It’s Tomato Planting Time

It’s that time of year again. Yes, Spring is very early by all the indicators. Folks use to tell me it’s just a ‘False Spring’. Lately with all my efforts to get folks to pay attention to Mother Nature, and not rely on a calendar date, the term has hardened into a ‘Fools Spring’. But I’m not fooled or discouraged. Each year we strive to reduce the striking temp of our seeds to get growing sooner. If your soil temp is 15C or above its Tomato planting time.

Earliest Yet

It’s the earliest Spring in my memory. The soil temp in my garden is telling me it’s time to plant Tomato seedlings. 15C+, it’s never been ready in August before. And it’s not just in my garden. 

Reports are arriving from our growing Tribe, testing their soil temp to discover that it is indeed Tomato planting time. Some discovering they are almost ready for Pumpkins. With soil thermometer in hand, some gardeners have discovered that their garden microclimate is still in winter with soil temps of only 10C. It might be time to move those gardens. 

Garden Preps

I don’t have all my garden beds prepared so I’m up against it. There is never enough time in a day or enough hands. I’ve already planted out some Tomatoes in prepared beds, and this week the rest went into new beds. Some planted under Broccoli, some under Snowpeas and some out in the open.

Traditionalists have done their best to perpetuate the lore and setting fear into novice gardeners and those new to the region. But the times they are a changing and the word is getting out. 

You may be thinking it’s too early and where would I get a Tomato seedling at this time of year. Never fear, BST knew Spring was coming early, so our Tomato seedlings have been available at our stockists for the past few weeks and those in the know took full advantage of it. And now Greenhouse Tomatoes will start to fill shops, nurseries, and markets, so don’t be caught out, look for our wooden labels.

Fear No Frost

After growing in the highlands for long enough, I’m not worried about light frosts damaging my Tomatoes. Any frost now, will only be brief. Last year the seedlings took quite a few frosts after planting them out. This year there has been minimal frost to mention, so our little treasures haven’t really been tested.

If your Tomatoes seedlings are from a green house, and every offering on the commercial market is, your seedlings probably won’t like the cold nights or surprise frosts, they’ll need to be babied and hardened off by you, delaying planting. Our Unpredictable Highland Climate deals wild weather in most seasons, and recent years have been anything but normal. So, how do you know when it’s tomato planting time? 

When, When, When

It’s not a calendar date, it’s actually before Tomato Cup Day. This Arbitrary date is an urban approximation to remind gardeners to pay attention. What is important is the data collected against this memorable date, to see how far Spring is off. The original essence has been diluted over time. Clinging fearfully to the adage isn’t helping anyone to eat Tomatoes at Christmas. The Tomato Cup Day rule is a very helpful one, if understood and applied correctly. 

The only true way to know when to plant Summer veggies is to monitor your soil temp, otherwise it’s just guess work and luck. With our short growing seasons, it’s super important to get your timing right or go hungry. 

Tomato Cup Day

The person who coined the Tomato Cup Day phrase is probably turning in their grave at how their helpful idea, from over half a century ago, has ended up as misinformation. Chinese whispers shared by novices and non gardeners, in an attempt to assist each other and sound informed. Let us right the ship, stop fearing the frost and collect some data against that calendar date in our own gardens. 

My interpretation of the old adage is

“Make sure your Tomatoes seedlings are in the ground by Tomato Cup Day”. 

If the soil temp is 10C and its 10weeks before Tomato Cup Day, what does that mean? Spring is probably coming on time. 

If the soil temp is 15C and its 10weeks before Tomato Cup Day, what does that mean? Spring is super early and so it is again this year. 

Monitoring Soil Temp has guided me to plant Tomatoes between Fathers Day and the October long weekend for the past 10 years. Last year we ate Tomatoes in the first week of December, the earliest ever. This year the soil temp was ready in August for the first time. This has been the timing in many gardens I’ve been involved with at altitude. Plant any later and you’ll likely become the local green chutney champion. 

Counting The Days

Most Tomatoes take between 90-120 days to produce ripe fruit. Know your varieties, do the maths. Waiting for frost to pass is wishful thinking at best. There is likely to be a frost or two after Tomato Cup Day, as happens every other year and sometimes we get hail. Will you wait to plant, while we all eat Tomatoes?

Before we are prepared to release them for sale, we lose a lot of seedlings in testing, but in the past 10 years I haven’t lost many plants to the frost in my garden. Only the strong survive and we collect the seed. 

I’ve had some slow growth, but I wasn’t discouraged, I carried on, and I learnt a lot about Tomatoes by experimenting. The soil temp is far more important than air temps. The root zone is where the magic happens, if the temp is correct, it’ll grow, so mulch it.

Safety First

If the almighty weatherbots forecast 3C or below overnight, I place a cardboard box over the tiny seedling to protect from what may come. It is much easier and effective to do at this time of year, than trying to protect a fully laden bush at the end of the season.

Slow grown Tomatoes (no greenhouse) will survive a whole lot better than greenhouse Tomatoes and perform better in lower Spring temperatures. Your Spring gardening life can be easier, less stressful, and more productive, sooner if you monitor one thing.

What is your soil temp right now?

Stay Awesome

The Gordon Gnohm