Growing Tomatoes In Rhode Island: Everything You Need To Know

You want to know whether it is possible to grow tomatoes in Rhode Island in a decent manner?

Of course, it is! However, there are still some specifics you have to take into account when growing tomatoes in this region that I will show you in the following chapters.

Not only will you learn how to deal with climatic conditions in Rhode Island when it comes to growing tomatoes at home but you will also get information on what pests and animals you may have to keep away and much more.

After reading this article, you will be able to grow tomatoes in Rhode Island in a proper manner and you will also find some additional resources for growing tomatoes at home at the end of this article so you can get even better at growing tomatoes in general.

Enough talk, let’s give you the information you came for!

Do tomatoes grow well in Rhode Island?

Since climatic conditions for growing tomatoes in Rhode Island are not really great, it is harder to grow tomatoes in Rhode Island at home in a proper manner than in many warmer and sunnier states.

Yet, you will still be able to grow decent tomato plants in Rhode Island as long as you follow the advice in this article.

How long does it take to grow tomatoes in Rhode Island?

It will usually take you between 15 and 20 weeks to grow tomatoes in Rhode Island from seed to harvest.

If you want to see results quicker or earlier in the year, you may either want to rely on seedlings from the store or pre-grow your own seedlings indoors and transplant them outdoors later on.

How big do tomato plants grow in Rhode Island?

While climatic conditions may not be perfect, your tomato plants may still get quite big and you may therefore provide your plants with at least 7 feet in the vertical so they will have enough space to grow well and provide you with decent results at the end of the growing cycle.

Can you expect great yields when growing tomatoes in Rhode Island?

Due to rather poor climatic conditions in Rhode Island for growing tomatoes at home, you may not get the same results as people growing tomatoes in Georgia or other hotter states.

Nevertheless, you can expect decent tomato yields as long as you care well for your plants and are also willing to put in the work.

When to grow tomatoes in Rhode Island?

The best time to start growing tomatoes in Rhode Island outdoors from seed is usually around May when you no longer expect spring frost.

However, if you want to start earlier in the year, you could also grow tomato plants from seed indoors and transplant them outdoors later on.

Can you grow tomatoes in Rhode Island in winter?

Growing tomatoes during winter months is not a great idea in Rhode Island at all since winters are pretty cold and lighting conditions are poor and this means you would have to use a heated greenhouse which would consume lots of energy and growing tomatoes in winter would therefore just not be economical and also bad for your environment.

Can you grow tomatoes in Rhode Island multiple times per year?

Instead of trying to grow multiple batches of tomatoes per year, you may rather want to focus on just one single tomato harvest during the main season since later batches may just not get ready in time and you may just do lots of work for basically nothing.

What tomato varieties grow best in Rhode Island?

If you plan to grow tomatoes in Rhode Island, you should choose tomato varieties that grow well in cool climatic conditions. Those include:

• Cold Set Tomatoes
• Glacier Tomatoes
• Grape Tomatoes
• Spring Tomatoes
• Beefsteak Tomatoes
• Zebra Tomatoes
• Pixie Tomatoes
• Legend Tomatoes
• Nugget Tomatoes

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

Due to rather short growing seasons and long winters, you may rather want to grow tomatoes from seedlings instead of seeds since you may have a higher chance that your tomato plants will get ready before the first winter frost arrives.

Should you start growing tomatoes in Rhode Island indoors?

If you want to see results rather early in the year, you may want to start growing tomatoes from seed indoors and transplant them outdoors later on when it gets warmer outside.

How to water tomato plants in Rhode Island?

Since it is pretty cool and rainy in the early months of the year in Rhode Island, you don’t have to water your tomato plants quite often during this time.

However, once it gets warmer outside, you may have to water your tomato plants almost daily so they don’t try up and get everything they need to grow in a decent manner.

Do you have to protect tomatoes against the sun in Rhode Island?

Since radiation is not really a problem for your plants early in the year, there is also no need to actively protect your tomato plants from the sun.

Instead, you can just let them grow in a natural manner and once your plants get bigger, they will become more resistant in general.

Will wild animals feed on tomatoes in Rhode Island?

Raccoons, mice and deer are just some of the hungry wild animals that may try feeding on your tomato plants in Rhode Island and you may therefore want to install a fence or take other protective measures to keep away those hungry intruders as best as possible.

Tomato pests & plant diseases in Rhode Island

Aphids, snails and cutworms are just some of the annoying pests you may have to deal with when growing tomato plants in Rhode Island.

Fortunately, there are simple but still efficient ways how to deter tomato pests and plant diseases.

When to harvest tomatoes in Rhode Island?

If you start growing tomatoes from seed in May, you will usually be able to harvest them in September.

If you want to harvest your tomato plants earlier, you may rather want to rely on seedlings from the store or grow your own tomato seedlings indoors early in the year and transplant them outdoors when you no longer expect spring freeze outside.

Additional Information for Growing Tomatoes at Home

I hope you found lots of useful information regarding growing tomatoes in Rhode Island in this article.

In case you want to learn more about growing tomatoes at home in general, you may also want to have a look at my tomato grower’s guide.

Moreover, if you still have some specific questions, you may also want to have a look at my growing tomatoes FAQ section where you find many answers to the most common questions that often arise when growing tomatoes at home.

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.