How to Start Late Tomatoes in Zone 6

If you live in Missouri, Tennessee, or Pennsylvania, chances are you are in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 6, in which winter temperatures can drop below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, but summers can be hot, into the high 80s. According to the National Climatic Data Center website, the St. Louis area experiences approximately 180 frost-free days between the end of March and early November. This allows gardeners to plant late-bearing varieties of tomatoes soon after the final spring frost and successfully achieve a harvest before fall's first frost kills the plants.

Things You'll Need

Small pots

Potting soil

Instructions

- 1
  Begin seeds of late-bearing tomatoes indoors six to eight weeks before your average final spring frost. If you prefer, purchase bedding plants soon before the final frost. The key is to plant your late tomatoes as soon as possible after the danger of frost has passed.
- 2
  Fill 3- or 4-inch pots with a good quality potting soil mix, and then water them thoroughly until water runs out the drainage holes.
- 3
  Plant one or two tomato seeds in the center of each pot, following packet instructions as to the depth you should plant them.
- 4
  Place your pots in a warm area that gets full sun at least six hours each day. Keep the temperature warm at night -- tomato seedlings do best when nighttime temperatures are above 60 F.
- 5
  Thin small, weaker seedlings, leaving the strongest plant in each pot when seedlings are about 2 inches tall.
- 6
  Transplant your young tomato plants to the garden as soon as possible after the final spring frost. Wait until your plants are at least 4 inches tall; the larger the better, but don't wait too long, because the tomatoes need plenty of time before they begin to produce.

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