When to plant tomatoes in Maryland

Plant out in Baltimore

Mar 31–Apr 14

Across Maryland the window opens between March 31 and May 1. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, Baltimore: Jan 27–Feb 10
Plant out, Baltimore: Mar 31–Apr 14
Last sowing for a harvest: Aug 14
Last frost, Baltimore: Mar 24

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out 1–3 weeks after the last frost. Wait for nights that stay above 50°F. A cold snap after transplanting stalls tomatoes for weeks.

Tomatoes planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

BaltimoreMar 31–Apr 14

ColumbiaApr 12–Apr 26

FrederickApr 9–Apr 23

GermantownApr 21–May 5

WaldorfApr 24–May 8

Silver SpringApr 17–May 1

Ellicott CityApr 9–Apr 23

Glen BurnieApr 17–May 1

GaithersburgApr 8–Apr 22

RockvilleApr 8–Apr 22

BethesdaApr 16–Apr 30

DundalkMar 31–Apr 14

BowieApr 29–May 13

SevernApr 17–May 1

Bel Air SouthApr 17–May 1

TowsonApr 9–Apr 23

Aspen HillApr 8–Apr 22

WheatonApr 8–Apr 22

North BethesdaApr 8–Apr 22

PotomacApr 8–Apr 22

OdentonApr 17–May 1

HagerstownApr 18–May 2

CatonsvilleMar 31–Apr 14

EssexMar 31–Apr 14

AnnapolisApr 3–Apr 17

Severna ParkApr 3–Apr 17

ClintonApr 10–Apr 24

OlneyApr 8–Apr 22

RandallstownApr 9–Apr 23

Owings MillsApr 9–Apr 23

All 68 cities

City	Start indoors	Plant out	Last frost
Baltimore	Jan 27 to Feb 10	Mar 31 to Apr 14	Mar 24
Columbia	Feb 8 to Feb 22	Apr 12 to Apr 26	Apr 5
Frederick	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 9 to Apr 23	Apr 2
Germantown	Feb 17 to Mar 3	Apr 21 to May 5	Apr 14
Waldorf	Feb 20 to Mar 6	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 17
Silver Spring	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 10
Ellicott City	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 9 to Apr 23	Apr 2
Glen Burnie	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 10
Gaithersburg	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Apr 8 to Apr 22	Apr 1
Rockville	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Apr 8 to Apr 22	Apr 1
Bethesda	Feb 12 to Feb 26	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 9
Dundalk	Jan 27 to Feb 10	Mar 31 to Apr 14	Mar 24
Bowie	Feb 25 to Mar 11	Apr 29 to May 13	Apr 22
Severn	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 10
Bel Air South	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 10
Towson	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 9 to Apr 23	Apr 2
Aspen Hill	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Apr 8 to Apr 22	Apr 1
Wheaton	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Apr 8 to Apr 22	Apr 1
North Bethesda	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Apr 8 to Apr 22	Apr 1
Potomac	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Apr 8 to Apr 22	Apr 1
Odenton	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 10
Hagerstown	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Apr 18 to May 2	Apr 11
Catonsville	Jan 27 to Feb 10	Mar 31 to Apr 14	Mar 24
Essex	Jan 27 to Feb 10	Mar 31 to Apr 14	Mar 24
Annapolis	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 3 to Apr 17	Mar 27
Severna Park	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 3 to Apr 17	Mar 27
Clinton	Feb 6 to Feb 20	Apr 10 to Apr 24	Apr 3
Olney	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Apr 8 to Apr 22	Apr 1
Randallstown	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 9 to Apr 23	Apr 2
Owings Mills	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 9 to Apr 23	Apr 2
College Park	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 10
Chillum	Feb 1 to Feb 15	Apr 5 to Apr 19	Mar 29
Pikesville	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 9 to Apr 23	Apr 2
Montgomery Village	Feb 17 to Mar 3	Apr 21 to May 5	Apr 14
Salisbury	Feb 6 to Feb 20	Apr 10 to Apr 24	Apr 3
Pasadena	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 10
Milford Mill	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 9 to Apr 23	Apr 2
Middle River	Jan 27 to Feb 10	Mar 31 to Apr 14	Mar 24
Bel Air North	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 10
Eldersburg	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 9 to Apr 23	Apr 2
Parkville	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 9 to Apr 23	Apr 2
Laurel	Feb 8 to Feb 22	Apr 12 to Apr 26	Apr 5
Crofton	Feb 25 to Mar 11	Apr 29 to May 13	Apr 22
Clarksburg	Feb 17 to Mar 3	Apr 21 to May 5	Apr 14
Perry Hall	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 9 to Apr 23	Apr 2
Carney	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 9 to Apr 23	Apr 2
Reisterstown	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 9 to Apr 23	Apr 2
South Laurel	Feb 8 to Feb 22	Apr 12 to Apr 26	Apr 5
Lochearn	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 9 to Apr 23	Apr 2
Ilchester	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 10
Fairland	Feb 8 to Feb 22	Apr 12 to Apr 26	Apr 5
Elkridge	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 10
Ballenger Creek	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 9 to Apr 23	Apr 2
Fort Washington	Feb 6 to Feb 20	Apr 10 to Apr 24	Apr 3
North Laurel	Feb 8 to Feb 22	Apr 12 to Apr 26	Apr 5
Edgewood	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 10
Greenbelt	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 10
Suitland	Feb 1 to Feb 15	Apr 5 to Apr 19	Mar 29
Landover	Feb 1 to Feb 15	Apr 5 to Apr 19	Mar 29
North Potomac	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Apr 8 to Apr 22	Apr 1
Arnold	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 3 to Apr 17	Mar 27
Cockeysville	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 9 to Apr 23	Apr 2
Camp Springs	Feb 6 to Feb 20	Apr 10 to Apr 24	Apr 3
Langley Park	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 10
Hyattsville	Feb 1 to Feb 15	Apr 5 to Apr 19	Mar 29
Arbutus	Jan 27 to Feb 10	Mar 31 to Apr 14	Mar 24
Rosedale	Jan 27 to Feb 10	Mar 31 to Apr 14	Mar 24
Westminster	Feb 27 to Mar 13	May 1 to May 15	Apr 24

Questions

When should I plant tomatoes in Maryland?

In Baltimore, plant out from March 31 to April 14. Across Maryland the window opens between March 31 and May 1, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out 1–3 weeks after the last frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Maryland

Tomatoes in other states

Frost dates for every city in Maryland