Growing Tomatoes In Florida: Everything You Need To Know

You wonder whether Florida is a great place to grow tomatoes at home and what things you have to take into account to grow tomatoes in Florida in the best possible manner?

Great! Stick with me since I will show you everything you need to know to grow tomatoes in Florida in a solid manner and you will also get some rather secret tips and tricks in this regard.

Not only will you get information on specific climatic conditions and how you can use them to your advantage but we will also talk about watering behavior, pests and many other things that will greatly affect the growth of your tomato plants in the long run.

After reading this article, you will be able to avoid many common mistakes other people make when growing tomatoes in Florida and may also be able to give some useful advice to your loved ones.

Without further ado, let’s get right into the action.

Do tomatoes grow well in Florida?

Tomato plants grow pretty well in Florida thanks to hot and humid weather many tomato varieties really love and even beginners are often able to grow tomatoes in Florida in a decent manner although they may still often make some mistakes.

How long does it take to grow tomatoes in Florida?

Thanks to almost perfect climatic conditions, you may be able to grow tomatoes in Florida from seed to harvest within 3 months.

However, don’t get discouraged in case it takes you a little bit longer, especially if you are still new to gardening yet and don’t have the same expertise as experienced gardeners have.

How big do tomato plants grow in Florida?

Since your tomato plants will get lots of sun and hot weather in general, your tomato plants in Florida can grow quite a bit and you should give them at least 8 feet in the vertical so your plants will not be space-constraint and some tomato varieties may demand even more space.

Can you expect great yields when growing tomatoes in Florida?

Since climatic conditions are often excellent, you may be able to expect really great tomato yields in most parts of Florida, at least if you also care well for your plants and also provide them with enough space and decent soil.

When to grow tomatoes in Florida?

The best time to start growing tomatoes in Florida is between March and April since climatic conditions outdoors will often be warm enough so you can directly grow your tomato plants outdoors and will not have to worry about frost or too cold weather most of the time.

Can you grow tomatoes in Florida in winter?

While winters are often pretty mild in most parts of Florida, it may still not be a great idea to grow tomatoes in Florida in winter since lighting conditions are just not perfect and you may not get the same great yields compared to the main growing season in summer and fall.

Can you grow tomatoes in Florida multiple times per year?

Thanks to really warm climatic conditions, you may be able to grow multiple batches of tomato plants per year.

For instance, you could start the first batch in March and harvest your tomato plants around June and plant the second batch in June and harvest your plants around September.

What tomato varieties grow best in Florida?

When growing tomatoes in Florida, you should choose varieties that grow well in hot and humid climatic conditions. You find the most popular tomato varieties to grow in Florida below:

  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Roma Tomatoes
  • Grape Tomatoes
  • Better Boy Tomatoes
  • Early Bird Tomatoes
  • Amelia Tomatoes
  • Celebrity Tomatoes
  • Aurora Tomatoes
  • Zebra Tomatoes

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

Since you can start growing tomatoes outdoors pretty early in the year, you may want to grow tomatoes from seed instead of seedlings since you will just have more than enough time to grow tomato plants from scratch and may therefore not want to rely on seedlings since this would often take away some nice steps from the overall growing experience.

Should you start growing tomatoes in Florida indoors?

Thanks to great climatic conditions, there is no need to pre-grow tomatoes in Florida indoors.

Instead, you can start growing tomato plants outdoors pretty early in the year since you will not have to worry about freezingly-cold weather much.

How to water tomato plants in Florida?

Since Florida is a pretty hot place, you will have to water your plants on a regular basis and during hot summer months, you may even have to water your plants multiple times per day, at least if it doesn’t rain outdoors and your plants may get water in a natural manner.

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

Since the sun can be pretty intense in most parts of Florida, it may be a good idea to protect your tomato plants from excessive sunlight while they are still young and to put them in a half-shady environment until they get bigger and stronger and no longer have to be protected from excessive radiation anymore.

Will wild animals feed on tomatoes in Florida?

Voles, rabbits and many other wild animals frequently try feeding on tomato plants in Florida and if you don’t take protective measures in this regard, you may just wake up one day and most of your tomato plants may be gone.

Pests & plant diseases on tomato plants in Florida

Aphids, thrips, snails and many other pests will often try to feed on your tomato plants in Florida.

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

When to harvest tomatoes in Florida?

By starting your tomato growing project in Florida in March, you will usually be able to harvest your tomato plants before the end of July and if you really know what you are doing, you may be able to see results even quicker.

Additional Information for Growing Tomatoes at Home

I hope this article has been helpful to you and you now know most things you know to grow tomatoes in Florida in the best possible manner.

If you want to get even more information on growing tomatoes step-by-step, you should 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 general.

Sources

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

https://www.britannica.com/plant/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.

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