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Vegetable Gardening

Soil Temp for Planting Out Tomatoes

MaryMcP Zone 8b - Phx AZ

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

Hi Folks, Here in Phoenix AZ spring is just around the corner and I'd like to get my tomato starts into the ground so they can get established and producing a few fruits before summer, 90° by June, kills them off. Anyone on this board have an opinion about what the soil temp should be in order for tomatoes to be happy when planted out?

Nighttime temps are in the low to mid 40's, the garden area I want to plant in, because there will be some shade come summer, the soil is currently 47°. Two large plastic containers on the front patio are 75° - probably perfect - but also probably get too much sun. Harrrummph. Growing tomatoes in Phoenix is a tough job alrighty. Any comments appreciated.

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Comments (4)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
5 years ago
Ideally, for hot season crops like tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc. soil temps should be 55F-65F.

Growing these sorts of plants in cooler climates can be just as challenging. Soil temps here in the PNW are very slow to warm in spring so it is not advised to plant these out (without protection) until end of May/early June. And it rarely gets very hot here in summer, so a race to get a decent crop before it cools down too much mid September or so. Short harvest cultivars are our friends :-)
MaryMcP Zone 8b - Phx AZ
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks gardengal......sounds like your garden challenges are just the opposite of mine!
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daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
5 years ago
For those who don't want to take the trouble sticking thermometers in their soil regularly, this online tool seems to work well. I believe it is based on air temperatures, which are archived online in great detail.

https://www.greencastonline.com/tools/soil-temperature
MaryMcP Zone 8b - Phx AZ thanked daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
MaryMcP Zone 8b - Phx AZ
Original Author
5 years ago
Cool

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