Home » Misc » Can i plant tomatoes in june

Can i plant tomatoes in june


When Is It Too Late to Plant Tomatoes? (3 Key Things To Know) – greenupside

Maybe this is your first year planting tomatoes, or you just got busy and forgot to plant your garden.  Either way, you don’t want to waste your time and effort planting if it is too late in the season.

So, when is it too late to plant tomatoes?  For spring planting, move tomatoes outdoors by late May or early June, sowing seeds indoors 8 weeks before transplant.  In warmer climates, you may be able to plant a second tomato crop later in the season.  If you are late to planting, try a fast-maturing tomato variety, such as Fourth of July.

Of course, you can extend your growing season by starting seeds indoors in late winter to early spring, using a greenhouse during the season, or using row covers at the end of the season.   If it really is too late to plant outdoors, you can dedicate some indoor space near a window for growing tomatoes in containers.

In this article, we’ll talk about when it is too late to plant tomatoes. We’ll also look at how to calculate planting times based on days to maturity.

Let’s get started.

When Is It Too Late to Plant Tomatoes?

To determine whether it is too late to plant your tomatoes, you will need to look at two main factors:

First fall frost date and time to maturity will help to determine if it is too late to plant tomatoes.

Let’s start by looking at frost dates.

First Frost Date

The first frost date in the fall is the day that you would first expect a frost (freezing temperatures of 32 degrees Fahrenheit or below).

Usually, the first frost will come at night, when the sun is down and temperatures are lower. This is why you often see white frost on the grass in the morning when you wake up after a frost.

You want to make sure your plants are mature and harvested before the first frost of the fall season!

A frost will kill many unprotected plants. It can also damage the fruit on mature plants, and that includes tomatoes.

So, make sure that your plants are mature and ready for harvest before the first frost date.

The first frost date will depend on your location. It can vary quite a bit, depending on whether you live in Montpelier, Vermont (September 24) or Miami, Florida (frost is rare).

To find first frost dates in the fall, check out this guide from the Old Farmer’s Almanac (they also have last frost dates in the spring).

For example, if I type in the zip code “02150” (a Boston zip code), we get a first fall frost date of November 3.  Note that these dates are probable first frost dates, using 30 years of data.  In theory, you could still get a frost sooner than the first fall frost date!

(You can learn more about what frost dates mean in my article here).

Most of the time, tomatoes will mature before the first frost date if you plant early enough.  If you live in a cold region with short summers, you should check the frost dates before planting.

Time To Maturity For Tomato Plants

The time to maturity for a particular variety of tomato is the time in days from seed to harvest.  Together with the first frost date, the time to maturity can tell you the latest date you should plant your tomato seeds.

Check the tomato seed packet to find the time to maturity (also called DTM, or days to maturity).

The time to maturity can range from as little as 50 days (about 7 weeks!) to over 90 days (about 3 months).  To find the time to maturity for your particular variety of tomato, check the seed package or the seed company website.

The following tomato varieties have a short time to maturity:

Taking frost date and time to maturity into account, you can figure out when to start your tomato plants to ensure that you avoid frost.

Fast maturing tomato plants, such as Fourth of July, produce a harvest sooner at the expense of smaller fruit.

When To Start Your Tomato Plants

If you are in Zone 10 (parts of Hawaii, southern California and southern Florida), you can plant tomatoes late as a fall crop.  Otherwise, you will want to plant tomatoes in the spring, as a crop that matures in summer to early fall.

For more information (and to find your plant hardiness zone), you can check out the USDA Zone Hardiness Map here.

If you aren’t in Zone 10, you should have your tomatoes transplanted outside by late May or early June in order to harvest before the first frost.

Example 1: Brandywine Red Tomato Planting Date

Let’s go through the calculations for a variety that takes a bit longer to mature.  For example, a Brandywine Red tomato plant will take about 85 days to maturity (note: this is the time from transplant to maturity; it takes 8 weeks or 56 days extra to grow from seed to transplant!)

So, if you plant on the last day of May (May 31), then it will take 30 days in June, 31 days in July, and 24 days in August (85 days total) to mature by August 24th.   Of course, it will continue producing after this point in time, possibly well into September.

Of course, you should add in a “harvest buffer” to give the plant time to produce fruit. It would be a shame to only get a little mature fruit on the first fall frost date and lose the plant after a short harvest!

Example 2: Fourth Of July Tomato Planting Date

As another example, if you planted a Fourth of July tomato plant on May 31, then it will take 30 days in June and 19 days in July to mature by July 19.  Of course, if you really want tomatoes on July 4, you will need to plant two weeks earlier, on May 16 or earlier.

A Few More Words On Tomato Plant Start Dates

Remember that time to maturity varies depending on climate conditions.  It will also be longer if you are starting seeds instead of seedlings or established plants.

If you want to get an earlier start and avoid late spring frosts, you should start your seeds indoors in March or April, and transplant them outdoors in late April or early May.

Start tomato seedlings indoors in late winter or early spring, about 8 weeks before your transplant them outdoors.

You can also use the Old Farmer’s Almanac to check last spring frost dates by zip code.

Remember that tomatoes will not grow below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, so it is pointless to plant them outside before temperatures warm up.  In fact, you may even kill the plants with a late spring frost!

When you do put your tomato plants outside, make sure to protect them from the cold and let them get accustomed to the temperatures.

How To Protect Tomato Plants From Cold

There are a few ways you can protect your tomato plants from cold.  We already mentioned starting them early indoors.

You can also grow them in a greenhouse, or use row covers when temperatures get cold.

Growing Tomatoes In A Greenhouse

If your greenhouse is warm enough, you can start seeds in March or April. Then, you can transplant them to the soil outdoors in May.

The temperature inside a greenhouse can be warmer than the outside air temperature by 10 degrees or more. Of course, the difference will depend on how well-sealed and insulated it is.

A greenhouse can let you start tomato plants outside earlier, and protect them from early fall frost.

Just be sure to open the door or allow ventilation on a hot day with lots of sun. Otherwise, your plants will get too hot.

Also, remember to transplant them outside once they start flowering, to allow for pollination by bees. (Yes, tomato plants are self pollinating, but this does not mean guaranteed pollination – bees can really help them along!)

Using Row Covers To Protect Tomatoes From Cold

You can use row covers to protect against late spring or early fall frosts.  A row cover is made of fabric that protects plants from cold (and insects), but also allows sunlight through.

Row covers keeps tomato plants warmer in the cold, possibly keeping them alive on a frosty night.

Agribon is one brand of row cover with varying grades of protection.  For example, Agribon AG-70 can protect plants down to 24 degrees Fahrenheit.

For more detailed information on cold protection, check out my article on protecting tomato plants from frost.

What Happens If Tomatoes Are Planted Too Late?

If you plant your tomatoes too late, you may encounter problems due to heat in the summer or problems with cold in the fall.

Problems With Heat In The Summer

The first and most obvious problem you will encounter when planting too late in the summer is the heat.  Tomato plants may delay flowering if temperatures are too high.

Higher temperatures and brighter sunlight also lead to soil that dries out faster.  Remember that that young tomato plants are not yet established with strong roots. 

As a result, they cannot withstand prolonged drought. This means that you will need to work hard to stay on top of keeping them watered.  (This can be a big chore in a large garden during a dry summer!)

Another less obvious problem with planting too late is summer humidity.  When humidity is too high, tomato plants can fail to pollinate properly (the pollen sticks to the male part of the flower and is not released onto the female part).

Tomato flowers may have trouble with pollination if it is too humid.

Even if you manage to navigate watering and pollination, you may also encounter problems with pests.  Younger tomato plants will not be as resistant to pests as more established plants.

In fact, a few pests could damage your plant and quickly spread to others in your garden. For example, aphids can multiply fast – learn how to get rid of them in my article here.

Problems With Cold In The Fall

Even if you manage to contend with summer heat and humidity, you still need to worry about frost hurting your tomato plants in the fall.

Tomatoes will not grow in temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and a frost will damage or kill them.  Even prolonged exposure to temperatures in the low 50’s Fahrenheit can be a problem.

Harvest your tomatoes before frost, or else they fruit will get damaged and the plants will succumb to the cold.

As mentioned earlier, consider using row covers to protect them from an early fall frost and to keep them growing when it gets cooler.

You can learn more about the coldest temperatures tomato plants can tolerate in my article here.

Conclusion

Now you have a better idea of when to plant your tomatoes – and when it might be too late to do so.  If you waited too long to plant outdoors, you still might be able to grow some tomatoes indoors in a pot or container on a windowsill.

I hope this article was helpful – if so, please share it with someone who can use the information.

If you want to read some of my most popular posts, check out the “Best of GreenUpSide” page here.  Enjoy!

~Jonathon

Tips for Late Tomato Planting in Hot Summer Areas

Want to plant tomatoes in June or July shortly before the full heat of summer arrives but not sure it’s a good idea? This article gives tips and advice for succeeding with late tomato planting in hot-summer, mild-winter California areas, particularly in these GardenZeus zones:
– California Climate Zone 12: Southern Inland, More Extreme
– California Climate Zone 13: Southern Inland, Less Extreme
See customized advice and information for growing tomatoes in your Southern California zipcode

The same tips and methods can be applied to late tomato planting in many hot-summer areas.

Don’t know your GardenZeus California Climate Zone? Enter your zipcode at GardenZeus.com.

It is possible to plant and grow summer and autumn tomatoes in June or July in hot-summer California areas, particularly during cool years or if you are able to time planting and establishment during a cool period. Late planting of tomatoes in hot-summer areas is recommended for experienced and skilled gardeners who have developed fertile, living garden soil over time, and with the understanding that intense heatwaves and even normal hot-summer weather may cause great difficulty with establishing and growing tomatoes.

Before planting June tomatoes, consider that in mild-winter areas, including the two GardenZeus zones above, by June you are only a couple of months away from the prime autumn planting window for tomatoes. The prudent choice is to wait until about mid-August to start seeds of cool-season tomato varieties indoors or in a cool, protected, well-lit area for planting outdoors 4-to-8-weeks later, but this means not harvesting homegrown tomatoes until autumn at the soonest.

If you’re so set on having homegrown summer tomatoes that you’re willing to put in time and effort even with a risk of low yields or no harvest, this may be an indication that you are what GardenZeus expert Darren Butler terms a “tomatofiend,” meaning someone who has a strong emotional, psychological, horticultural, culinary, unexplainable, and perhaps clinical need to grow garden tomatoes, and/or someone who may not bother with much gardening or landscaping other than growing tomatoes.

For all of the tomatofiends and other bold gardeners in California’s hot-summer areas who are reading these words, here are my tips for late tomato planting:

– Plan to spend extra time and give extra attention to your tomatoes. Your best chance for a good harvest will require checking on the tomato plants at least once per day, especially during hot weather and while they are young and establishing.

– Try to time planting during a cool period, when weather is forecast to be in the 80s or cooler for several days or longer.

– Start with transplants. Tomatoes are more tolerant of being rootbound than most other vegetables, and often perform reasonably well even when transplants are, shall we say, long in the root. For summer planting, you’re in a tomatofiends-can’t-be-choosers kind of situation. Go with the healthiest, strongest transplants that you can find and don’t look back. See The GardenZeus Guide to Buying Vegetable Seedlings

– Plant only heat-tolerant varieties, especially vigorous hybrids, early varieties, and parthenocarpic varieties such as Oregon Spring that will set fruit during hot weather. Cherry tomatoes often outperform other types in challenging environmental conditions. This is the time to make friends with vigorous, heat-tolerant, hybrid cherry-tomato seedlings if you can find them. Consider trying a determinate early hybrid tomato if you can find seedlings, which will produce a larger harvest all at once and save you’re the perpetual grind of tomato-care and plant/person stress during hot weather in September and October. Try a vigorous heat-tolerant heirloom or two only if you’re feeling especially attentive and brave.

– Plan carefully for sun and shade. If possible, plant tomatoes in areas that will receive sun from early morning to early afternoon and be shaded thereafter. If starting late with tomatoes, you will need to provide shade on hot summer days to maximize yield. See GardenZeus Tips for Shading Vegetables During Hot Weather

– Consider growing tomatoes in large containers on wheeled carts or wheeled plant stands so you can move them out into full sun on cooler days and keep them shaded or in cool areas during heatwaves. Container tomatoes will need extra water and attention during hot weather. See Growing Tomatoes in Containers: 5 Steps for Success and GardenZeus Tips for Container Vegetable Gardening.

– Plant tomatoes into rich, deep, fertile, and living soil; or use raised beds and large  containers filled with fertile topsoil, washed sand, compost, and organic amendments. Chances are low for a good yield when planting tomatoes into previously uncultivated soils especially infertile sandy soils or heavy clay soils.

– Mulch well, maintain even soil moisture, and see our customized tomato-growing information for your zipcode for more tips and helpful information:
See customized advice and information for growing tomatoes in your Southern California zipcode

 

GardenZeus Calfornia climate zones
Enter your California zip code for customized advice by plant

favorable planting days according to the lunar calendar

Almost all summer residents grow tomatoes - this is perhaps the most popular vegetable. And it is necessary to prepare for sowing already now. Komsomolskaya Pravda tells when to plant tomatoes in 2022 according to the lunar calendar

How to determine the planting dates in your region

This is one of the main subjects of controversy among summer residents. Some begin to sow seeds for seedlings in late February - early March. Others are waiting for the end of March. But how is it right?

It all depends on where the tomatoes will grow next. If in a greenhouse, seeds should be sown in mid-March. If in the open field - at the end of March or even the beginning of April. You can navigate by the timing of planting: by this time, the seedlings should be 50 - 60 days old.

Auspicious days for sowing tomato seeds for seedlings according to the lunar calendar: 4 - 7, 11 - 17 March, 1, 8 - 9 April.

What to grow seedlings in

Tomatoes are not afraid of transplanting, moreover, it only benefits them, so you can grow tomato seedlings both in boxes (1) and in cups.

Drawers can save space on the windowsill by holding more plants. But this is not for long - then the tomato seedlings will still have to be picked out in separate cups.

Seedlings in cups take up more space on the windowsill, but in this case, you don't need to dive - you will save time on laborious work.

What kind of soil to use for growing seedlings

The best option is a mixture of peat and humus in a ratio of 2:1.

It is useful to add a liter can of sand to a bucket of such soil. And fertilizers: 2 tbsp. spoons of double superphosphate, 1.5 tbsp. spoons of urea, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of potassium sulfate and 1 cup of ash.

Seeds are sown to a depth of 1-2 cm.

Is it necessary to dive tomato seedlings

Photo: pixabay.com

Summer residents also have a lot of disputes about this, but the meaning is very simple. If you pinch the central root of a tomato, it begins to actively grow lateral roots, the bush forms a powerful root system that can absorb more nutrients. And the better the food, the higher the yield.

- Tomatoes dive when the seedlings have the first pair of true leaves, - says agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mikhailova. - Plants are dug out of a box or taken out of a cup, the earth is carefully removed at the bottom of the clod so that the main root is exposed. It is cut by a third. After that, the tomatoes are planted in separate cups (if they grew in a box) or in larger cups.

This is quite laborious work, so if the tomatoes were originally sown in cups, you can do without picking. What about root pinching? You can not do this. But when planting in the ground, deepen the seedlings of tomatoes along the cotyledon leaves - then additional roots form on the shoot.

If the seedlings are in a box, they can also not dive into cups in order to save space on the windowsill. And so that the tomatoes do not outgrow much and form more roots, they need to cut the roots.

Root pruning is carried out with an ordinary knife: the soil in the box is cut lengthwise and across, as if it were a pie. In this case, the seedlings should be in the center of each "piece". During the growth of seedlings, it is useful to do 2 - 3 such operations. The first - when the seedlings form a second true leaf, and the last - 4 - 8 days before planting in open ground. - The cut lateral roots give new smallest branches. As a result, the area of ​​​​contact of the roots with the soil increases significantly. This means that the tomato will receive even more nutrients, - explains agronomist Svetlana Mikhailova.

Auspicious days for picking tomato seedlings according to the lunar calendar: March 26 - 26, April 5 - 7, April 10 - 15.

Tips for caring for tomato seedlings

There are several problems that arise when growing tomato seedlings. Let's take a look at them in detail.

Why seedlings stretch and how to fix it

There are two reasons for this:

1. Not enough light. On the southern and eastern windows, tomato seedlings usually have enough light, but on the northern and western windows they need illumination - special fitolamps that are sold in garden centers are suitable. It is necessary to highlight tomato seedlings 12 hours a day, for example, from 8.00 to 20.00. The lack of light leads to the fact that the seedlings are stretched, grow weak, flowering and fruiting are delayed (2).

2. Too hot. The optimum temperature for tomato seedlings is 18 - 19 °C. If the apartment is warmer, and usually it happens, the seedlings will quickly outgrow. There is only one way out - to ventilate the premises.

However, there is one more trick - violently growing seedlings can be "pacified" with superphosphate (2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water). Water every 2 weeks.

What to do if there is no space for seedlings on the windowsill

Photo: pixabay.com/

Few people know, but tomatoes can be grown without seedlings - sow seeds immediately in open ground or in a greenhouse. But not all tomatoes are suitable for this. Without seedlings, only early varieties can be grown. They are sown at the end of April, after the 20th. And better on warm beds. If there are none, then a few days before sowing, the soil should be covered with any black material so that they warm up.

- In open ground, tomatoes are sown in holes in several pieces. And when the seedlings have 1 - 2 true leaves, they are seated in a permanent place, - recommends agronomist Svetlana Mikhailova.

Crops must be covered with non-woven fabric - otherwise frost will kill them.

Harvest with this method ripens a couple of weeks later. But the plants themselves are more resistant and get sick less, because from a young age they grow in harsh conditions.

Favorable days for planting seedlings at home or in a greenhouse

Tomato seedlings can be planted in greenhouses from mid-April - they are less demanding on heat than peppers and eggplants. But provided that the soil is already well warmed up.

You can speed up the warming up of the soil - pour it with hot water and cover it with a black film - in a week it will be ready for planting tomatoes.

Auspicious days for planting tomato seedlings in a greenhouse according to the lunar calendar: April 25 - 26, May 1 - 15, May 31.

Favorable days for planting seedlings in open ground

Tomato seedlings are planted in open ground from the beginning of May - under a film or non-woven fabric.

Without shelter, tomato seedlings can be planted in the garden when the danger of frost has passed - after June 10th. But it is still better to plant it on May 20 - 25, but in this case you need to make sure that when the temperature drops in the evening, cover the seedlings for the night from possible frost. Plants planted at the end of May yield 30-40% more than those planted at the beginning of June (3).

Favorable days for planting tomato seedlings in open ground according to the lunar calendar: May 1-15, May 31, June 1-12.

Popular questions and answers

Tomatoes are a popular crop, a lot has been written about it, but summer residents always have additional questions. Let's take a look at some of them.

Can I grow tomatoes from my own seeds?

Yes, you can. Tomatoes are self-pollinating plants, by themselves they do not interbreed with their neighbors, so the varieties retain all the characteristics of their parents. But only varieties - F1 hybrids do not retain their characteristics, they can only be grown from their purchased seeds.

Is it possible to sow tomatoes before winter?

Yes, there is such a technology. In this case, they are sown in open ground in October, immediately after the first frost hits. But not seeds are sown, but whole fruits. At the same time, they need to be planted to such a depth that there is 10 cm from the top of the fruit to the soil surface. For winter, such crops are mulched with dry leaves with a layer of 10–15 cm.

Is it possible to sow tomatoes for seedlings earlier, for example, in February?

Tomatoes grow very quickly, and modern varieties give a harvest quite early, so it makes no sense to sow seeds before the end of March - the seedlings will simply outgrow, stretch out, it will be difficult to transport them to the site, it is problematic to plant, and they get sick longer after transplanting into open ground.

Sources

  1. Ilyin O.V. and a group of authors. Vegetable grower's guide // M.: Rosselkhokhizdat, 1979 - 224 p.
  2. Group of authors ed. Polyanskoy A.M. and Chulkova E.I. Tips for gardeners // Minsk, Harvest, 1970 - 208 p.
  3. Gavrish S.F. Tomatoes // M.: NIIOZG, publishing house "Scriptorium 2000", 2003 - 184 p.

when to plant seedlings of vegetables and flowers in the ground

In the first month of summer, "vacation" begins for gardeners and gardeners. By this time, all crops have been planted in the beds, perennials have been transplanted, pruning and processing of the garden has been completed. It remains only to feed the plants and fight weeds. This does not apply only to summer residents of the Urals, Siberia and other regions where frosts occur in May and even at the beginning of summer. In open ground, cucumbers and tomatoes, peppers and cabbage have to be planted in June. Gardeners will need the lunar planting calendar of 2022 to find out the favorable days for planting seedlings.

Folk omens: lilac buds have blossomed - it's time to plant pumpkin, squash and cabbage, wild rose has begun to bloom - you can plant tomatoes, eggplants and peppers.

Content of Article