When to plant tomato in Madison
Tomato is frost-tender, so every date keys off Madison's last spring frost of May 5.
Step 1 · Sow
Start seeds indoors
Apr 11 – May 2
Before your last frost, on a warm windowsill or heat mat.
Step 2 · Plant
Transplant outdoors
Jun 2 – Jun 23
Once frost risk has passed and nights stay mild.
Step 3 · Harvest
Harvest window
Aug 1 – Aug 26
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Window
Days to maturity
60 – 85 d
Madison's 151-day season leaves this much room.
Tomato on Madison'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
FROST
MAY 5
OCT 6
Common questions
When will tomato be ready to harvest in Madison?
Expect to harvest from around early August (Aug 1–Aug 26) in Madison, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 80%.
When should I start tomato seeds indoors in Madison?
Start seeds indoors around mid April (Apr 11–May 2) in Madison, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 85%.
When can I transplant tomato outdoors in Madison?
Transplant outdoors around early June (Jun 2–Jun 23) in Madison, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 86%.
How long is the growing season in Madison?
Madison has roughly 151 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 Madison's frost dates.
Confidence 89/100 · Curated · based on NOAA GHCN-Daily 1991–2020 normal · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.