the soil around your home is sticky clay or hard-packed and frequently holds water, consider building a raised bed with well-drained soil for growing tomatoes. Or plant your favorite varieties in a container.

3. In Excessively Sandy Soil

Sandy soil is notorious for not holding moisture long enough for the fine roots of tomatoes to absorb the steady supply of water that they need. Planting tomatoes in intensely sandy soil requires watering them at least twice a day or more in some cases.

If your soil has a high sand content, bulk it up with organic matter by mixing a 4- to 6-inch-thick layer of compost into the top 12 inches of the soil. Incorporate a thick layer of compost annually to improve the soil structure over time. Consider running a drip irrigation hose along the base of tomato plants to supply their water needs as the soil conditions improve.

4. Close to a Building or Fence

Still, stagnant spaces are breeding grounds for disease infestations. A planting spot bordered by a building, or fence, or even a dense hedge on multiple sides is a prime stop for stagnant air. Dew drenched foliage takes longer to dry in these spaces and rain results in a lingering moist environment—the perfect conditions for fungal diseases to develop and multiply.

Tomato plants rely on continuous, gentle air movement to dry foliage. Choose a planting spot that is exposed to wind. Don’t be afraid of too much wind. Tomato plants are amazingly resilient and can withstand strong gusts when staked properly.  

5. Crowded Next to Other Plants

 Most tomato plants, except for patio tomatoes and miniature varieties, need at least 3 feet of horizontal growing space. And the more space you can give a plant, the better, in many cases. For full, lush growth, plant tomatoes about 2 feet apart and 2 feet away from nearby plants.  

6. In a Small Container

 Don’t plant tomatoes in pots less than 10 inches in diameter. The larger the diameter and soil volume of the container, the healthier and more productive the tomato plant.

Cherry tomatoes are best grown in pots that hold at least 2 gallons of soil and have a diameter greater than 10 inches. Standard tomatoes, such as slicers and Romas, grow best in a pot that holds at least 4 gallons of soil and is 14 inches or greater in diameter. Drainage is also key to growing tomatoes in containers—make sure the pot has drainage holes in the bottom.

7. Where Diseased Tomatoes Grew Before

Bacterial and fungal diseases overwinter in garden soil, plaguing tomatoes planted in the same location the following year. Fusarium wilt and bacterial spot are two destructive diseases that build up in the soil. If tomatoes, or other members of the same plant family such as eggplant, potatoes, and peppers, suffered from diseases in a planting spot, do not plant there again the next year.

8. In the Path of Herbicides

Curled, twisted, and distorted tomato plant leaves are signs of herbicide damage. Plants are impacted when nearby areas are treated with weed killer and the chemical drifts onto the plants. Some herbicides can drift many feet from the application site, even when air conditions are calm. The best way to avoid herbicide damage is to skip using these chemicals anywhere near your tomato plants.

9. Where Water is Not Available

Ideally tomatoes need about 1 inch of rainfall a week to thrive. In most places, rain won’t be consistent enough for tomatoes to grow well, so you’ll need to supplement with irrigation. Deliver the water directly to the plant’s root zone with a watering can, drip hose, or garden hose with a wand attachment. Avoid getting the plant’s foliage wet to prevent disease.