When to plant Tomatoes

The planting dates depend on your average frost dates. Enter a ZIP code to get yours, or read the USDA table below.

Earliest safe spring planting dates: tomatoes
Average last freezePlant
Jan 30Feb 1 – Apr 1
Feb 8Feb 20 – Apr 10
Feb 18Mar 1 – Apr 20
Feb 28Mar 10 – May 1
Mar 10Mar 20 – May 10
Mar 20Apr 1 – May 20
Mar 30Apr 10 – June 1
Apr 10Apr 20 – June 1
Apr 20May 5 – June 10
Apr 30May 10 – June 15
May 10May 15 – June 10
May 20May 25 – June 15
May 30June 5 – 20
June 10June 15 – 30
Latest safe fall planting dates: tomatoes
Average first freezePlant by
Aug 30June 20 – 30
Sept 10June 10 – 20
Sept 20June 1 – 20
Sept 30June 1 – 20
Oct 10June 1 – 20
Oct 20June 1 – July 1
Oct 30June 1 – July 1
Nov 10June 1 – July 15
Nov 20June 1 – Aug 1
Nov 30Aug 1 – Sept 1
Dec 10Aug 15 – Oct 1
Dec 20Sept 1 – Nov 1

Source: USDA Home and Garden Bulletin No. 9 (1967), “Suburban and Farm Vegetable Gardens,” tables 4 and 5. The bulletin scan.

Tomatoes by state