Warm-season crops
Tomato planting calendar and growing plan
Plan the indoor start and outdoor move as a connected pair. Tomato seedlings need space and light indoors, then a warm outdoor site with a support system already considered.
Plan dates for Tomato
Editable exampleTransplant outside
May 8 – 15, 2027 Suggested windowDirect sow
A reviewed rule is not available for this action. StatusPaired transplant date (optional)
| Transplant outside | Start indoors |
|---|---|
| May 8, 2027 | Mar 27 – Apr 3, 2027 |
| May 15, 2027 | Apr 3 – 10, 2027 |
Sowing windows combine possible transplant dates. Choose a paired transplant date to narrow the nursery window. Wait for suitable soil and local conditions.
Direct sowing and transplanting are alternative ways to start a crop. Keep the tasks that match your method.
Sources and conditions
The nursery range is five to six weeks before the selected transplant date. With last frost on May 1, 2027, the combined indoor envelope is March 27–April 10 and transplanting is May 8–15. Choose paired dates that retain the nursery duration.
- These are reviewed planning references. Check the variety, local soil and weather before acting; a frost date is not a forecast.
- Set hardened-off plants outside only after frost danger has passed and the soil has warmed.
The frost-relative setting-out range remains conditional on warm soil and no remaining frost danger.
- These are reviewed planning references. Check the variety, local soil and weather before acting; a frost date is not a forecast.
- Set hardened-off plants outside only after frost danger has passed and the soil has warmed.
No reviewed numeric direct-sowing window is provided for this transplant-led method.
- These are reviewed planning references. Check the variety, local soil and weather before acting; a frost date is not a forecast.
- Direct sowing is not assigned a reviewed numeric window in this transplant-led record.
A planning reference, not a weather forecast.
A nursery window with a dependency
Moving the transplant date also moves the indoor start. The combined range shows all possible starts across the transplant window; it does not mean every start pairs with every outdoor date. Use a chosen transplant date when reserving trays.
Choose the outdoor footprint
The selected spacing is for vining plants. Put stakes or cages into the plan before counting plant positions, and keep access outside the planted footprint. A compact bush cultivar can be saved with a different user spacing.
Check the growing conditions
Frost arithmetic cannot measure soil warmth or show the forecast. Review both before moving plants, then save the actual planting date beside the reference so next season’s plan has useful history.
Questions growers ask
Why is the indoor range wider than the nursery range?
It combines a range of transplant dates with a range of nursery durations. Choose one transplant date to see a narrower, correctly paired indoor window.
Sources and conditions
These sources describe particular climates and growing methods. Use the conditions alongside the numbers.
Seed-Starting Date Calculator ↗
General nursery and setting-out reference, using a user-supplied spring frost-free date. Nursery duration is measured before setting out.
Growing tomatoes in home gardens ↗
Minnesota home gardens; vining-plant spacing and outdoor conditions.