It’s May, and prime tomato growing season. If the temperature in your area is consistently 70-80 degrees, and no lower than 50 degrees, you can comfortably plant tomatoes. Here in my planting zone (9b) I planted my first tomatoes about a month ago.
Of course, I just stated that my normal gardening practice is to plant tomatoes in May. I got a little excited when we had an early warm weather snap, so I got them in the ground in April. We still had a bit of cold and rainy days ahead, so I was sure to cover them with fabric cloth when needed.
- Plant tomatoes once the temperature is reliably 70-80 degrees, but not lower than 50 degrees.
- If you plant sooner…that’s fine – amazing in fact (we get so excited for tomatoes) but be sure to protect your tomato starts with a fabric cloth cover if you get unexpected cold below 50 degrees. Take the same precaution for excessive winds.
- Don’t forget to stake or cage your little prizes as soon as you plant.
“It’s June, and I haven’t planted yet….am I too late?”
Absolutely not! You go ahead and plant those tomato starts as late as June. If you plant late, a determinate* variety is a great option.
- Plant Determinate tomatoes later in the season. A determinate tomato is a great option and will give you a different variety at the end of the season just as you tire of the tomatoes you’ve grown for months.
*Determinate varieties give one crop of tomatoes at the end of its growing period vs. indeterminate, which keep producing all season long.
Add comment
Comments