Growing Tomatoes In Maine: Everything You Need To Know

You want to know whether growing great tomato plants in Maine is possible or not?

Of course it is and I will show you everything you need to know to make your tomato growing project a real success in this article.

Not only will you get information on the specifics that come along with growing tomatoes in Maine but you will also get some tips and tricks on how you can avoid the most common mistakes so you may be able to get much higher yields than most other people out there.

After reading this article and the subsequent information in my detailed grower’s guides, you will learn quite a lot about growing tomatoes and may also be able to help out your loved ones.

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

Do tomatoes grow well in Maine?

Since Maine is a rather cool region, you may not have as great climatic conditions when it comes to growing tomatoes in Maine compared to people growing tomatoes in Louisiana or other warmer regions.

However, you will still be able to grow decent tomatoes as long as you care well for your plants and also follow the advice in this article.

How long does it take to grow tomatoes in Maine?

Since it is pretty cold in the early months of the year, it may take you pretty long to grow tomatoes from seed to harvest and it takes many people between 4 and 5 months in this region.

How big do tomato plants grow in Maine?

When growing tomatoes in Maine, you should give your plants at least 6 feet in the vertical and since your tomato plants may also get pretty big and bushy in general, you may be better off growing them in your garden instead of growing tomatoes on your balcony since you might just be better able to provide perfect growing conditions.

Can you expect great yields when growing tomatoes in Maine?

Even though climatic conditions are not really optimal, you may still be able to get decent tomato yields at the end of the growing cycle if you care well for your plants and are also willing to put in some work.

When to grow tomatoes in Maine?

Since winters in Maine can be pretty long, you should not start growing tomatoes outdoors before May.

However, you could still pre-grow your plants indoors around March and transplant your seedlings outdoors once you no longer expect spring frost.

Can you grow tomatoes in Maine in winter?

Growing tomatoes in Maine in winter is not a great idea at all since winters are pretty cold and lighting conditions are awful for growing plants so you would have to use a heated greenhouse and lots of artificial lighting which would mean spending lots of energy and money on your growing project which would also be pretty bad for our environment and just not worth it in general.

Can you grow tomatoes in Maine multiple times per year?

Since winters in Maine are pretty long and arrive rather early as well, it is not a good idea to grow multiple batches of tomato plants.

Instead, you might be better off just focusing on one single batch during main season so you can get the best results possible.

What tomato varieties grow best in Maine?

When growing tomatoes in Maine, it makes sense to pick varieties that grow well in rather cool climatic conditions. For instance, those include:

• Golden Nugget Tomatoes
• Celebrity Tomatoes
• Zebra Tomatoes
• Early Girl Tomatoes
• Legend Tomatoes
• Siletz Tomatoes
• Cold Set Tomatoes
• Glacier Tomatoes
• Manitoba Tomatoes
• Husky Gold Tomatoes

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

Since winters in Maine are pretty long and growing seasons are rather short, you may be better off growing tomatoes from seedlings instead of seeds since you will have a better chance that your tomato plants are ready to harvest before winter frost arrives.

Should you start growing tomatoes in Maine indoors?

If you want to start growing tomatoes in Maine from seeds, it also makes sense to pre-grow them indoors and start around March so you will be able to grow decent seedlings that you can usually transplant outdoors around May.

How to water tomato plants in Maine?

Since Maine is a rather cool place, your tomato plants may not need lots of water early in the year and may also get lots of rainwater if you grow them directly in your garden.

However, once hot summer months arrive, you may have to water your plants much more often if you don’t want your plants to dry up.

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

Since the sun is not really intense in the early months of the year in many parts of Maine, there is no need to actively protect your plants from the sun and once your plants get stronger later in the year, they will also be able to deal with high levels of radiation on your own without needing your help.

Will wild animals feed on tomatoes in Maine?

Wild animals like rabbits, voles or raccoons feeding on tomato plants in Maine are quite common and it may therefore be wise to install a fence so your plants will be protected and you will not wake up one day and your yields will be gone.

Tomato pests & plant diseases in Maine

You may also have to deal with many pests, including slugs, aphids and nematodes when growing tomato plants in Maine.

Thus, make sure to get profound information on how to treat tomato pests and plant diseases in a proper manner.

When to harvest tomatoes in Maine?

If you start growing tomato plants from seed outdoors in May, you can expect to harvest your plants in September or October.

However, if you start pre-growing tomato plants indoors in March and transplant them outdoors in May, you may be able to harvest your tomato plants as early as August.

Additional Information for Growing Tomatoes at Home

I hope you got lots of helpful information out of this article so you will be able to grow tomatoes in Maine at home in a perfectly fine manner.

If you also want to get better at growing tomatoes at home in general, you should also check out my tomato grower’s guide.

Moreover, you may also want to have a look at my growing tomatoes FAQ section where you will get answers to many questions that often come up in the tomato growing process.

Sources

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

Own research.

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.