Greenhouse experiments were performed to assess the process equations that are common to several USDA models of growth and nutrient uptake of tomato crops in south Florida and to compare the model formulations and parameters with those observed in field-grown tomatoes. It is demonstrated that the normalized growth curve of greenhouse-grown tomatoes is in close agreement with the theoretical model under field conditions, with the scaling factors being the maximum canopy height and the potential heat units. Similarly, the normalized leaf area index (LAI) growth curve and the normalized root depth curve for greenhouse-grown tomatoes are in agreement with the theoretical functions, with the scaling factors being the maximum LAI and maximum root depth. The greenhouse experiments confirm that the growth of biomass is a linear function of the intercepted photosynthetically-active radiation. The nutrient fractions under greenhouse conditions were found to be on the order of 60% of those fractions observed in the field. Values of the initial P distribution (0.2 mg/kg), initial ratio of mineral stable P to mineral active P (50:1), and initial ratio of humic N to humic P (2.4:1) were determined from greenhouse measurements and can be used for field simulations. The conventional saturation-excess model for soil-water percolation was used to predict the movement of water in the top 10 cm of the greenhouse containers and the results agreed well with measurements. This agreement provides support for the validity of using the saturation-excess model under field conditions.