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When does everyone put their tomatoes in?

Diane M.
Diane M.
May 3, 2026, 1:42 PM

I know we are technically supposed to wait until after Mother's Day for the tender stuff but I am itching to get my tomatoes and peppers in the ground. The forecast looks decent the next couple weeks. Anyone risking it early or are you sticking with the tried and true and waiting? My grandmother always said never before the 15th of May around here but I swear the seasons feel different than they used to.

Also if anyone has a recommendation for where to get good plants this year I am all ears. The place I always went closed and I have not found a new favorite yet.

4 Replies

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Carol S.
May 4, 2026, 11:47 AM

I always wait til Mother's Day weekend to be safe. We've had frost as late as the second week of May and I learned that lesson the hard way more than once! What varieties are you putting in this year? I'm doing my usual Better Boys and a few Romas for sauce.

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Pam G.
May 4, 2026, 4:35 PM

my grandpa used to say never before mothers day and he was almost always right lol... we got hit with frost last may 12th i remember it because i had to throw sheets over everything in the dark

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Mark D.
May 5, 2026, 5:30 PM

I always wait. Got burned one year putting tomatoes in early and a late frost knocked them back. They never really caught back up that summer. Not worth it for a couple extra weeks. If you can't help yourself at least keep buckets handy to cover at night.

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Tom H.
May 6, 2026, 3:38 PM

First time trying tomatoes since we moved here. Coming from down south I'm used to a longer growing window. Curious what varieties everyone has had the best luck with up here. Don't want to waste a season on the wrong picks.

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