When to plant tomatoes in zone 7a
In zone 7a, where the last spring frost typically comes around April 16, start tomatoes indoors March 10 to 24 and plant out May 5 to 19.
The zone 7a schedule for tomatoes
- Start seeds indoors
- March 10 to 24
- Plant out
- May 5 to 19
- Soil warm enough (60°F), about
- May 5
- First harvest, roughly
- June 26 to August 17
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 3,981 ZIP codes in zone 7a, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for tomatoes.
Frost risk in zone 7a
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 7a, the typical last frost ranges from about April 5 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to April 29 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from October 15 to November 2. For a typical place in the zone:
- April 1Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- April 16Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- May 3Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
Tomatoes are killed by frost, so if you want to be safe, plant out after the safe date rather than the typical one, or be ready to cover plants on a cold night.
Your dates for tomatoes
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant tomatoes where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
Tomatoes in zone 7a cities
| City | Typical last frost | Start indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY | Mar 31 | Feb 21 to Mar 7 | Apr 18 to May 2 |
| Wichita, KS | Apr 11 | Mar 3 to 17 | Apr 28 to May 12 |
| Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY | Apr 13 | Mar 2 to 16 | Apr 27 to May 11 |
| St. Louis, MO | Apr 8 | Mar 1 to 15 | Apr 26 to May 10 |
| Amarillo, TX | Apr 13 | Mar 2 to 16 | Apr 27 to May 11 |
| Providence, RI | Apr 11 | Mar 25 to Apr 8 | May 20 to Jun 3 |
| Paterson, NJ | Apr 3 | Mar 11 to 25 | May 6 to 20 |
| Bridgeport, CT | Apr 5 | Mar 21 to Apr 4 | May 16 to 30 |
| Meridian, ID | Apr 24 | Mar 21 to Apr 4 | May 16 to 30 |
| Stamford, CT | Apr 12 | Mar 23 to Apr 6 | May 18 to Jun 1 |
| New Haven, CT | Apr 5 | Mar 21 to Apr 4 | May 16 to 30 |
| Allentown, PA | Apr 20 | Mar 14 to 28 | May 9 to 23 |
How to grow tomatoesAll zonesTomatoes in zone 6bTomatoes in zone 7bAbout zone 7a
Sources
- Tomato (HGIC 1323) · Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home & Garden Information Center
- How to Grow Tomatoes in Your Garden · Utah State University Extension
- Easy Gardening: Tomatoes (EHT-043) · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
- Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (SP 103/VH021) · UF/IFAS Extension
- Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County (AZ1005) · University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
- Soil Temperature Conditions for Vegetable Seed Germination (Garden Notes GN 154) · UC Cooperative Extension Sacramento County (UC ANR)
- Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato) · NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Vegetable Gardening in Containers (E-545) · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
- Types of Containers for Growing Vegetables · University of Maryland Extension