Tomato - cold weather damage
Learn how to protect your tomato plants from damage by cold spells, in our expert guide.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Time to act | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
Sun-loving tomatoes can suffer outdoors during spells of cold weather, with ideal temperatures from 18-24°C and no lower than 13°C. If it is too cold there might be poor pollination, curling of leaves and the fruits might be scarred, with holes.
Symptoms
Tomato leaves curl up, pollination is poor and the fruit might develop scars and holes.
Find it on
tomatoes
Organic
Don't plant out tomatoes until temperatures in early summer have risen, especially at night. If in doubt, plant the tomatoes into generous-sized pots so the roots have plenty of room to grow and stand them outside on warm days, bringing them indoors when the temperatures drop. By late-June it's usually safe to leave them outside in a sheltered, south-facing, sunny position. When temperatures dip again at the end of summer and early autumn, give tomato plants overnight protection with horticultural fleece, which should keep them safe until the first frosts.
Jan subscription offer
Get our Year Planner 2025 with a subscription to BBC Gardeners' World magazine. Get 6 issues for £14.99.
Your Guide to Roses on sale now
Love roses? Inside our guide is everything you need to know for success with your blooms, from pruning to problem solving. On sale in stores and online now!
Discover our NEW Travel & Events Brochure
Whether it's the vibrant beauty of Madeira's Flower Festival or the quiet luxury of a Cornish shepherd's hut, our NEW Travel & Events Brochure is your guide to unforgettable experiences.
New podcast series
Give your mental and physical health a boost, with our new Wellness podcast series from Monty and the team.