Growing Tomatoes In Washington: Everything You Need To Know

You want to know whether you can grow decent tomato plants in Washington?

Of course, you can! However, there are still some specific things you have to account for if you want to get really great harvests.

Hence, make sure to read the tips and tricks in this article so you will be able to avoid many mistakes other people often make.

Moreover, at the end of this article, you will find helpful resources that will show you how to grow tomatoes from seed to harvest in general so you may be able to become a real gardening expert in the long run.

Enough talk, let’s get into action!

Do tomatoes grow well in Washington?

While you will be able to grow decent tomato plants in Washington state, you will still have a harder time compared to many other warmer regions in the US and it is therefore important that you care really well for your plants and also follow the tips and tricks in this article.

How long does it take to grow tomatoes in Washington?

It usually takes you between 15 and 18 weeks to grow tomatoes from seed to harvest in the Washington region.

However, don’t get discouraged if it takes a little bit longer since this also greatly depends on the variety you want to grow and also on how much sunlight your plants get in your garden or on your balcony.

How big do tomato plants grow in Washington?

Depending on the tomato variety you want to grow, your tomato plants can get as big as 10 feet in the vertical and you may therefore rather want to grow your tomatoes in your garden instead of on your balcony so your plants will not be space-constrained and can grow in a natural manner.

Can you expect great yields when growing tomatoes in Washington?

If you care well for your plants and are also willing to put in some work, you can expect pretty decent tomato yields at the end of the growing season since climatic conditions will be good enough to get decent harvests.

When to grow tomatoes in Washington?

In most regions of Washington, you should start sowing tomato seeds outdoors between April and May when you no longer expect frost outside.

If you want to start earlier in the year, you may just pre-grow tomato seedlings indoors and transplant them outdoors in late spring when it gets warmer outside.

Can you grow tomatoes in Washington in winter?

Growing tomatoes in winter is not a great idea in the Washington region since winters can be pretty cold and lighting conditions would also not be great for growing tomatoes.

Hence, instead of growing tomatoes in a heated greenhouse during winter months, you may rather want to focus on growing tomatoes in spring and summer in a natural manner.

Can you grow tomatoes in Washington multiple times per year?

Since winters can be pretty cold and long in the Washington region, growing multiple batches of tomatoes at different times of the year may not be a great idea since later batches may not be ready to harvest before the cool months of the year and your plants may just decay before they can provide decent yields.

What tomato varieties grow best in Washington?

For growing tomato plants in Washington, you should choose a tomato variety that grows well under cool climatic conditions. I listed the most popular ones for you below:

• Earl Girl Tomatoes
• Legend Tomatoes
• Grape Tomatoes
• Glacier Tomatoes
• Golden Nugget Tomatoes
• Manitoba Tomatoes
• Celebrity Tomatoes
• Husky Gold Tomatoes
• Spring Tomatoes

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

Since winters can be pretty long and growing season may be rather short in many parts of Washington, you may be better off growing tomatoes from seedlings instead of seeds since you might be able to harvest your plants earlier in the year while your plants raised from seed may not get ready before cold winter months arrive.

Should you start growing tomatoes in Washington indoors?

If you still plan growing tomatoes from seed in the Washington region, you may want to pre-grow your plants indoors in early spring and transplant them outdoors as soon as possible when climatic conditions allow it so you may be able to harvest your plants rather early in the year.

How to water tomato plants in Washington?

Even though your tomato plants will not need lots of water while they are still young and it is rather cool outdoors, the opposite is true once your plants get bigger and it gets hotter outdoors and during hot summer days, you may even have to water your plants daily.

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

You usually don’t have to actively protect your tomato plants in Washington from the sun since your plants will be able to deal with radiation and heat in a proper and natural manner as long as you water them on a regular basis and once your plants get bigger, they will become more resistant to those things anyway.

Will wild animals feed on tomatoes in Washington?

Raccoons, mice and many other wild animals may try feeding on your tomato plants in Washington.

Hence, it may make sense to install a fence or take other protective measures so you don’t have to share your yield with those hungry intruders.

Tomato pests & plant diseases in Washington

Thrips, aphids and many other pests may try feeding on your tomato plants in Washington as well.

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

When to harvest tomatoes in Washington?

When sowing tomato seeds outdoors between April and May, you will usually be able to harvest your plants between August and September.

If you want to see results earlier in the year, you may pre-grow seedlings indoors and transplant them outdoors later on.

Additional Information for Growing Tomatoes at Home

I hope you got lots of useful information from this article.

If you want to learn even more about growing tomatoes from seed to harvest, you should also have a look at my article related to growing tomatoes at home in general.

If you have further specific questions about growing tomatoes at home, you may also want to have a look at my FAQ section for growing tomatoes 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.