Growing Tomatoes In New Mexico: Everything You Need To Know

You want to know what specific details you have to take into account for growing tomatoes in New Mexico in the best possible manner?

Great! This article is exactly for you since I will show you everything you know to make your tomato gardening project in New Mexico a real success.

Not only will you learn how to deal with climatic conditions but you will also get lots of information on how to keep away animals and pests from your plants.

After reading this article, you will be much better able to grow tomatoes in this region in a proper manner and I also provide you with helpful resources at the end of this article so you can inform yourself even more about growing tomatoes at home in general so you can become a real expert in your field.

Enough talk, let’s get right into it!

Do tomatoes grow well in New Mexico?

Tomatoes usually grow really well in New Mexico since it is a pretty hot and sunny state and your tomato plants will therefore get the climatic conditions they need to grow well and provide you with great results at the end of the growing cycle.

How long does it take to grow tomatoes in New Mexico?

It takes most people between 13 and 17 weeks to grow tomatoes from seed to harvest in New Mexico.

However, please note that this also greatly depends on the tomato variety you want to grow and on your overall skill level and you should not get disappointed in case it might take you a little bit longer.

How big do tomato plants grow in New Mexico?

Tomato plants in New Mexico can grow really big since climatic conditions are close to perfect and you should give your plants at least 8 feet in the vertical and 2 feet in the horizontal so they get enough space and sunlight and can grow in a perfect manner.

Can you expect great yields when growing tomatoes in New Mexico?

Thanks to pretty decent climatic conditions, many people growing tomatoes in New Mexico also see pretty great results at the end of the growing season and even beginners can expect pretty decent yields if they care well for their plants and are also willing to put in some work.

When to grow tomatoes in New Mexico?

You should start growing tomatoes outdoors as early as you no longer expect winter frost.

In New Mexico, this is often between March and April but this may also vary depending on the individual region you live in.

Can you grow tomatoes in New Mexico in winter?

While winters are rather mild in most parts of New Mexico, growing tomatoes during winter months is still not a great idea since lighting conditions will not be perfect and you may rather confuse your plants and may also not get really great results.

Can you grow tomatoes in New Mexico multiple times per year?

Thanks to warm climatic conditions, short winters and long growing seasons, you can get multiple tomato harvests per year.

For instance, by growing the first batch of tomato seeds in March, you would be able to harvest your plants between June and July and you could grow a second batch of tomatoes after harvesting the first one and harvest the second batch between September and October.

What tomato varieties grow best in New Mexico?

Since New Mexico offers pretty warm climatic conditions, you should choose a tomato variety that is well-adapted to the heat. You will find some great choices below:

• Cherry Tomatoes
• Roma Tomatoes
• Beefmaster Tomatoes
• Heatmaster Tomatoes
• Grape Tomatoes
• San Marzano Tomatoes
• Solar Fire Tomatoes
• Summer Set Tomatoes
• Flamenco Tomatoes

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

Since New Mexico is a pretty warm state and the growing season is quite long, there will be no need to rely on seedlings and you can rather grow tomatoes from seed and experience every step in the growing cycle.

Should you start growing tomatoes in New Mexico indoors?

Since you can start growing tomatoes outdoors rather early in the year, there is no real need to pre-grow tomato plants in New Mexico indoors.

How to water tomato plants in New Mexico?

Since New Mexico is a pretty hot state, you will have to water your plants on a regular basis and during hot summer days, you may even have to water them multiple times per day so your plants don’t dry up and can produce crops in the best possible manner.

Do you have to protect tomatoes against the sun in New Mexico?

Since the sun can be pretty intense in New Mexico even early in the year, you may not want to expose your tomato seedlings to full sun all day long.

Instead, you should grow them in a partially shady environment until your plants get bigger and are better able to deal with the heat and radiation.

Will wild animals feed on tomatoes in New Mexico?

Groundhogs, raccoons and rabbits are just some of the hungry animals you may have to keep away when growing tomatoes in New Mexico if you don’t want to share your harvest with those folks.

Tomato pests & plant diseases in New Mexico

Aphids, stink bugs, cutworms and snails are just some of the hungry pests that may try to get their share of your tomato plants.

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

When to harvest tomatoes in New Mexico?

When starting to grow tomatoes in New Mexico from seed in March, you will usually be able to harvest tomatoes between June and July.

Additional Information for Growing Tomatoes at Home

Now that you got most of the information you need to grow tomatoes in New Mexico in a great manner, it’s time to actually do it on your side!

However, if you feel like you want to get even more information about growing tomatoes at home in general, you may also want to have a look at my tomato grower’s guide.

If there are specific questions left, I also suggest you check out my growing tomatoes FAQ section where you will find answers to most questions people often have when it comes to growing tomatoes in their garden or on their balcony.

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.