Tomatoes (Solanum Lycopersicum) are a garden annual that produce more fruit when soil and air temperatures stay within a specific range. It means the best time to grow tomatoes in Virginia is in a spring window that takes full advantage of the crop’s temperature.
As a result, the most significant opportunity to place tomato transplants – that is, plant them out – in Virginia is early spring. It ensures that the plants bear fruit – hopefully a significant number of them – before the summer heat sets in. Let’s look at when to plant tomatoes in Virginia. We’ll also give you some planting tips!
Conquer the Heat
Tomatoes do best once the weather warms up to moderately hot. However, too hot temperatures have an inverse result and hinder production– tomato crops will yield so little to almost nothing.
If the daytime temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit and the nighttime temperature is above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the tomatoes are likely to produce little or no fruit. As a result, the best time to plant tomato transplants in the Virginia garden is just as soon as possible, so the plants have enough time to make a sufficient crop before the summer’s hottest months. During which the high temperatures are detrimental to fruit production.
On the other hand, tomato plants are frost susceptible, and you must plant them after the last frost during spring. In Virginia, the scope of pretty standard tomato planting time begins on the later anticipated frost date and stretches for the next seven weeks. It’s a timeline that has the harvest time starting around mid-June in the hottest regions. state
Last Frost Dates
Tomato plants are frost-sensitive. It means you won’t be able to plant the transplants until after the last spring frost. Don’t do it if you want to safeguard the plants from frost.
The Tidewater area in Eastern Virginia seems to have the first frost-free dates in that state, with the last spring frost dates ranging from April 10 to April 21 on average. The Piedmont area of Central Virginia follows, with an average last frost date of April 20 to April 30. The Mountain area in the west has the earliest frost-free dates; the average last frost date in the region is somewhere between May 10 to May 15.
When to plant tomatoes in Virginia: Planting Dates
Tomato planting periods in Virginia generally range from the last frost date to the end of the next 7-8 weeks, which is a lot more generous than somewhere like Pennsylvania. It implies that those who plant right after the last frost date will be able to gather in the middle of June.
Given the dates mentioned above, the Tidewater region’s acceptable planting dates range from April 10 to May 30. The scope is between April 20 and June 9 in Piedmont and between May 10 and June in the Mountain region.
Planting slightly earlier within those ranges gives the tomato crops the best probability of producing a good yield just before the midsummer heat; however, it also puts transplants at risk of a late frost when the season starts.
It would help if you planted as soon as possible on these dates for the reasons mentioned above. You’ll have a much better chance of enjoying a plentiful supply of tomatoes this way. Keep in mind that the sooner you start planting outside, the more likely frost will be an adversary of your crops.
During planting season, it’s recommended to bury two-thirds of a stem when planting to establish a good tomato plant. It’s a crucial step that allows the tomato plant to blossom roots along the underground stem, making it stronger and more capable of finding water in a dry spell. Please keep in mind that this method works with tomatoes, tomatillos, and not other vegetables. Remember to water seedlings right after sowing to help them settle in.
It’ll be possible to introduce more fertilizer when the plants start to set a bunch of green fruit. For this implementation, use a nitrogen-rich fertilizer. You should fertilize the plant again after two weeks once the tomatoes ripen. Here, use a higher phosphorous fertilizer content to encourage fruit yield. Then, proceed every month until the fall.
Take away
The savory sweetness of a fresh tomato is among the most pleasurable summer experiences. Tomatoes can be grown in your community or home garden with little effort. The guide is already on the correct dates to start your tomato planting journey in Virginia.
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