Growing tomatoes in New York, you can encounter many obstacles. New York’s continental climate, with hot summers and cold winters, can present unique challenges to tomato growers. Proper soil preparation, regular watering, and protection from pests and diseases are essential for producing healthy tomato plants. Growing tomatoes in New York requires patience, good timing, and a willingness to adapt to the weather conditions. To spite the challenges, the tomatoes grown in tomato will be all the tastier when you succeed!
Tomatoes in New York’s Climate
New York has a humid continental climate with four distinct seasons. Summers are hot and humid, while winters are cold and snowy. The state receives moderate to high rainfall throughout the year, with slightly more precipitation during the summer months.
The climate in New York can greatly affect tomato growth. Hot and humid summers can lead to an increase in pests and diseases, such as spider mites and blossom end rot. This can be mitigated by practicing good sanitation, providing adequate spacing between plants for air circulation, and using organic pest and disease control methods like neem oil and copper fungicide. In addition, New York’s cold winter temperatures can damage or kill tomato plants.
This can be addressed by planting tomatoes in sheltered areas or using frost blankets to protect them from the cold. Starting tomato plants indoors before transplanting them outside after the last frost date can also help ensure a successful harvest. The state’s heavy rainfall can also cause issues with soil drainage, leading to root rot and other diseases. To prevent this, it is important to use well-draining soil and plant tomatoes in raised beds if the soil is too heavy. A well-researched companion plant can help with many of these issues.
When to Start Tomatoes Indoors in New York
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 York, start sowing tomato seeds indoors from February 20th to April 3rd.
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 York
Growing early-harvest tomatoes is essential in New York, 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 York. 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 York
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 York, the final freeze date is expected around April 3rd to May 15th 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 York
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.
