- Hardiness
- Grown as a yearly crop in every zone
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Average, about an inch a week
- Size
- 3 to 6 ft
- Days to harvest
- 60 to 85
- Start indoors
- 6 weeks before planting out
Growing tip. Plant deep: roots grow along the buried stem. Wait for nights above 50°F, and stake or cage at planting time.
When to plant tomato by zone
| Zone | Median last / first frost | When to plant |
|---|---|---|
| 3b | May 16 / Sep 25 | Plant outside: May 16 to Jun 27 Start seeds indoors: around Apr 4 |
| 4a | May 12 / Sep 28 | Plant outside: May 12 to Jun 23 Start seeds indoors: around Mar 31 |
| 4b | May 8 / Oct 1 | Plant outside: May 8 to Jun 19 Start seeds indoors: around Mar 27 |
| 5a | May 3 / Oct 5 | Plant outside: May 3 to Jun 14 Start seeds indoors: around Mar 22 |
| 5b | May 1 / Oct 10 | Plant outside: May 1 to Jun 12 Start seeds indoors: around Mar 20 |
| 6a | Apr 29 / Oct 16 | Plant outside: Apr 29 to Jun 10 Start seeds indoors: around Mar 18 |
| 6b | Apr 22 / Oct 22 | Plant outside: Apr 22 to Jun 3 Start seeds indoors: around Mar 11 |
| 7a | Apr 16 / Oct 25 | Plant outside: Apr 16 to May 28 Start seeds indoors: around Mar 5 |
| 7b | Apr 5 / Nov 1 | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 17 Start seeds indoors: around Feb 22 |
| 8a | Mar 29 / Nov 7 | Plant outside: Mar 29 to May 10 Start seeds indoors: around Feb 15 |
| 8b | Mar 16 / Nov 14 | Plant outside: Mar 16 to Apr 27 Start seeds indoors: around Feb 2 |
| 9a | Mar 2 / Nov 26 | Plant outside: Mar 2 to Apr 13 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 19 |
| 9b | Feb 1 / Dec 9 | Plant outside: Feb 1 to Mar 15 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 1 |
Zones 10 and warmer have little or no frost. There, plant cool-season plants in fall and warm-season plants from late winter.
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Frequently asked questions
What zone does tomato grow in?
Tomato is grown fresh each year, so it fits every zone. What changes is when you plant. Find your zone by ZIP code.
How much sun does tomato need?
Full sun. Full sun means at least six hours of direct sun a day; part shade means about three to six.
Hardiness ranges, light and size are typical figures from university extension services and botanic garden plant records; a named variety can differ, so check its tag. Planting dates come from each zone's median frost dates (NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals) and the timing rules in how we check.