Tomato crop profile: sowing, temperatures, and harvest
OrtoClima crop rules for Tomato.
Tomato crop profile
Reference profile for starting tomato, checking temperature thresholds, and estimating harvest timing.
Crop summary
- Starting method: transplanting
- Direct-sowing soil threshold: 10 C
- Transplant soil threshold: 16 C
- Night minimum: 10 C
- Frost buffer: 14 days
- Heat stop: 35 C
- Harvest range: 70-100 days
- Indoor lead: 42 days
How to start it
Tomato is mainly started from seedlings. Transplanting is useful when soil is stable at 16 C or warmer.
For tomato, start seedlings indoors about 42 days before transplanting.
Temperature thresholds
The operating thresholds are: direct-sowing soil at least 10 C; transplant soil at least 16 C; night minimum around 10 C.
The frost buffer requires waiting 14 days after the cautious date.
The rule tolerates heat up to about 35 C, but long heat waves remain a practical limit.
Harvest timing
The estimated harvest for tomato usually falls after 70-100 days. For a transplant crop, the practical count starts from setting seedlings out.
This is a practical average: local climate, variety, exposure, and water management can move the first and last harvest dates.
Seasonal notes
- Autumn is not a standard window: keep the cycle in the warmer or more stable part of the year.
- The heat stop is high, but long heat waves can still reduce set, establishment, or quality.
- The positive frost buffer moves starting dates after the cautious last-frost date.
FAQ
How should tomato be started?
The recommended starting method is transplanting. The main thresholds are direct-sowing soil 10 C, transplant soil 16 C, and night minimum 10 C.
How long is the tomato cycle in the profile?
The indicative harvest range is 70-100 days. The local page can move these dates according to the municipality and climate.
When do heat or cold close the tomato window?
The frost buffer is 14 days and the heat stop is 35 C. These values describe the crop's general needs; municipality pages adapt them to local climate.
How much indoor lead does tomato need?
Yes. Start seedlings indoors about 42 days before transplanting.