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If you are thinking of harvesting many red, ripe and juicy tomatoes, the very first thing you must do is ensure you know when to plant them. This is a determining factor that will either give you a chance at success, or make you fail miserably right away. Read on to learn when to plant tomatoes to be able to make your dream come true!
Tomatoes originated in the warm climates of South America, and are therefore not very resistant to cold climates. In tropical or warmer regions, the tomato plant is a perennial plant. In colder areas of the world, it is cultivated as an annual plant. Knowing when to plant tomatoes will be easier if you remember the information provided above.
Tomato plants will not withstand cold or excessively humid surroundings. Planting should be done in the spring and summer, once all danger of frost has passed. A cold, rainy spell could ruin your chances altogether, so be careful to avoid that. Think carefully about when to plant tomatoes to maximize your chances of success.
If the area where you live is too cold, there is always the option of starting your plants in a greenhouse or even indoors, and to take them outside and transplant them in milder weather. This option is also valid if you would like to have early tomatoes. The key here is to know when to plant them indoors. The timing should be about four or five weeks before the last expected frost. Thus, you would be able to transplant five-week-old plants. Whether you plant the seeds in a greenhouse or indoors, you will need to take the following rules into account:
• Water carefully: When planted in containers, whether in a greenhouse or indoors, plants will lose water more quickly due to faster evaporation. Pay special attention to the seedlings' water needs, but be careful not to overwater.
• Control pests: It is easier for plants to get infested when not planted in the soil. Check for signs regularly and, in case of trouble, act quickly.
• Harden plants: When the weather is warmer, you will need to transplant your tomato plants into the soil. You cannot do this from one day to the next, however. The plants are used to certain conditions inside the greenhouse, and to change those conditions drastically is to cause stress to the plant. You need to take the plants out into the yard for a few hours the first days, and taking them back in for the night. After two days of this, and if the weather is not too cold, you can take them out and leave them a couple of days. Only then should you proceed to planting them.
As you can see, a cold climate is not a deterrent for deciding when to plant tomatoes. If you plant outdoors, wait for frosts to end; if not, plant indoors or in a greenhouse. Follow this advice to beat the cold and get great tomatoes!
Remember not to plant them too early in the spring or a late frost could wreak havoc among your plants.
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Author Bio Box: Patricia Wainwright
Get all the facts about Gardening for Beginners and organic gardening at GreenThumbArticles.com!
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