Yes, you read that right. There are those tomato plants that set extremely well with the cool weather and short days. Of course, the best zones to plant them in are the ones that either get very little in the way of freezes or none at all. Southern California would be perfect to grow these gems. Even here in the San Francisco Bay Area, our weather is surprisingly different than in SoCal, but I’ve been meaning to give winter tomatoes a go.

Check local nurseries for transplants built for cool weather

I didn’t get around to getting cool-loving tomatoes any last fall, but I spotted them this year at a local nursery and had to try them. I chose an indeterminate, heirloom tomato called ‘Stupice’ that needs only a mere 55 to 62 days to bear harvestable fruit.

September is the optimal month for planting cool weather tomatoes. But my timing is sometimes off, and I decide to ignore that date. This year I was on the late side and planted my winter tomatoes at the beginning of October. At least the plant was already about a foot tall.

Plant your winter tomatoes in containers 

The other thing to note about growing winter tomatoes is that at this time of year they actually perform better in containers as opposed to the garden bed. I’ll bet you can guess why. The soil  has a much better chance of being warmed by the winter sun in a container as opposed to the garden bed. Although if it was between a raised garden bed or in-ground, the raised bed would outperform the ground. Always one to go about things in a less-than-optimal way, the ‘Stupice’ ended up in my raised bed.

A few great winter tomato varieties to try 

The following tomatoes ripen in a short amount of time (under 65 days to maturity).

• ‘Paul Robeson’
• ‘Northern Lights’
• ‘San Francisco Fog’
• ‘Jetsetter’
• ‘Mule Team’
• ‘Glacier’
• ‘Stupice’
• ‘Siberia’
• ‘Silver Tree’
• ‘Oregon Spring’

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Spearhead Shade Gardening Shovel with Steel-Reinforced Fiberglass Handle

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Reduce Digging Effort - The Spear Head Spade is the first hybrid shovel/spade, guaranteed to make your toughest digging up to 80% easier than regular shovels and spades, even in the toughest soil conditions. Ideal for landscaping and gardening. Multi-Purpose Shovel - Spear Head Spade is a versatile tool that can be used for digging, planting, weeding, cutting, and edging. It is designed to handle tough soil and clay conditions, and can cut through roots and tough vegetation with ease. Innovative Design - Has a unique blade design that makes it more efficient and easier to use than traditional spades. The blade is shaped like a spearhead, with a pointed tip and a curved edge that allows it to penetrate the soil more easily. Ergonomic D-Handle - The large, cushioned D-grip offers comfort and better leverage for gloved and ungloved hands alike, reducing strain on the hands and wrists. Lightweight & Strong - Durable handle is made of special steel-reinforced, pultruded fiberglass to withstand heavy use. 60% stronger than EN-3388 shovel/spade standards, 33% thicker and 25% harder than normal shovels. Sharpened from tip to tail at a 35 degree angle for an effective and durable edge.

Buy at Amazon

Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil, 32 oz Ready-to-Use Spray, Multi-Purpose Fungicide, Insecticide and Miticide for Organic Gardening

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

MULTI-PURPOSE BUG KILLER—Bonide Neem Oil is a perfect pest control solution for any garden dealing with mites, flies, mildew, and more. This product is a three-in-one fungicide, miticide, and insecticide. READY TO USE—This product is conveniently ready to use when it arrives. The spray nozzle makes this product easy to deploy and can even be used up to the day of harvest. KILLS ALL STAGES OF INSECTS—Bonide's 3-in-1 Neem Oil is great because it kills the egg, larvae, and adult stages of insects while also preventing the fungal attack of plant tissues. DORMANT SPRAY—In addition to being useful for ridding your garden of insects and other pests, this Neem oil makes a great dormant spray to help protect your plants throughout all seasons. ORGANIC GARDENING—Derived from the Neem seed, our product is great for use on roses, flowers, vegetables, fruits, herbs, indoor houseplants, trees and shrubs. It's approved for organic gardening.

Buy at Amazon

Fiskars Garden Tool Caddy with Removable Small Tool Storage for Indoor and Outdoor Gardening Use, Made with Recycled Plastic

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Fiskars Gardening Tool Caddy stores tools and supplies for easy access and transportation from indoors to out. Body is made of durable, lightweight, resin with 20% post-consumer recycled plastic. Spacious toolbox includes a removable bin with holes for wall mounting and is the perfect organizer for snips, pruners, and more. Handle locks in place for one-handed carrying, or use side handles for two-handed carrying. Lifetime Warranty.

Buy at Amazon