When to plant tomato in Wellington
Tomato is frost-tender, so every date keys off Wellington's last spring frost of Sep 1.
Step 1 · Sow
Start seeds indoors
Jul 21 – Aug 11
Before your last frost, on a warm windowsill or heat mat.
Step 2 · Plant
Transplant outdoors
Sep 8 – Sep 29
Once frost risk has passed and nights stay mild.
Step 3 · Harvest
Harvest window
Nov 7 – Dec 2
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Window
Days to maturity
60 – 85 d
Wellington's 273-day season leaves this much room.
Tomato on Wellington's growing year
Frost-bounded season with crops mapped onto the 12-month axis.
Frost risk Growing Harvest
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
FROST
SEP 1
JUN 1
Common questions
When will tomato be ready to harvest in Wellington?
Expect to harvest from around early November (Nov 7–Dec 2) in Wellington, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 72%.
When should I start tomato seeds indoors in Wellington?
Start seeds indoors around late July (Jul 21–Aug 11) in Wellington, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 76%.
When can I transplant tomato outdoors in Wellington?
Transplant outdoors around early September (Sep 8–Sep 29) in Wellington, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 80%.
How long is the growing season in Wellington?
Wellington has roughly 273 frost-free days, which is enough time to grow tomato to maturity outdoors.
The rule of thumb
Sow tomato 6–8 weeks before your last spring frost; plant out 2–3 weeks after it. Every date on this page is derived from that rule and Wellington's frost dates.
Confidence 80/100 · NOAA GHCN-Daily · 1991–2020 normals · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.