New England’s short growing season and cooler summer temperatures present challenges for tomato lovers. However, with careful variety selection, proper care and ideal timing, New England gardeners can still enjoy a bountiful tomato harvest. This article explores the top tomato varieties optimized for thriving in New England’s unique climate.
Factors to Consider
Several factors impact a tomato variety’s performance in New England
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Maturity date – Select early-maturing tomatoes that can ripen fruit before fall frosts arrive Look for maturity dates under 70 days
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Cold tolerance – Choose varieties that can withstand New England’s cooler temperatures Look for descriptors like “cold-set” and “cool-season”.
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Disease resistance – Opt for disease-resistant varieties to combat common tomato afflictions like blight and wilt, Prioritize resistance to late blight in particular,
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Determinate vs. indeterminate – Determinate (bush) tomatoes ripen over a short period, while indeterminate (vining) tomatoes produce throughout the season. Determinate types are recommended for short seasons.
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Fruit size – Typically, earlier varieties produce smaller fruits. If harvest time is limited, prioritize production over size.
10 Best Tomato Varieties for New England
Based on the above criteria, below are 10 top-performing tomato varieties optimized for New England’s climate:
1. Mountain Merit
- Early, cold-set variety that produces large fruits
- High resistance to verticillium, fusarium, tobacco mosaic virus and more
2. New Girl
- One of the earliest tomatoes at less than 60 days to maturity
- Small-medium fruits with disease resistance
3. Primo Red
- Early, large-fruited variety with verticillium, fusarium and tobacco mosaic virus resistance
4. Sub Arctic Plenty
- Very early tomato specially bred for cooler climates
- Small-medium fruits
5. Oregon Spring
- Extremely early maturity (under 60 days) with good cold tolerance
- Medium-sized oblong fruits
6. Legend
- Determinate cherry tomato ripening in around 65 days
- Produces sweet, round fruits even in cool weather
7. Juliet
- Grape-shaped mini fruits resistant to cracking/splitting
- Matures quickly in around 60 days
8. Early Girl
- Classic indeterminate variety yielding flavorful 4-6 oz. fruits around 50 days from transplanting
9. Defiant
- 75 days to maturity but has robust late blight resistance
- Medium-sized, deep red fruits
10. Siletz
- High late blight and cold temperature tolerance
- Medium-large oblong fruits maturing in 70-80 days
Growing Tips
Follow these tips to successfully grow top-performing tomato varieties in New England:
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Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before transplanting after the last spring frost. Use grow lights and heat mats for best germination.
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Harden off tomato seedlings for 7-10 days before transplanting. Gradually expose them to sun, wind and cooler temperatures.
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Transplant into the garden 1-2 weeks after the average final frost date, around late May to early June.
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Choose a sunny location and prepare soil with compost and fertilizer. Space plants 18-24 inches apart.
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Use row covers, cloches or cold frames to protect plants from cold snaps and extend the growing season.
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Stake indeterminate varieties and prune suckers to optimize air circulation and sun exposure.
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Water regularly at the soil level to prevent disease. Apply mulch to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.
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Monitor for pests like hornworms and diseases like blight. Control with organic methods as needed.
Harvest Time
Time your successional plantings and variety mix to enjoy tomatoes through every stage of New England’s short tomato season:
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Early season – Ultra-early varieties like Oregon Spring and Legend produce first ripe fruits in July.
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Mid-season – Reliable producers like New Girl and Early Girl take over in early August.
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Late season – Heat-tolerant, disease resistant varieties like Defiant and Siletz continue producing into September.
With strategic variety selection and attentive care, New England gardeners can beat the odds and savor ripe, juicy tomato flavor straight from their backyard all season long. These recommended varieties optimized for cool climates and short seasons are primed for success in New England gardens.
Plant Nutrient Recommendations According to Soil Test Results for Outdoor Tomato
| SOIL TEST RESULTS | NITROGEN (N) – LBS PER ACRE | PHOSPHORUS (P) – LBS P2O5 PER ACRE | POTASSIUM (K) – LBS K2O PER ACRE | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VERY LOW | LOW | OPTIMUM | ABOVE OPTIMUM | VERY LOW | LOW | OPTIMUM | ABOVE OPTIMUM | ||
| Broadcast and Incorporate | 80-100 | 180 | 120 | 0-60 | 0 | 250 | 150 | 50-100 | 0-50 |
| Sidedress 3-4 Weeks After Planting | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sidedress 6-8 Weeks After Planting | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTAL RECOMMENDED | 140-160 | 180 | 120 | 0-60 | 0 | 250 | 150 | 50-100 | 0-50 |
Tomatoes are transplanted in New England due to the short growing season. Early fruit production requires quality transplants. Adequate spacing produces short, stocky plants with good root systems, whereas crowding produces tall, spindly plants. One ounce of tomato seed will produce about 7,400 plants.
Sow tomato seed in an open flat in germination mix and maintain uniform moisture and bottom heat at 75ºF until emergence. Transplant young seedlings into 2-4″ cells or pots when they have 2-3 true leaves. Choice of pot size depends on the number of weeks before anticipated field transplant date. For earliest production, some growers finish their transplants in 6″ (or even larger) pots.
Grow transplants at 70-75°F day and 60-65ºF night temperatures. Night temperatures in the greenhouse that fall below 60°F may result in irregular fruit (catfacing) on the first few clusters. Five to 8 weeks from seed are required to produce field-ready transplants, depending on the temperature at which the plants are grown and the size desired. Avoid the temptation to start the plants too early; holding them for too long will reduce yield. Harden only slightly, by reducing water and nutrients, and ambient temperature, if possible but not below 60°F. Small plants that have been slightly hardened, or not hardened at all, will outperform larger, over-hardened plants.
Transplants should be given a complete nutrient solution supplemented with trace elements (the latter especially if artificial mixes are used) at weekly intervals. Alternatively, they can be fed whenever they are watered with a dilute nutrient solution. The advantage to the latter system is that the fertilizer is supplied more in relation to the plants needs: more on bright, warm days, less on cool, cloudy days. In either case, follow directions on the fertilizer label for amounts to feed. Use a soluble fertilizer and be careful of salt buildup. It is advisable to use a fertilizer in which most of the nitrogen is in the nitrate form rather than ammonium or urea.
Many growers grow tomatoes on black plastic mulch, which has several benefits. It warms the soil, promotes early production, conserves water, permits use of less nitrogen fertilizer because leaching is reduced, and facilitates weed control. Plastic mulch also keeps most of the fruit off the soil. The disadvantages of plastic mulch are removing the plastic in the fall and disposing of it. Biodegradable mulches are available and have improved in quality in the last 10 years. Biodegradable mulches have the advantage of being able to be tilled into the soil at the end of the season, instead of needed to be removed and disposed of in landfills. Most organic certifiers do not allow for use of biodegrabale mulches, or require them to be removed at the end of the season like regular plastic—check with your certifier before using. Plastic should be laid tightly over the beds to conduct heat to the soil more efficiently and to avoid depressions where hot spots or puddles can form. Many growers use plastic mulch in conjunction with raised beds. This warms the soil more quickly. Prior to laying plastic mulch, soil moisture should be at or near field capacity.
Trickle irrigation is a very efficient watering method used under black plastic mulch. Consistent soil moisture reduces or eliminate problems with blossom end rot and cracking. Using a fertilizer injector in conjuction with drip irrigation allows for nutrients to be sidedressed more easily. Row covers over wire hoops are used by some growers for faster early season growth. They do not provide significant frost protection, but they do speed growth. Ventilation is usually needed on warm, sunny days. Do not allow temperatures under covers to exceed 90°F. (See Plastic Mulch and Row Covers, and High Tunnels.)
Staking or trellising certain varieties may advance production by 7-10 days. Early tomatoes usually bring higher prices, but this has to be weighed against the labor costs of trellising. Fruit quality and plant health may be enhanced by keeping fruit off of the ground and allowing air movement into the plant canopy, reducing the incidence of anthracnose on fruit and foliar disease spread. Pruning (removing the side shoots) should be done frequently for fully indeterminate varieties. Shoots are most easily removed when they are a few inches long. To reduce disease, do not prune during wet weather or if bacterial canker is present. Indeterminate plants are well suited to trellising or staking because the main stem keeps growing. The plants can be pruned to 1 or 2 stems. For 2 stems, keep the lateral branch just below the first cluster. Two stems obviously yield more fruit per plant than a single stem, but pruning is more time-consuming and each plant requires more space. For trellising, plants are supported by weather-resistant twine tied to a number 9 or 11 wire, 5-6 above the ground. The wire is held up by posts spaced 20-30 apart in the row. Metal fence posts help to support the wire, with sturdy wooden posts at the end. Most growers use the “A” trellis, a double row 18-24″ apart. The “A” trellis uses fewer posts and less wire; fruit tends to be more shaded and sun scald is less of a problem. The lower end of the twine is tied loosely around the base of the stem. As the plants grow, the string is spiraled around the main stem. Pruning is usually done at the same time. For staking, plants are tied (3-4 times) to individual stakes. Avoid damage to plants during trellising and staking operations.
Best Tomato to Grow in YOUR Zone
FAQ
When should I plant tomatoes in New England?
Throughout much of New Hampshire, Memorial Day weekend is a safe time for transplanting tomatoes, though southern gardeners may often plant a week or two …
What is the best tasting tomato to grow?
- Cherokee Purple. If you want a great fresh eating tomato for snacking or sandwiches and love an intense, deep flavor Cherokee Purple will not disappoint you! …
- Sungold. …
- Black Cherry. …
- Sunrise Bumblebee. …
- Roma. …
- Kelloggs Breakfast. …
- Eva Purple Ball. …
- Green Giant.
What do Epsom salts do for tomato plants?
Epsom salt is known to help boost flower size, promote bushier plants, improve seed germination, and increase fruit production.Aug 10, 2024
What is the easiest crop to grow in New England?
Beets. There’s lots to love about beets. They grow quickly, they can survive a frost or two, and the beet greens are wonderfully delicious. Some varieties, like the heirloom candy-stripe beet, are both beautiful and delicately sweet.
What are the best tomatoes to grow in the UK?
Described as an improved Moneymaker variety, the Alicante tomato is one of the most popular tomatoes currently being grown in gardens in the UK. It’s an easy-to-grow, reliable tomato that produces moderate to moderately-high yields of flavorful fruit.
Are defiant tomatoes good for New England gardeners?
Gardeners in New England and the Mid-Atlantic should find success with the ‘Defiant’ tomato variety. ‘Defiant’ is a tomato hybrid that is highly resistant to late blight and moderately resistant to early blight, making it a suitable choice for New England gardeners.
Can you grow tomatoes from seeds in New England?
Although it may be possible to grow tomatoes from seeds in New England, the standard practice is to grow them from transplants. The key to early fruit production is growing good transplants with plenty of space during the transplant growing stage.
Which heirloom tomatoes grow best in the Mid-Atlantic?
The mid-Atlantic is the home territory of two top heirlooms — ‘Amish Paste’ and ‘Brandywine’ tomatoes — that are well-represented in these gardens. Adding a cherry tomato and an ‘Early Girl’ makes it easier to wait for later-maturing varieties. A balance of hybrids and heirlooms gives you earliness, disease resistance and great flavor.
What types of tomatoes grow well in North Carolina?
Mountain Pride tomatoes, developed by the North Carolina extension center, are disease resistant to the bugs in the state. Piedmont tomatoes grow well in all North Carolina regions and produce large, smooth, firm fruit. Celebrity tomatoes are also a popular choice due to their flavorful varieties. They grow well in all areas of the state.
Which tomatoes grow best in Central/Midwest?
Hot summer weather brings out the best in large-fruited, open-pollinated varieties, which are often described as easy to grow in the Central/Midwest region. Just the same, many gardeners allow space for a few dependable hybrids such as crack-resistant ‘Jet Star’ tomatoes, which are highly respected for their flavor.