Growing Tomatoes In Arizona: Everything You Need To Know

You live in Arizona or consider moving to this state and want to know whether you can grow tomatoes in this region in a proper manner and also want to know what things you should take into account to make your tomato growth project a real success in this climatic zone?

Great! Stick with me since I will show you all you need to know to grow tomatoes in Arizona in a great manner so you can maximize your harvest and can also avoid many common mistakes in this regard.

Not only will you get some information on how to water your plants but we will also talk about pest control in Arizona so you can protect your plants in the best possible manner.

After reading this article, you will have a much better idea what to care about and what to expect when growing tomatoes in Arizona so you don’t get surprised by unpleasant things during this journey.

Without further ado, let’s get right into it!

Do tomatoes grow well in Arizona?

Since climatic conditions in Arizona are pretty hot and tomato plants get plenty of sun, you will have a much easier time growing tomatoes in Arizona in a proper manner compared to growing tomatoes in Alaska or other much cooler regions where this would often be much harder due to adverse climatic conditions and challenges.

How long does it take to grow tomatoes in Arizona?

Since your tomato plants will get more than enough sunlight and can also benefit from the heat, it will only take you around 3 months to grow tomatoes from seed to harvest in the Arizona region if you do it right and also follow best practices.

How big do tomato plants grow in Arizona?

Since tomato plants often find optimal conditions to grow well in Arizona, they often also grow really high and you will often raise plants that can get 7 feet in height or more so you should grow them outdoors in your garden where they have enough space in the vertical.

Can you expect great yields when growing tomatoes in Arizona?

Since you can provide excellent growing conditions for tomato plants in the Arizona region since climatic conditions are excellent, you will also be able to get high yields from your tomato plants as long as you water and fertilize your plants in a proper manner and also care for your plants well in general.

When to grow tomatoes in Arizona?

You can start growing tomatoes in Arizona pretty early in the year since the last spring frost is usually between February and March and you can therefore raise stable plants early on so your plants may deliver excellent yields later on in the year.

Can you grow tomatoes in Arizona in winter?

While winters in Arizona are rather mild, there are still pretty cold days during winter months and you should therefore not grow tomatoes outdoors in winter in this region.

However, you may still be able to grow decent tomatoes during winter months using a greenhouse and artificial lighting.

Can you grow tomatoes in Arizona multiple times per year?

Thanks to great weather and nice climatic conditions, you may be able to grow tomatoes multiple times per year if you start growing tomatoes early in spring and plant the second batch of seedlings in late spring or early summer so you can increase your overall harvest quite a lot.

What tomato varieties grow best in Arizona?

If you want to grow tomatoes in Arizona, you should choose varieties that grow well in hot and dry desert climates. I listed the most popular ones for you below:

• Celebrity tomatoes
• Roma tomatoes
• Pearson tomatoes
• Brandywine tomatoes
• Beefsteak tomatoes
• Sun Gold tomatoes
• Cherry tomatoes
• Zebra tomatoes
• Cherokee tomatoes

Is it better to grow tomatoes in Arizona from seeds or seedlings?

Since you can start growing tomatoes from seed pretty early in the year thanks to rather warm climatic conditions, growing tomatoes from seeds is perfectly fine.

However, if you want to save yourself some time, you may rather want to grow tomatoes from seedlings since it would just be much faster.

Should you start growing tomatoes in Arizona indoors?

Since the last spring frost will be rather early in the year, you don’t necessarily have to start growing tomatoes in Arizona indoors but can rather grow tomato seedlings outdoors in spring as long as you protect your plants from hungry intruders and also make sure that your plants don’t get hit by frost.

How to water tomato plants in Arizona?

Since Arizona is a pretty hot and dry place, you have to water your plants on a regular basis.

In fact, during hot summer days, you may even have to water your plants multiple times per day and this can become really exhausting in the long run in case you don’t really love gardening and are just in the game for the final harvest.

Do you have to protect tomatoes against the sun in Arizona?

Since the sun is pretty strong in Arizona, protecting your plants from excessive sunlight is a pretty good idea, especially when your tomato plants are still young and not really resistant to the heat and radiation so you may want to protect them with an umbrella, foil or other things that prohibit the exposure with excessive direct sunlight.

Will wild animals feed on tomatoes in Arizona?

Rabbits, squirrels and many other animals may want to feed on your tomato plants in Arizona and it is therefore crucial that you install fences or take other protective measures if you don’t want to wake up some day and your tomato plants may be gone.

Pests & plant diseases on tomato plants in Arizona

Aphids, snails and thrips are just some of the annoying companions and you may have to deal with when growing tomatoes in Arizona.

Fortunately, there are many easy ways to get rid of tomato pests and plant diseases.

When to harvest tomatoes in Arizona?

If you start growing tomatoes in Arizona in early spring, you should be ready to harvest the first tomatoes in early summer.

However, this also greatly depends on the tomato variety you want to grow and also on your individual skill level when it comes to gardening in general.

Additional Information for Growing Tomatoes at Home

I hope you enjoyed my article and got lots of helpful tips and tricks on how to grow tomatoes in Arizona.

If you want to get even more information on growing tomatoes at home step-by-step, feel free to also have a look at my tomato grower’s guide.

Moreover, you may also want to check out my growing tomatoes FAQ section where you will get answers to all questions you might still have regarding growing tomatoes at home in a proper manner in general.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomato

Own experience.

About the Author

My name is Andreas and I’m really passionate about our environment and also about growing plants. In fact, I have grown several different plants over many years. I love to see my own plants grow and also always try new things to improve my overall conditions at home.

In my blog posts, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can become successful in growing various different plants and improving your home as well, even though you might still be a beginner right now.