Growing tomatoes in New Jersey can be a rewarding experience, as the state has a favorable climate for tomato cultivation. With ample sunshine, moderate rainfall, and warm summers, New Jersey provides excellent growing conditions for tomato plants, leading to a thriving and delicious harvest. However, weather patterns can be unpredictable, with occasional heatwaves and thunderstorms during the summer months, as well as cold snaps and snowfall during the winter and fall. With proper planning and care, it is possible to grow healthy and delicious tomato plants in New Jersey.
Tomatoes in New Jersey’s Climate
New Jersey has a humid subtropical climate, with hot and humid summers and cool to cold winters. The state experiences moderate rainfall throughout the year, with occasional periods of drought.
The warm summers and moderate rainfall provide excellent growing conditions for tomatoes, but the humidity can increase pest and disease pressure, such as blight, spider mites, and aphids. To mitigate these issues, it is important to provide proper ventilation and spacing, use organic pest and disease control methods, and rotate crops to avoid soil-borne diseases. The cool to cold winters can also limit the growing season for tomatoes, so it is essential to choose early-maturing tomato varieties and use frost blankets or other protection methods to extend the growing season.
When to Start Tomatoes Indoors in New Jersey
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 New Jersey, 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 New Jersey
Growing early-harvest tomatoes is essential in New Jersey, due to the shortened growing season. Some varieties of tomatoes are ready to harvest in under 60 days, which is ideal in the short growing season of New Jersey. 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 New Jersey
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 New Jersey, 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 New Jersey
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.
