Growing Tomatoes Above 6000 foot Elevations in Arizona

Tomatoes are the most popular vegetable item in the home garden but at the higher elevations of Arizona it becomes very difficult. Tomatoes have to be planted early enough to ripen fruit by fall yet not too early or they will be killed by a late spring frost. There are six steps to growing tomatoes successfully at high elevations they are: choose short-season varieties, get an early start by planting 6-inch plants by early-June, encourage rapid growth by insuring good soil preparation and soil warming, cover the plants with floating row cover or slitted clear plastic to improve growth and fruit set, and proper watering will give a bigger harvest.

Revised 10/2014. Originally Published 2002.