The Best Time Of Day To Plant Tomatoes Might Catch You Off Guard

For casual home gardeners, chances are fairly good that you're not worrying too much about the time of day that you plant your tomatoes, and the "right" time for you is probably "whenever you have a free moment." But look to the experts, and it turns out there are optimal times to plant those seedlings to give them the best chances.

Although tomatoes need a good amount of daily sunlight (around six-plus hours), it's a mistake to think that this means you should plant them during the sunniest part of the day. Instead, one of the best times is in the late afternoon through early evening. This is because it typically offers cooler temperatures and less intense sunlight, which reduces the shock that transplanted seedlings feel. They'll then be able to adjust to their new environment without having to deal with heat stress on top. Another good option is early in the morning, for the same reason of not thrusting those young seedlings straight into the most direct sunlight. Depending on who you ask, some sources recommend morning, some say evening, and some say both, so while there's no consensus, you should pick one of these two options.

If you're looking for an exact time of day to transplant those tomatoes, unfortunately, there's no agreed-upon "correct" answer. Factors like sunset and sunrise times and general climatic conditions vary from location to location, so reliable sources stick to generally advising that you transplant early or late in the day.

Weather can also impact the timing: Because we're looking to avoid excessive exposure to sunlight, it means planting them on a cloudy day can also be a good idea; it also means you may be able to get away with planting them in the middle of the day. If you're an amateur, it also wouldn't hurt to opt for a tomato variety that's considered easier to grow, so it's harder to go wrong.

One caveat to the advice here is that it applies to planting tomato seedlings — that is, young tomato plants, as opposed to seeds. If you're hoping to turn the seeds from a supermarket tomato into a fully-fledged vine, the standard advice is to plant them indoors so issues like excessive exposure to heat aren't so relevant. Then, when they've sprouted and are ready to move outdoors, this timing advice kicks in. That said, it's also advised that you "harden" your seedlings before planting them outside: This means taking them outdoors for limited periods before transplanting them, so they acclimatize more easily to the new environment.

Finally, you'll have to consider when in the season to plant your tomatoes. This is a whole other question, but the quick advice is that your tomatoes can't be outside when frost strikes. So, make sure you're far enough into spring to avoid that, because no matter whether they're planted morning or night, frost will damage or kill your tomatoes.