Growing tomatoes in Delaware can be challenging due to the state’s variable climate conditions. Delaware experiences hot and humid summers with occasional droughts, and cold winters with occasional snowfall. However, with proper care, attention to soil health, and appropriate pest and disease control measures, it is possible to grow healthy and fruitful tomato plants.
Tomatoes in Delaware’s Climate
Delaware has a moderate climate with hot summers and cold winters, with occasional snowfall. Summers are humid and experience occasional droughts, while the state receives moderate rainfall throughout the year.
The climate in Delaware can significantly affect tomato growth. Hot and humid summers can lead to increased pest and disease presence, such as aphids, spider mites, and fungal diseases like early and late blight. This can be mitigated by providing proper ventilation and spacing and using organic pest and disease control methods, such as insecticidal soap and copper fungicide. During the hot months, adequate watering will be critical to success. Cold winters with occasional snowfall can limit the growing season for tomatoes, so it is important to choose early-maturing tomato varieties that can mature before the first frost. Using frost blankets or other protection methods can also help extend the growing season and protect from unexpected frosts. Overall, successful tomato growth in Delaware requires a little more elbow grease and awareness but it is completely achievable and worth it.
When to Start Tomatoes Indoors in Delaware
If you want to get an early start on cultivating tomatoes, begin growing the seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before the final spring frost in your area, regardless of the tomato variety you’re growing. In Delaware, start sowing tomato seeds indoors from February 20th to March 10th.
You may want to get them going even earlier than that and plant them in a large pot ahead of producing them outdoors, just to give them even more of a head start. To start tomato seeds indoors:
- Select a planting container. Choose a container at least 6-8 inches deep, with holes in the bottom for drainage.
- Fill with a seed starter potting soil.
- Plant 2-3 tomato seeds ⅛ inch deep in the soil and cover.
- Water the soil until it is moist but not soggy.
- Place the container in a warm, sunny spot indoors and keep the soil moist.
- When the seedlings reach 2-3 inches tall, thin them out so there is only one seedling per container.
Tomato Varieties That do Well in Delaware
Growing early-harvest tomatoes is essential in Delaware, due to the moderate growing season. Some varieties of tomatoes are ready to harvest in under 60 days, which is ideal in the growing season of Delaware. I recommend one of the following varieties:
- ‘Early Girl’ Tomato – 55 Days to Harvest
- ‘Sun Gold’ Tomato – 55 Days to Harvest
- ‘Sungold’ Tomato – 50 Days to Harvest
- ‘Stupice’ Tomato – 52 Days to Harvest
- ‘Fourth of July’ Tomato – 49 Days to Harvest
- ‘Sweet Million’ Tomato – 45 Days to Harvest
- ‘Oregon Spring’ Tomato – 50 Days to Harvest
- ‘Celebrity’ Tomato – 70 Days to Harvest
- ‘Yellow Pear’ Tomato – 60 Days to Harvest
- ‘Gardener’s Delight Tomato – 52 Days to Harvests
Hardening Off Your Tomatoes
Hardening off tomatoes that you’ve started indoors before planting outdoors is essential to ensure they can thrive in the outdoor environment. When tomatoes are started indoors, they become accustomed to the warm and more stable environment. When planted outdoors, they are exposed to more extreme temperatures, wind, and sun. Hardening off tomatoes helps them slowly adjust to their new environment by exposing them to these elements for an extended period.
The process of hardening off tomatoes begins by slowly introducing them to the outdoors. Start by placing them in a sheltered spot, such as a porch or a partially shaded area, for a few hours each day. Over a week, gradually increase the amount of time they are kept outdoors and the amount of sun they are exposed to. After a week of hardening off, the tomatoes should be ready to move to their final outdoor planting location.
When to Plant Tomatoes in Delaware
It’s generally safe to plant tomatoes outdoors when there is no risk of frost or freezing temperatures. In most climates, this means waiting until at least late spring or early summer. In Delaware, the final freeze date is expected around April 3rd to April 21st, depending on where you live. Still, be mindful of your weather forecast. If it seems like you’re in for a late freeze, wait to plant your tomatoes!
When to Harvest Tomatoes in Delaware
When tomatoes have turned a deep red (or the ripe color of their particular variety) and have no green spots visible, they are ripe and ready to be picked. If there are still green patches on the tomato, it has not yet ripened and should remain on the vine. The ideal way to pick ripe tomatoes is to cup the tomato in your hand and give it a gentle twist- it should come off the vine with ease. When in doubt, you can leave it on the vine an extra couple of days, or harvest the entire branch of tomatoes and allow it to ripen on the vine on your window sill.
