You know its springtime when the plant nurseries bring out the tomato transplants. If you have any experience growing tomatoes, then youre familiar with the fact that theres a certain window you need to plant seeds and another for when you need to transplant seedlings outside. But life doesnt always align with the preferred guidelines, so what happens if you miss that window? Planting too late in the season can bring you some problems. A late spring planting will lead to hot summer temperatures interfering with your harvest, whereas, a late fall planting will result in a cold snap killing your plants.
Following the recommended planting guidelines for your area is advised since there are consequences to planting too late. Some problems can be dealt with, so youre not entirely out of luck if youre a few weeks late to the party. But, you will have to adjust how you raise your plants so you can increase your chances of a successful harvest.
For most gardeners, tomato planting season is a rite of spring As the soil warms and the days lengthen, it’s time to get those tomato seeds started indoors But what if you’re late to the game and haven’t planted your tomatoes yet? Is there still time to get a tomato crop this year? Let’s take a look at how late is too late to plant tomatoes.
Understanding Tomato Growing Seasons
Tomatoes are warm-season crops that thrive in summer’s heat Most varieties need 50-85 days of warm weather to reach maturity and set fruit This means tomatoes must be planted early enough to harvest before your area’s first fall frost.
In warmer climates like Florida and Southern California, gardeners can plant tomatoes as late as August or September for a fall/winter crop. But in most temperate zones, late May to mid-June is the cutoff for spring planting. Any later, and your tomatoes risk being killed by cold weather before producing ripe fruit.
So the first step in determining if it’s too late to plant is checking your local average first fall frost date. This gives you a target maturity timeframe. Then look at individual tomato variety maturity times (listed as “days to maturity” on seed packets). Choose quick maturers if planting late.
Fast-Maturing Tomato Variety Options
If your first fall frost isn’t until October, fast-maturing tomato varieties can still produce before the cold arrives. Good options include:
- Early Girl – 50 days to maturity
- Fourth of July – 49 days
- Gold Nugget – 48 days
- Siberian – 46 days
- Glacier – 55 days
- Bloody Butcher – 55 days
Cherry and grape tomatoes also tend to mature 5-10 days faster than standard varieties. Just be sure to check the specific days to maturity for the variety you select.
Planting Tips for Late Tomatoes
Getting tomatoes in the ground late in the season calls for extra care to ensure success:
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Start plants indoors – Buying transplants or starting seeds indoors gives plants a head start over direct sowing.
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Use season extenders – Protect plants with cloches, row covers or black plastic mulch to boost warmth in cool weather.
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Fertilize regularly – Fertilizing every 2-3 weeks fuels rapid growth when time is limited. Use a balanced tomato fertilizer.
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Monitor soil moisture – Don’t let plants dry out. Consistent moisture is key when the season is short.
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Control pests – Be vigilant about treating infestations before they slow growth. Handpick pests daily.
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Prune carefully – Limit pruning to improve productivity. But remove shaded shoots and leaves to prevent disease.
How to Plant Late Tomatoes
If the conditions are right, don’t shy away from planting tomatoes in early to mid-summer. Here are some step-by-step tips for getting a late tomato crop:
Start seeds indoors
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Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before transplanting. Use a seed starting mix and grow lights.
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Provide warm soil temperatures of at least 75°F for best germination.
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Thin seedlings to the strongest plant per cell after sprouting.
Give transplants a head start
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Harden off plants by reducing water/temps a week before transplanting.
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Transplant on a cloudy day or in late afternoon to reduce wilting.
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Bury leggy stems horizontally to establish more roots.
Prepare planting beds
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Choose a sunny spot sheltered from wind. Tomatoes need at least 6 hours of sun.
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Improve drainage by mixing in compost. Tomatoes hate wet feet.
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Warm the soil with black plastic sheets or cloches before planting.
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Use row covers over new transplants to boost warmth and protect from wind.
Care for late plantings
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Water immediately after transplanting and daily for the first week.
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Side dress with balanced fertilizer every 2-3 weeks to fuel growth.
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Monitor for pests like hornworms that can damage plants quickly when small.
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Stake or cage plants to keep fruits off the ground and improve air circulation.
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Prune only lower leaves shaded by upper foliage to allow sunlight penetration.
Maximizing Late Tomato Success
Even when planted late, tomatoes can produce abundant fruit in time for fall feasts. Follow these tips to squeeze the most out of a late tomato crop:
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Pick early and often – Cherry and grape tomatoes produce first. Harvest promptly to spur further flowering/fruiting.
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Cover plants at night – Drape sheets, frost blankets or upside-down buckets over plants when cold nights threaten.
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Prune flowers late in season – Removing new blooms very late in the season focuses energy on existing fruit.
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Pull early if frost threatens – It’s better to pull plants with green tomatoes than lose the crop to frost damage.
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Ripen indoors – Pick any mature green tomatoes and ripen them indoors before frost hits.
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Save seeds – Seeds from your healthiest plants can be cleaned and stored for next year’s early start!
Missed the spring planting window? Don’t resign yourself to a tomato-less summer just yet. With the right conditions and care, late-planted tomatoes can still produce ripe, juicy fruits. Just be sure to select short season varieties, help plants along with season extending techniques, and harvest and protect fruits from cold as soon as possible. With a little luck from Mother Nature, you can enjoy homegrown tomatoes even when you get a late start on planting.
Planting too late in the spring
Tomatoes need temperatures between 55 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and they can be finicky to care for in certain parts of the year. Sporadic spring temperatures that jump from cold nights to almost hot days can lead to catfacing, a condition causing cracks and deformation on the blossom end of the fruit. If you missed planting right when the temperatures started staying above 55 degrees Fahrenheit or wanted to wait until the up and down temperatures have passed, you may end up with very little fruiting over the summer.
Once the temperature warms up to over 85 degrees Fahrenheit, it will be too hot for your large tomato varieties to function comfortably. (Grape and cherry tomatoes are usually fine.) They may continue to produce flowers, but they likely wont turn into fruit. Instead, the flowers will shrivel and fall off the plant. If the temperatures rise while you have developing tomatoes, they wont turn red. This can greatly affect your summer harvest by reducing the number of tomatoes to harvest.
If you do have to plant late, use a thick layer of mulch and shade cloth in the summer. Each of these benefits the plants greatly, and when used together, your plants will breeze through the abysmally hot weather with ease. If those arent an option, keep your plants watered, and when the temperatures cool down in late summer and early fall, your plants will likely start producing again.
How to Tell When It’s “Too Late” To Start A Garden
FAQ
How late can you plant tomato plants?
Plant Tomatoes in Summer
In late summer, you have another window to plant tomatoes to get a crop in before the first frost in your area. Keep in mind that fall crops grow differently than spring ones.
Can you still plant tomatoes in June?
Most fruiting plants like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants should already be in the ground. Many vegetables will still grow and produce even more quickly from seed planted in June when the soil is well warmed up and teeming with life depending on where you live.
Will tomatoes grow if planted in July?
And while July may be too late for varieties like tomatoes or squash (depending on where you live), you can still pick seeds that work for your USDA Plant …Jun 24, 2024
What is the latest you can plant tomato seeds?
Sow tomato seeds in warm conditions, into modules, small pots or seed trays. Tomatoes are easy to grow from seed indoors. Sow from late February to mid-March if you’ll be growing your crop in a greenhouse, or from late March to early April if they’ll be outside.