When to plant tomatoes in the US
Outdoors, tomatoes go in from around March 2 in Phoenix to June 9 in Denver.
- Type
- Tender No frost, likes warmth
- First harvest
- About 110 days from sowing in the UK
- Spacing
- 18 in between plants
- In pots
- Yes in a big enough pot
- Tender. Tomato goes outdoors only once the last frost has passed and the soil has warmed.
- Start under cover. In a greenhouse or polytunnel it can go in about four weeks earlier than outdoors.
- Two goes in warm places. Where summers are long, there’s a second window later in the year as well as the spring one.
Town by town
24 towns from north to south. Dates move later the further you go from the equator and the higher up. Tap a town for its full calendar.
Sow outdoorsSow under cover (indoors, a greenhouse or a cold frame)
| TownTown, north to south | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SeattleFrom May 14Outdoors May 14 to Jun 8 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow outdoors and under cover | July: Not this month | August: Not this month | September: Not this month | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| PortlandFrom May 8Outdoors May 8 to Jun 2 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Not this month | August: Not this month | September: Not this month | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| MilwaukeeFrom May 22Outdoors May 22 to Jun 16 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow outdoors and under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Not this month | September: Not this month | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| BostonFrom May 11Outdoors May 11 to Jun 5 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Not this month | August: Not this month | September: Not this month | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| DetroitFrom May 19 and Jul 26Outdoors May 19 to Jun 13, and Jul 26 to Aug 4 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow outdoors and under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow under cover | September: Not this month | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| ChicagoFrom May 20 and Jul 28Outdoors May 20 to Jun 14, and Jul 28 to Aug 8 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow outdoors and under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Not this month | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| New York CityFrom May 5 and Jul 28Outdoors May 5 to May 30, and Jul 28 to Aug 12 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| Columbus, OhioFrom May 18 and Jul 27Outdoors May 18 to Jun 12, and Jul 27 to Aug 9 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow outdoors and under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Not this month | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| PhiladelphiaFrom May 4 and Jul 28Outdoors May 4 to May 29, and Jul 28 to Aug 17 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| IndianapolisFrom May 16 and Jul 27Outdoors May 16 to Jun 10, and Jul 27 to Aug 12 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow outdoors and under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| DenverFrom Jun 9Outdoors Jun 9 to Jul 4 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Not this month | May: Sow under cover | June: Sow outdoors and under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Not this month | September: Not this month | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| BaltimoreFrom Apr 30 and Jul 27Outdoors Apr 30 to May 25, and Jul 27 to Aug 19 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| WashingtonFrom Apr 30 and Jul 27Outdoors Apr 30 to May 25, and Jul 27 to Aug 21 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| LouisvilleFrom May 3 and Jul 28Outdoors May 3 to May 28, and Jul 28 to Aug 21 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| Las VegasFrom Mar 13 and Aug 16Outdoors Mar 13 to Apr 7, and Aug 16 to Sep 21 | January: Not this month | February: Sow under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow outdoors and under cover | May: Not this month | June: Not this month | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow under cover | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| NashvilleFrom Apr 25 and Jul 28Outdoors Apr 25 to May 20, and Jul 28 to Aug 28 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| Oklahoma CityFrom Apr 19 and Jul 30Outdoors Apr 19 to May 14, and Jul 30 to Sep 3 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Sow under cover | April: Sow outdoors and under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| CharlotteFrom Apr 19 and Jul 26Outdoors Apr 19 to May 14, and Jul 26 to Aug 28 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Sow under cover | April: Sow outdoors and under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| AlbuquerqueFrom May 6 and Jul 25Outdoors May 6 to May 31, and Jul 25 to Aug 21 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow outdoors and under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| Los AngelesFrom Apr 4 and Aug 14Outdoors Apr 4 to May 7, and Aug 14 to Oct 11 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Sow under cover | April: Sow outdoors and under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Not this month | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow under cover | December: Not this month |
| AtlantaFrom Apr 18 and Jul 28Outdoors Apr 18 to May 13, and Jul 28 to Aug 30 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Sow under cover | April: Sow outdoors and under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| PhoenixFrom Mar 2 and Aug 28Outdoors Mar 2 to Mar 27, and Aug 28 to Nov 25 | January: Not this month | February: Sow under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow under cover | May: Not this month | June: Not this month | July: Not this month | August: Sow under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow outdoors and under cover | December: Sow under cover |
| JacksonvilleFrom Mar 9 and Jul 31Outdoors Mar 9 to Apr 3, and Jul 31 to Nov 29 | January: Not this month | February: Sow under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow under cover | May: Not this month | June: Not this month | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow outdoors and under cover | December: Sow under cover |
| HoustonFrom Mar 18 and Jul 31Outdoors Mar 18 to Apr 12, and Jul 31 to Sep 24 | January: Not this month | February: Sow under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow outdoors and under cover | May: Sow under cover | June: Not this month | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow under cover | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
Don’t see your town? Find it by name or postcode.
Tomatoes in other countries
When to plant other crops in the US
Fruiting
Roots
Leaves
Beans and peas
Onion family
Brassicas
Herbs
Fruit
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Get these dates as reminders
Bia turns this calendar into a nudge when it’s time to sow, plant out and harvest, for your backyard or community garden plot wherever you are in the US. Free for 2 months.
App StoreComing soonHow these dates are worked out: climate records for each town (ERA5-Land, 1995 to 2024), its frost dates and its height above sea level turn a seed-packet date into a local one. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information; towns from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). How sowing dates work