When to plant tomatoes

Planting dates for tomatoes at your ZIP code, from local frost records and extension advice.

Frost risk you'll accept

Historical frost averages plus extension guidance, not a forecast. Check the forecast and soil temperature before planting.

Start tomato seeds indoors 5–7 weeks before your last spring frost, so they are 6–8 weeks old at planting. Plant them outside 1–3 weeks after that frost date, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is at least 60°F. Tomatoes are killed by frost, so it pays to wait a little rather than plant early.

Frost tolerance
Tender: no frost
Soil temperature
Sow at 70–85°F; plant out when soil is 60°F+
Days to harvest
60–90 days from transplant

The rule we use

Starting tomato seeds indoors

Sow seeds about ¼ inch deep in a seed-starting mix and keep them warm, around 75–85°F, until they sprout. A heat mat helps a lot. Once seedlings are up, give them strong light for 14–16 hours a day and a cooler room, about 60–70°F, so they grow stocky instead of tall and weak.

Pot them on into bigger containers when the first true leaves appear. Six to eight weeks is enough: older seedlings that start flowering in small pots often stall after planting.

Planting tomatoes outside

Cold nights hurt tomatoes even without frost. Below about 50°F, growth stops and flowers can drop, so there's no gain in planting the day after your last frost. Wait for settled weather and soil that has warmed to 60°F or more at planting depth.

Harden off seedlings for 7–10 days first: put them outside in shade for an hour or two, then a little longer and in more sun each day. Plant them deep, burying the stem up to the top few leaves, because tomatoes grow roots along the buried stem.

If your season is short

In places with fewer than about 120 frost-free days, choose early varieties that ripen in 55–70 days, use transplants rather than seed sown outside, and consider black plastic mulch to warm the soil. Keep a frost cloth ready for both ends of the season. The calendar above warns you when your season looks tight.

Seeds and supplies for tomatoes

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Questions about planting tomatoes

What month should I plant tomatoes?

It depends on where you live. In much of the South it's March or April, in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest it's usually May, and in the far North or the mountains it can be early June. Enter your ZIP above for dates based on your own frost records.

Can I plant tomatoes before the last frost?

Only with protection. A frost kills tomato plants, and cold nights slow them down. If you plant early, cover them with frost cloth or a wall of water on cold nights, and expect little gain.

How warm does it need to be to plant tomatoes?

Aim for nights above 50°F and soil at least 60°F. Below that, tomatoes sit still and are more prone to problems.

Is it too late to plant tomatoes?

Count the days from today to your first fall frost. If it's more than your variety's days to maturity plus about two weeks, you still have time with a transplant. Otherwise pick a fast, small-fruited variety.

Sources

More crop guides