When to plant tomatoes in Southern California comes down to one thing: warmth. Tomatoes need warm soil and warm nights to grow and set fruit. Plant too early and they sit and sulk. Plant at the right time and a single plant can give you pounds of fruit from early summer into fall.
The short answer
- Coastal areas (Long Beach, Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Torrance): plant transplants from mid-March to May.
- Inland areas (Lakewood and farther inland valleys): you can usually start in early to mid-March.
- Second crop: plant again in late June or July for a fall harvest.
A simple rule of thumb: wait until nighttime lows stay above about 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Below that, tomato plants barely grow and flowers often drop without setting fruit.
Why the coast is different
Near the ocean, the marine layer, often called May Gray and June Gloom, keeps late spring cool and cloudy. Tomatoes planted in March near the coast may grow slowly until the sun breaks through in summer. That is normal. Inland gardens warm up faster and often harvest a few weeks sooner.
If you garden near the coast, pick varieties that ripen without extreme heat. Cherry tomatoes and medium-sized slicers usually outperform giant beefsteaks in cool coastal summers.
Varieties that do well in Southern California
- Cherry tomatoes: Sungold, Sweet Million, Black Cherry. Reliable, productive and forgiving.
- Slicers: Early Girl, Celebrity, Better Boy. Solid producers in most SoCal gardens.
- Paste tomatoes: San Marzano and Roma types for sauce and salsa.
- Heirlooms: Cherokee Purple and Brandywine can do well, especially in warmer inland yards.
Soil and water make or break your harvest
Tomatoes are heavy feeders. A raised bed with compost-rich organic soil gives roots room to grow and drains well. Water deeply and consistently, ideally with drip irrigation, because uneven watering causes cracked fruit and blossom end rot. Mulch on top helps hold moisture during hot weeks.
Not sure how deep your bed should be? Read our guide on how deep a raised garden bed should be.
Get a second, fall crop
One of the best things about gardening in Southern California is the long season. Plant a second round of tomatoes in late June or July and you can keep harvesting into November. Choose quicker varieties like Early Girl or cherry types so fruit ripens before nights cool down.
Want tomatoes without the guesswork?
We plant tomatoes at the right time, set up drip irrigation, stake and trellis plants and keep them fed through the season. See our edible garden installation and garden maintenance services, or get a free garden plan.