The ideal planting time for tomatoes

Tomatoes can be grown both in open ground and on the balcony or in the greenhouse. This not only results in subtle differences in care, but also in the planting time. Because depending on the location, the tomato plants are exposed to different conditions, which are directly related to the planting time.

Planting time outdoors

In the field, tomato plants are always exposed to the weather, which could damage the sensitive young plants in particular. Because temperatures that are too low and night frosts in particular pose a danger to the plantlets. In order to keep the risk as low as possible, outdoor tomatoes are therefore only planted after the ice saints. The earliest date is therefore the 20th. May, because at this time the probability of late frost is much lower. However, this is only a guide value, because the optimal time for planting outdoor tomatoes depends on other factors:

• Temperature permanently above 13 degrees
• Soil temperature between 13-15 degrees
• if necessary, protect the tomato plants from frost
• for example with a garden fleece

Planting time on the balcony

A balcony can certainly offer protection from wind and rain, but balcony tomatoes are usually exposed to the same weather as outdoors. Accordingly, the same requirements should be met for planting on the balcony as in the vegetable patch:

• Planting after the ice saints
• Protect tomatoes from frost
• Provide pots with thermal insulation, for example
• or take it to the warm indoor area if necessary

Planting time in the greenhouse

A greenhouse not only provides tomato plants with shelter from the elements, but also a controlled environment. This makes it possible to plant the tomatoes much earlier than outdoors. You don't have to wait for the ice saints, because planting in the greenhouse is possible from mid/end of April. It is important that the tomatoes have been sown and grown indoors beforehand. So that the young plants then feel comfortable in the greenhouse, the following conditions should prevail there:

• Daily temperatures between 18-20 degrees
• Night temperature about 16 degrees
• if it is significantly colder at night, heating is required
• alternatively, grave lights can be set up
• Soil temperature between 13-15 degrees

Recognize the optimal planting time for tomatoes

As a rule, tomatoes are sown on the windowsill and pricked out and hardened from the end of April to the end of May. The young plants are then placed in the vegetable patch or in the greenhouse. Since moving the plants is quite stressful for them, they should be as robust as possible at this point. Ideally, the young plants will have the following characteristics at the time of planting:

• 2-3 flowers formed
• first visible flower cluster
• Greenhouse: plant is about 20-40 cm high
• Young plant is not or hardly yellowed

Is planting possible in July?

For many hobby gardeners, July is already the time for the tomato harvest, because a large number of tomato varieties bear fruit in July. However, tomatoes can not only be harvested in July, they can even be planted later. In a controllable environment, such as a greenhouse, the tomatoes can usually be planted in July without any problems. Outdoors, on the other hand, certain factors should be taken into account so that the tomatoes have enough time to ripen before the end of summer:

maturation period

The ripening period of tomatoes can last from 40 to 85 days. If the tomatoes are not planted until July, you should therefore choose tomato varieties with the shortest possible ripening period. This ensures that the fruits can ripen sufficiently by the end of summer. The following tomato varieties are characterized by a comparatively short ripening period:

• small varieties of tomatoes ripen faster than large varieties
• very early tomato varieties ripen in about 40-54 days
• for example Previa F1, Cookie F1 and Pepe F1
• early tomato varieties ripen in around 55-69 days
• for example: Agro F1, Aurora and Grappelina F1

Buy young plants

Many specialist retailers offer relatively robust and distinctive tomato plants in July, which are ideal for late planting. As a result, the plants usually no longer have to be hardened, so that they can be used directly in the vegetable patch. However, it should be noted that July is usually much warmer than the usual planting time. It is therefore advisable to also pay attention to the following when planting in July:

• do not use in the midday sun
• Protect plants from the sun if necessary
• for example with a parasol
• water sufficiently, soil must not dry out

Learn more about tomatoes