Growing Tomatoes In Nebraska: Everything You Need To Know

You want to know whether Nebraska is a great place to grow tomatoes and also what you have to account for when it comes to growing tomatoes in this state?

Great! This article is for you since I will show you everything you need to know to grow tomatoes in Nebraska in a proper manner.

Not only will you learn how to water your tomato plants in Nebraska but we will also talk about pest control and many other aspects that will help you grow your tomato plants in Nebraska in a solid manner.

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

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

Do tomatoes grow well in Nebraska?

While climatic conditions in Nebraska are decent and you will therefore be able to grow tomatoes in a proper manner if you follow the tips and tricks in this article, you should still know that you may have a harder time growing great tomato plants compared to people growing tomatoes in Arizona or other much hotter regions with more hours of sun.

How long does it take to grow tomatoes in Nebraska?

It will usually take most people between 14 and 19 weeks to grow tomatoes in Nebraska from seed to harvest.

However, you may still be able to shorten the growing process by relying on seedlings instead of seeds.

How big do tomato plants grow in Nebraska?

Tomato plants in Nebraska can get quite big and you should therefore give them at least 7 feet in the vertical and two feet in the horizontal so your plants can grow in a proper manner and can deliver decent results at the end of the growing cycle.

Can you expect great yields when growing tomatoes in Nebraska?

While climatic conditions for growing tomatoes in Nebraska may not be perfect, they are still good enough so you can get pretty great yields if you care well for your plants and also protect your plants from pests and other hungry intruders.

When to grow tomatoes in Nebraska?

You should start growing tomatoes in Nebraska outdoors between April and May as soon as you no longer expect spring frost in your region.

However, it would also be possible to start growing tomatoes indoors around March and transplant your tomato seedlings outdoors later in the year so you may get a certain head start and may be able to harvest your tomato plants earlier.

Can you grow tomatoes in Nebraska in winter?

Since winters in Nebraska are often pretty cold and lighting conditions are rather poor, it is not a great idea to grow tomatoes in Nebraska during this time since you would need a heated greenhouse and this would cost you lots of energy and money and would just not be worth it in most cases.

Can you grow tomatoes in Nebraska multiple times per year?

Due to rather long winters, you may rather want to focus on one single batch of tomatoes you want to grow in the Nebraska region since later batches may not be ready to harvest until the first winter frost arrives.

What tomato varieties grow best in Nebraska?

For growing tomatoes in Nebraska, you should choose a variety that gets along with cool weather in the early months of the year as well as with hot weather during summer. I listed some of the best varieties in this regard below:

• Roma Tomatoes
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Celebrity Tomatoes
• Early Girl Tomatoes
• Beefmaster Tomatoes
• Golden Nugget Tomatoes
• Grape Tomatoes
• Spring Tomatoes
• Pixie Tomatoes
• Siletz Tomatoes

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

While both options are perfectly fine, you should rather choose to grow tomatoes from seedlings if you are the kind of impatient person who wants to see results rather quickly while growing tomatoes from seeds may be the better option for you in case you want to get the full growing experience.

Should you start growing tomatoes in Nebraska indoors?

It can make sense to pre-grow tomato seedlings indoors and transplant them outdoors later on if you want to harvest your plants as quickly as possible and don’t want to wait until fall as would often be the case if you plant your tomato seeds directly outdoors and have to wait with it until May when you no longer expect spring frost.

How to water tomato plants in Nebraska?

While your tomato plants will not need lots of water while they are still small and it is rather cool outdoors, times change and once your plants get bigger and it gets hotter outdoors, you may have to water your plants much more often and sometimes even daily so they will not dry up and deliver solid results at the end of the growing cycle.

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

You don’t have to actively protect your tomato plants against the sun in Nebraska.

Instead, you should just choose a sunny spot in your garden or on your balcony where your plants will also get some shade during the day and you will be perfectly fine.

Will wild animals feed on tomatoes in Nebraska?

Mice, rabbits and other hungry animals may also try feeding on your tomato plants in Nebraska and it is therefore advisable to install a fence or to take other protective measures if you don’t want to share your yields with those friends.

Tomato pests & plant diseases in Nebraska

Nematodes, slugs, aphids and cutworms are just some pests you will often find on your tomato plants in Nebraska.

Fortunately, there are simple but yet effective ways how to keep away tomato pests and plant diseases.

When to harvest tomatoes in Nebraska?

By sowing tomato seeds around May outdoors, you can expect to harvest your tomato plants between August and September and if you want to harvest your plants earlier, you may rather want to rely on seedlings than on seeds since you could save up to two months doing so.

Additional Information for Growing Tomatoes at Home

I hope you have enjoyed this article and got lots of helpful information for growing tomatoes in Nebraska at home.

If you want to get even more information on growing tomatoes at home in general, you should also have a look at my tomato grower’s guide.

If there are still some questions left, you may also want to have a look at my growing tomatoes FAQ section where you will find answers to the most common questions most people have when it comes to growing tomatoes.

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.