With proper care and attention, it’s possible to grow delicious and healthy tomatoes in Kansas, despite the state’s climate. The state’s hot and humid summers, fluctuating temperatures, and frequent thunderstorms are a few of the local challenges. The high winds and heavy rains can cause physical damage to the plants, while the heat and humidity can create ideal conditions for pests and diseases to thrive. However, with proper care and attention, gardeners can still produce healthy and flavorful tomatoes.
Tomatoes in Kansas’s Climate
Kansas has a continental climate with hot and humid summers, cold winters, and frequent temperature fluctuations throughout the year. The state experiences high winds, heavy rainfall, and frequent thunderstorms, which can cause physical damage to tomato plants. The hot and humid summers can create ideal conditions for pests and diseases to thrive, making it challenging to grow tomatoes.
The extreme temperatures and low moisture levels in Kansas can pose challenges for growing tomatoes. In the summer, high temperatures can cause heat stress in tomato plants and inhibit fruit set. The lack of moisture can also make it difficult to keep tomato plants hydrated, leading to stunted growth and blossom end rot. To combat these issues, gardeners in Kansas can choose heat-tolerant tomato varieties, provide shade and irrigation during hot weather, and use organic mulch to help retain moisture in the soil. It’s also important to start tomatoes early, to give them the best chance to mature before the hottest part of the summer. In case of an unexpected frost, gardeners can protect tomato plants from frost by covering them with blankets or using protective row covers or green houses.
When to Start Tomatoes Indoors in Kansas
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 Kansas, start sowing tomato seeds indoors from February 17th 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 Kansas
Growing early-harvest tomatoes is essential in Kansas, 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 Kansas. 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 Kansas
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 Kansas, your final freeze date is expected in the month of April, 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! The final frost dates in Kansas are:
- Zone 5: Around April 30th
- Zone 6: Around April 21st
- Zone 7: Around April 3rd
When to Harvest Tomatoes in Kansas
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.