When to plant tomato
Tomato is a tender, warm-season fruit that matures in about 60–80 days from transplanting. Start seeds indoors about 6–8 weeks before your last spring frost, then set out transplants about 1–2 weeks after the last frost. Because the right calendar date depends on your local frost dates, pick your ZIP or city on the home planner to see exact tomato planting windows for your location; the per-location pages list them city by city. Windows are extension-guide planning ranges, not guarantees.
Tomato at a glance
| Category | warm-season fruit |
|---|---|
| Frost tolerance | Tender |
| Start indoors | 6–8 weeks before last frost |
| Plant out | Transplant out 1–2 wk after last frost |
| Days to maturity | 60–80 days (from transplant) |
| Min. soil temp | 60°F |
| Second (fall) crop | Not typically |
Data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (public domain) and USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Planting windows synthesized from U.S. Cooperative Extension guides.
Tomato planting windows by city
The exact dates depend on each location's average frost calendar. Here is tomato across 40 locations spanning the climate range — open one for its full printable calendar, or find your own dates with the ZIP planner.
| Location | Zone | Start indoors | Plant out | First harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adak, AK | 8b | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | Jun 7 – Jun 14 | Aug 6 – Aug 26 |
| Fort Payne, AL | 7b | Feb 1 – Feb 15 | Apr 5 – Apr 12 | Jun 4 – Jun 24 |
| Saratoga, AR | 8b | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Apr 2 – Apr 9 | Jun 1 – Jun 21 |
| Top-of-the-World, AZ | 8a | Jan 1 – Jan 13 | Mar 3 – Mar 10 | May 2 – May 22 |
| Half Moon Bay, CA | 10a | Jan 1 | Feb 13 – Feb 20 | Apr 14 – May 4 |
| Rohnert Park, CA | 9a | Jan 3 – Jan 17 | Mar 7 – Mar 14 | May 6 – May 26 |
| Ellicott, CO | 6a | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | May 13 – May 20 | Jul 12 – Aug 1 |
| Millsboro, DE | 7b | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | Apr 11 – Apr 18 | Jun 10 – Jun 30 |
| Yankeetown, FL | 9b | Jan 3 – Jan 17 | Mar 7 – Mar 14 | May 6 – May 26 |
| Volcano, HI | 11a | — | year-round | — |
| Boise, ID | 7a | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | May 1 – May 8 | Jun 30 – Jul 20 |
| Effingham, IL | 6b | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 20 – Apr 27 | Jun 19 – Jul 9 |
| Indianapolis, IN | 6a | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 28 – May 5 | Jun 27 – Jul 17 |
| Minneapolis, KS | 6b | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 27 – May 4 | Jun 26 – Jul 16 |
| Bayou Blue, LA | 9b | Jan 1 | Feb 12 – Feb 19 | Apr 13 – May 3 |
| Glen Burnie, MD | 8a | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Apr 17 – Apr 24 | Jun 16 – Jul 6 |
| Elk Rapids, MI | 6a | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | May 7 – May 14 | Jul 6 – Jul 26 |
| Dawson, MN | 4b | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | May 10 – May 17 | Jul 9 – Jul 29 |
| Cayuga, OK | 7a | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 22 – Apr 29 | Jun 21 – Jul 11 |
| Cleveland, MS | 8b | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Mar 21 – Mar 28 | May 20 – Jun 9 |
| Island Park, ID | 4a | Apr 20 – May 4 | Jun 22 – Jun 29 | Aug 21 – Sep 10 |
| Hickory, NC | 8a | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Apr 7 – Apr 14 | Jun 6 – Jun 26 |
| Litchville, ND | 4a | Mar 15 – Mar 29 | May 17 – May 24 | Jul 16 – Aug 5 |
| Plainview, NE | 5b | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | May 7 – May 14 | Jul 6 – Jul 26 |
| Capulin, NM | 5b | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | May 24 – May 31 | Jul 23 – Aug 12 |
| Gabbs, NV | 6b | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | May 8 – May 15 | Jul 7 – Jul 27 |
| Madrid, NY | 4b | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | May 6 – May 13 | Jul 5 – Jul 25 |
| London, OH | 6a | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | May 1 – May 8 | Jun 30 – Jul 20 |
| Perkins, OK | 7b | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Apr 10 – Apr 17 | Jun 9 – Jun 29 |
| Shedd, OR | 8b | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Mar 21 – Mar 28 | May 20 – Jun 9 |
| Seltzer, PA | 6a | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 23 – Apr 30 | Jun 22 – Jul 12 |
| Custer, SD | 5a | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | May 30 – Jun 6 | Jul 29 – Aug 18 |
| Lynchburg, TN | 7b | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Apr 14 – Apr 21 | Jun 13 – Jul 3 |
| Early, TX | 8a | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Mar 29 – Apr 5 | May 28 – Jun 17 |
| Ozona, TX | 8a | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Apr 3 – Apr 10 | Jun 2 – Jun 22 |
| Fillmore, UT | 6a | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | May 11 – May 18 | Jul 10 – Jul 30 |
| Hillsville, VA | 7a | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | May 2 – May 9 | Jul 1 – Jul 21 |
| Green Bluff, WA | 6b | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | May 29 – Jun 5 | Jul 28 – Aug 17 |
| Gordon, WI | 4a | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | May 29 – Jun 5 | Jul 28 – Aug 17 |
| Elk Garden, WV | 6b | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | May 7 – May 14 | Jul 6 – Jul 26 |
How to time tomato
Tomato is a tender warm-season fruit. Tender crops are damaged by any frost, so plant them out only after the danger of frost has passed. Start seeds indoors about 6–8 weeks before your last frost, then transplant out 1–2 wk after last frost. It matures in roughly 60–80 days from transplanting.
Find your own dates on the home planner, browse all crops, or read the methodology for the offsets and citations behind these windows.
Frequently asked questions
- Is tomato frost-tolerant?
- Tomato is a tender crop. Tender crops are damaged by any frost, so plant them out only after the danger of frost has passed.
- How long does tomato take to grow?
- About 60–80 days from transplanting to first harvest, depending on variety and weather. Days-to-maturity ranges are typical values from U.S. Cooperative Extension planting guides.
- When should I start tomato seeds indoors?
- Start seeds indoors roughly 6–8 weeks before your average last spring frost, then transplant out set out transplants about 1–2 weeks after the last frost. Look up your local last-frost date on the planner for exact calendar dates.