Tomato Growing Soil Type

Tomatoes can be produced across a wide range of soils as long as drainage and physical soil structure is good. The plant produces a fibrous root mass, which can exploit the subsoil given the absence of cultivation pans. Most of the root mass though is normally concentrated in the cultivated zone, or top 24 in – and 70% of the total root volume is in the top 8 in of topsoil. Tomatoes require good nutrition. Thus, the best crops are on the more fertile soils. 

Optimum soil pH is between 6.0 – 6.5, but crops are grown in soils with a pH of 5.0 – 7.5. When pH drops below 5.5, magnesium and molybdenum availability drops and above 6.5, zinc, manganese and iron become deficient.