Tomatoes Planting Calendar
Tomato growing calendar from seed starting to final harvest for commercial and market gardens.
USDA zones: Zones 4-10
Month-by-month tomatoes schedule
- January — Variety Selection: Choose varieties for your market: fresh, processing, or cherry
- February — Seed Starting: Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before transplant date
- March — Transplant Prep: Harden off seedlings, prepare beds with compost
- April — Transplanting: Transplant after last frost, plant deep for root development
- May — Establishment: Stake or cage plants, apply mulch, begin irrigation
- June — Vegetative Growth: Prune suckers, side-dress with calcium nitrate
- July — Fruiting: Maintain consistent watering, scout for hornworms and blight
- August — Peak Harvest: Harvest daily at breaker stage for market, manage disease
- September — Late Harvest: Continue harvest, remove diseased foliage
- October — Season End: Final harvest before frost, clear plants
- November — Cleanup: Remove all plant debris, cover crop the beds
- December — Off-season: Review variety performance, order seeds for next year
Tips for growing tomatoes
- Consistent watering prevents blossom end rot more than calcium supplements
- Remove lower leaves as the plant grows to prevent soil-splash diseases
- Determinate varieties are better for processing; indeterminate for fresh market
- Rotate tomatoes with non-nightshade crops to break disease cycles