get hold out precisely when to start planting tomatoes to keep off frost damage and maximise growing metre .
Kindra Clineff
Figuring out when to startplanting tomatoescan be crafty because they wo n’t farm well if you plant too too soon or too belated in the class . Unlike tight - rise radishes and lettuce plants , tomato are slow - growing vegetables that are n’t rime - tolerant . Most tomatoes take about 60 to 100 day to strain a harvestable size of it , and works may not have enough time to fruit before capitulation if tomato seeds are directly planted outdoors in give .
Credit:Kindra Clineff
As a workaround , gardeners oftenstart tomato seed indoorsor purchase pre - started glasshouse plants . However , you still must embed seeds and transplants at the right time to head off weak , leggy maturation , cold harm , and other problems .
Whether you ’re planning to growcherry , heirloom , or library paste tomatoes , this templet will help oneself you identify the good fourth dimension to constitute tomato seed in spring and when to transfer tomato seedlings out of doors .
When to Start Planting Tomato Seeds
If you live inUSDA Plant Hardiness Zones10 and warm , you might be capable to directly plant tomato plant seeds outdoors in bound and harvesting Lycopersicon esculentum before fall . However , most gardeners in cool zones call for to either start tomato seeds indoors or purchase pre - started tomato plant life .
To make up one’s mind when to start tomato seeds indoors , read the seminal fluid packets carefully for planting instructions and the days to reap selective information . Most tomato seeds must be started about six to eight weeks before yourlast bounce frost day of the month . However , this can change depending on the type of tomatoes you grow .
Once you have your planting instructions , count back the appropriate number of week from your area ’s last average frost date to pinpoint the best time to originate the seed indoors . For representative , if your frost date is in other May and you ’re growing a tomato variety that needs to be jump eight weeks before your last frost appointment , number back eight weeks from early May to get a planting date in early March .
If you live in a warm climate with a long develop season , you could seed tomato seminal fluid directly out of doors in fountain . Use the “ days to reap ” information on your seed packet to ascertain your tomatoes have enough time to grow . Do n’t start planting outside until the temperature is at least 55 ° F .
When to Start Planting Tomatoes Outdoors
Whether you start tomato from seed or leverage nursery - started plant , you eventually demand totransplant the seedling out of doors . Do n’t rush this footfall ! If you transpose tomato into your garden too shortly , you could drop off all your plant to the cold .
Tomatoes can be moved outside when nighttime temperatures are consistently above 55 ° F . In many areas , this occur toward the end of April to late May or several weeks after the arena ’s last spring Robert Lee Frost engagement . However , to be safe , some gardener hold back until after Memorial Day to transplant tomatoes .
When the temperature is sufficiently tender , prepare the tomatoes for the garden byhardening off the plantsfor one to two calendar week . This appendage is only necessary for tomatoes started indoors from cum and is normally not needed for glasshouse - started tomato plants that often have already been hardened off . Once the industrial plant can do by at least six to eight time of day offull sunand the weather is fruity , transpose your tomatoes into a vegetable seam or out-of-door container garden .
Many type oftomato plant need stake , and the best metre to set up that bread and butter — particularly if you use tomato coop or wooden stakes — is when you transplant the plants to the garden . The goal is to ward off damaging the plants or their roots by installing supports after in the time of year .
Problems from Planting Too Early
If a later - time of year frost is in the forecast or you ca n’t plant love apple when you planned , do n’t fret . Here ’s how to lot with the most common problems you may run into when planting tomatoes too early outdoors or from germ indoors .
Late Season Frost
leap weather can be unpredictable . Sometimes , a late icing strikes afteryou move tomatoes out to your garden . If this occurs , move pot tomatoes indoors until the atmospheric condition warms . Protect tomato that you ca n’t moveby covering them with cloches , frost blankets , wrangle back , or overturned pots or Milk River jugs .
Leggy Growth and Plant Edema
tomato can sometimes become leggy and overgrown or evolve industrial plant hydrops if you go them indoors too early or keep them inside too long . The good intelligence is that plant hydrops usually goes aside when the tomatoes are graft outside . you’re able to prevent it by adding a pocket-sized fan to your growing elbow room . Fix leggy stems by repotting the seedlings profoundly in pot mix in larger dope or eat up the leggy stems in the soil when you transfer the Lycopersicon esculentum into the garden .
Frequently Asked Questions
The worldwide normal is to set tomato plant plant 18 to 24 inches aside . If you have more than one quarrel , space the row 36 inches apart .
These red-hot weather , sun - make out vegetables demand at least six hour of full sun daily , preferably more .
Yes . Lycopersicon esculentum are raw to the cold . Cover new planted graft when nighttime temperature decrease below 55 ° fluorine .
