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On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

We all live in different Plant Hardiness Zones. I live in Zone 6B. I plan on starting my eating tomatoes on May 1 and my tomato plants for big on May 15. There has been a lot of discussion about when to start and the tendency recently has been more in favor of later starts. I was wondering what zones you guys live in and when you plan on starting your plants and whether you think later is better than sooner?

3/10/2017 11:37:32 AM

Wixom MI.

My last frost date is around may 20 so i start my eating tomatoes around march 21 to april 1 and my compitition tomatoes may 1 and plan on a late planting around june 1 my may 1 plants should only be about 3"-4" tall when i put them out may 20 witch is the size i like for them where as my eating tomatoes will be starting to flower by then.i have never tried a late season plating before so i like to see how they compair to my earlyer plantings.

3/10/2017 1:07:19 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

Zone 4 here. Will start April 1st looking to see tomatoes in mid Sept. thru Oct 1. Starting sooner or later here wouldn't help unless I put them in a hoop house.

3/10/2017 1:08:23 PM

Lebanon, Oregon

I will start mine here in Oregon around the third week of April. My goal is not to root bound the plants. In the garden mid May. The soil should be warmer then.

3/10/2017 1:23:15 PM

Central NY

Zone 4b here...I'm starting April 22nd...will clone the first suckers for weighoff mater plants...

3/10/2017 1:26:45 PM

Torrance, Ca.

End of April or early May here. Weighing the end of September early October this seems to be the best time.

3/10/2017 1:57:00 PM

Central NY

What zone SoCal?

3/10/2017 3:41:09 PM

Wixom MI.

SoCal doesn't get frost? Can't you grow all year?

3/10/2017 5:38:02 PM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

I was wondering if you have changed your starting times for giant tomatoes from what you have done in the past? Do you start them later than your eating tomatoes or at the same time? Over the last few years have you moved your starting time to later or are you doing the same you always have? The reason I am asking is because there is a possible problem with getting tomatoes lower on your plant to successfully fertilize if night temperatures are not high enough when the blossoms open.

3/10/2017 8:51:10 PM

Lebanon, Oregon

For me I have seen what Chris has done in the past. The largest MB's on the first truss. Sure there is the Porkchop nipple high and some success with that, that is always an option. This year I am going with starting later, in the garden later, warmer soil with a smaller plant, and by the time the first flowers show the roots will be spread out to give the first MG's all the energy they need. I will have small hoop houses encase there are any night time temp issues. Should enhance if anything.

3/10/2017 10:58:47 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

I haven't decided yet what is going to be my starting date. Since tomato plants are so small...soil temps and air temps are easily controlled...soil heating cable and miniature greenhouses. Sunlight length and intensity is what i think might be important. Maybe i will stagger start my plants this year...and track uMols of PAR light. One more year of learning could lead to bigger gains the next year.

3/11/2017 9:27:35 AM

Valencia Spain

I DoNT Get frost, But tomatoes grew in October to febrauary got black bits Conthe seems and died, now have planted outside 3 inches plants

3/11/2017 10:48:49 AM

Wixom MI.

With my eating tomatoes i grow them to get tomatoes as early as i can so i am willing to play with the harsh early spring weather, gamble with all the potential problems that can occure at planting to early. But i see no reason to gamble with my competition tomatoes, Im in no hurry!!! I say do it right. No need to have big plants in pots were roots are tied up. Plant small in the garden and let the roots spread in the garden ground and have a solid plant before the first flowers appear. My plants first flowers appear around june 20 to july 4 and i never had problems with cold ground or weather at that time. A july 4 flower set will be ripe by August 20 with at least a month of growing season left! So why feel a need to be the first one with tomatoes? Do that with the eaters.

3/11/2017 12:02:26 PM

Valencia Spain

I start early cos they wont set later, 19 March is planting time here, weather changes alot thursday Was 57f to 90f, monday dropping to 46f and 61f, here its warm end of May peaches are ready

3/11/2017 1:30:49 PM

huntsburg,ohio

I start competition ones end of may.Jerry

3/13/2017 10:48:10 AM

Johnston, Iowa

I'm in Zone 5, with last frost date of May 1st. Usually start seeds early to mid April. No GPC events in my state have tomato category, so anything grown would be for "early tomatoes" anyway

3/13/2017 4:43:48 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

Pumpkinman Dan, bring a tomato up to Minnesota on October 8th. Last I heard Gale Woods Farm weigh-off on that date..held at a beautiful site in a Minneapolis suburb will be paying $500 for first place tomato.

3/13/2017 5:02:49 PM

Johnston, Iowa

^ Thanks for the invite!

3/14/2017 10:25:30 AM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

bnot, are you trying to mess with all of us tomato growers? lol The Gale Woods weigh-off is Oct 7. I hope that doesn't mess up your starting date.

3/14/2017 1:11:27 PM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

I'm wondering if later tomato plantings here in MN would be more susceptible to blight? For eating tomatoes, I plant out about as early as I can get away with.
Some growers seem to advocate planting out smaller(less root bound plants) for competition. What do you think about planting out larger/taller plants, and burying most of the stem, to encourage more root production?

3/14/2017 1:54:36 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

sorry, you are right Bill October 7th...glad you corrected me..i don't know if it will affect my starting date...but it for sure will affect my picking date. Now all I have to do is figure out how to grow big for October...

3/14/2017 3:55:28 PM

Wixom MI.

Doug competetive tomato growing is still relatively new so many growers are using different methods to growing their tomatoes. Some growers are using your method but im not sure what their results are. Many growers wont say what their growing techniques are, you just see their finnal results. So just because i promoted my method here, i think that most growers will wait and let their plants get some size to them before they set their tomatoes, And many growers do use the method that you suggested but i cant tell you who they are. I think that porkchop does your method but im not sure.good luck grow a big one.

3/14/2017 9:36:27 PM

Bethlehem CT

Doug, later plantings will definitely be more prone to late blight.

3/15/2017 7:25:39 AM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

Thanks chris and big moon. Maybe trying different methods to see which does best is something to consider. This year I'm just planning on getting my feet wet trying to grow big tomatoes.

3/15/2017 1:35:54 PM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

If you are growing under cover, late blight will not be a problem. If you are using systemic fungicides late blight will also not be a problem.

3/15/2017 4:19:38 PM

Valencia Spain

Planted too early 100 litres of water per square metre has messed them up

3/15/2017 4:33:37 PM

Valencia Spain

Will plant in May now

3/15/2017 4:34:30 PM

huntsburg,ohio

When I spray pumpkins tomatoes get sprayed too.Jerry

3/15/2017 6:26:21 PM

I start my tomatoes in a greenhouse on January 26th and wait to plant around Mother's Day. I like to have the night time soil temps around 55 degrees or more.

3/15/2017 8:07:47 PM

Bloomington, IN USA

Usually I sow my mater seeds in relation to my son's Spring Break week, at the start if I have to stay home & work or immediately upon returning if I am fortunate to get it off & we go skiing.
We are Zone 6B.
So that translates to second to third week of March.
I start my eating maters one day & my competition plants the next.
I graft all my plants on rootstock which slows them down about 10 days.
I put all my plants in Cowpots & I like to put them out when they are around 8" tall.
Ordinarily this puts them out after there is any significant danger of frost.
If we get a cold spell I have a bunch of Wall-o-waters that I can slip over them...I used to be one of those "get the earliest maters" guys.

3/24/2017 8:32:17 PM

Central NY

Get their feet cold and no 10lber...

3/25/2017 12:47:13 PM