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Tomatoe planting dates #867000

Asked May 04, 2024, 10:47 AM EDT

My tomato plants are too big! My question is, I followed the directions on the seed pack which said plant 6-8 weeks from the last frost date. According to the farmers almanac that date is May 5th. The extension says to plant when the soil is a consistent 55 degrees. The problem is that on May 5 the the soil is not a consistent 55 degrees…so what date should I be starting my tomatoes seeds next year?? (I planted my indeterminate seeds according to the u of m guide -March 24th)

Olmsted County Minnesota

Expert Response

This mild winter had thrown all of us off in our springtime expectations. It looks like you live down around the Rochester area in Olmstead County. 

Below are the Mn DNR charts for soil temps (actual) and last frost dates (jkprobablilites) for your area. The temps in Minnesota have been swinging up and down for a month now and the rains keep the soil cool. We need the rain but we still cant push the Sara’s on too much without having protections like row covers. You can warm up your soil by the use of raised beds or plastic covers. 

Soil temp is important for plants like tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. If you put them in cool soil they will just sit dormant and take longer to emerge from tha dormancy than if kept in their pots for a while longer. Be sure to not give them too much nitrogen at this point. You want to maintain health but not promote growth yet. 

Late March or early April is still a good seed starting date for your area but planting out really means looking at the average last frost date.

https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/warmer-winter-presents-benefits-and-challenges-soils

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/climate/summaries_and_publications/freeze_date.html

https://www.mda.state.mn.us/protecting/soilprotection/soiltemp


Deb Reierson Replied May 05, 2024, 1:32 PM EDT

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