When to plant tomatoes

When you are starting out with growing your own tomatoes, one of the first wuestions that comes to mind are when to sow and when to plant tomatoes. 

It will depend on whether you want to grow your tomatoes indoors, outdoors and in that climate you live. 

When to sow tomatoes indoors

The time of year to plant tomatoes depends on the climate where you are. In the UK you can sow tomatoes indoors between February and April. At that time you can even sow two crops (two to four weeks apart) to have earlier and later harvest. 

What is the best place to grow tomato seedlings

A sunny windowsill in a warm room with stable temperature is the ideal place to start your seeds indoors. Avoid placing them in places with extreme or rapidly changing temperatures, as tomato seeds germinate best in stable temperatures. 

When to plant tomatoes outdoors

If you started your seeds indoors, you can transplant your tomato plants outdoors zero to four weeks after the last frost in your area.  Tomatoes are warmth-loving plants and it’s best to plant them outdoors when the minimum nighttime temperatures are at or above 50°F (10°C). 

You can start planting them out in the ground when there is no longer a risk of frost. If you want to start as early as possible and limit the risk of frost, you can move the young tomato plants outside in a few batches, each two weeks apart, so you won’t lose everything in case of an unexpected frost. 

Best months to plant tomatoes outside

Here is a list of the times to start planting tomatoes outside depending on your location.

• Delaware: late April
• Florida: January to April and August to September
• Georgia: late March
• Kansas: mid-May
• Kentucky: May
• Louisiana: March
• Massachusetts: second half of May
• Oregon: late May
• Texas: April
• Utah: May and early June
• Virginia: late April and May

When to plant tomatoes outside in the UK

In the UK you can plant tomato seedlings outdoors from April / May – these will produce crops in July and August. The time will depend on the type of tomato plant, so check when to expect yours. You can also choose different seeds if you want to prolong your tomato harvesting time.

When to plant tomatoes indoors

You can plant tomatoes indoors anytime of the year. That’s the great thing about growing tomatoes indoors!