Florida’s Two Tomato Seasons

Unlike many northern states that grow tomatoes only during summer, Florida gardeners often enjoy two growing seasons each year.

Spring Season

Plant: February–March

Harvest: April–June

Spring tomatoes grow as temperatures warm. Plants usually produce heavily before the intense summer heat arrives.

Advantages

• Cooler nights
• Plenty of sunshine
• Fast growth
• Large harvests before summer

Challenges

As temperatures climb into the 90s with warm nights, tomato plants become stressed. Flowers may drop before producing fruit, and diseases become more common.

Fall Season

Plant: September–October

Harvest: October–December

Many Florida gardeners consider fall the best time to grow tomatoes.

As summer heat begins to fade, tomato plants become healthier and often produce excellent fruit before winter.

Advantages

• Cooler temperatures
• Less heat stress
• Better fruit production
• Easier for beginners

Challenges

Plants need enough time to mature before the first winter frost, which in Brooksville usually arrives sometime between late December and early January.

Which Season Is Better?

For Brooksville and much of Central Florida:

🥇 Fall is often the easiest season.

🥈 Spring is also excellent.

Summer is usually the most difficult because of extreme heat, humidity, heavy rain, and insect pressure.

Florida Weather

Tomatoes enjoy warm days but dislike extreme heat.

Ideal growing temperatures

Daytime:
70–85°F

Nighttime:
55–70°F

Once daytime temperatures regularly exceed about 90°F and nights stay above 75°F, tomato plants may:

• Drop blossoms
• Slow fruit production
• Produce fewer tomatoes

This is one reason fall gardens are often so productive in Florida.

Rainfall

Florida weather changes throughout the year.

Spring

Rain is usually moderate.

You may only need to water a few times each week.

Summer

Heavy afternoon thunderstorms are common.

Too much rain can:

• Crack tomatoes
• Wash nutrients from sandy soil
• Encourage fungal diseases

Fall

Rainfall usually decreases.

This makes watering much easier to manage.

Watering

Tomatoes need consistent moisture.

Instead of watering a little every day, water deeply.

A good goal

1–2 inches of water each week.

Water early in the morning whenever possible.

Avoid watering the leaves late in the evening because wet foliage overnight encourages disease.

Florida Soil

Most of our soils in Brooksville are sandy.

Sandy soil drains quickly but doesn’t hold nutrients for very long.

That’s why we recommend improving the soil before planting.

Mix in:

• Compost
• Worm castings
• Organic fertilizer
• Rock minerals (such as Azomite if desired)

Healthy soil grows healthy plants.

Planting Your Tomato

Choose a location with:

☀ 6–8 hours of sunlight

Good air movement

Well-drained soil

Space plants about 24–36 inches apart.

Plant tomatoes slightly deeper than they were growing in the pot. Tomatoes can form roots along the buried stem, creating a stronger root system.

Fertilizing

Tomatoes are heavy feeders.

Feed at planting and continue feeding every few weeks during the growing season.

At Flower Shower Farm, we like combining:

• Compost
• Worm castings
• Organic granular fertilizer
• Natural liquid plant fertilizer during active growth

A healthy soil food web is just as important as feeding the plant itself.

Common Insects

Florida has plenty of insects, but don’t let that discourage you.

Watch for:

• Aphids
• Whiteflies
• Hornworms
• Stink bugs
• Leaf-footed bugs

Inspect plants once or twice each week.

Catching problems early is much easier than fixing them later.

Common Diseases

Heat and humidity can encourage diseases such as:

• Early blight
• Septoria leaf spot
• Bacterial spot

Help prevent problems by:

• Spacing plants properly
• Watering the soil instead of the leaves
• Removing damaged leaves
• Providing good airflow

Healthy plants are naturally more resilient.

Supporting Your Plants

Tomatoes need support as they grow.

Use:

• Tomato cages
• Stakes
• Trellises

Keeping fruit off the ground reduces disease and makes harvesting easier.

When to Harvest

Tomatoes don’t need to be completely red before picking.

Harvest when they begin changing color.

They will continue ripening indoors while avoiding damage from insects, birds, or heavy rain.

Cherry tomatoes are ready when fully colored and slightly soft.

Large tomatoes should feel firm but have developed their mature color.

How to Harvest

Hold the tomato gently.

Twist until it releases from the vine.

Or use clean garden snips.

Avoid pulling hard, which can damage the plant.

Harvest every few days during peak production.

The more frequently you harvest, the more tomatoes many varieties continue producing.

Spring vs. Fall at a Glance

Beginner Tips

✔ Plant in full sun.

✔ Water deeply instead of lightly.

✔ Feed your plants regularly.

✔ Check for insects every week.

✔ Harvest often.

✔ Remove damaged leaves.

✔ Don’t be discouraged if a plant struggles. Every season teaches us something new.

Growing Together

Gardening is a journey. Every tomato plant teaches us a little more about nature, patience, and the rewards of caring for something each day.

At Flower Shower Farm, we believe anyone can grow delicious tomatoes with the right plant, healthy soil, and a little encouragement. Whether you’re planting your first Sungold Cherry tomato or your tenth Amish Paste, we hope this guide helps you enjoy a successful Florida harvest.

Happy gardening!

Why This Matters (And Why We’re Sharing It)

If you’ve ever tried to plant flowers in your front yard and wondered why nothing thrives…

If you’ve given up after watching seedlings struggle…
If you’ve followed all the instructions and still felt like you failed…

This is for you.

Because the truth is, many of us were taught to treat soil like a surface — not a living system.

And for years, we did the same.

What We Used to Believe

We believed:

• Bugs were bad
• Weeds were enemies
• More products meant better results
• Tilling was necessary
• Chemicals were the solution

And honestly?
I used to think a bug is a bug.

I didn’t know there were “good” ones.
I didn’t know microbes mattered.
I didn’t know I was breaking the very system I was trying to grow from.

What Was Really Happening Underground

Our land had never been worked.

It was grass, weeds, compacted soil — untouched for years.

Underneath the surface:

• There were very few microbes
• No fungal networks
• Little organic matter
• No structure
• No life working together

So when we tried to dig, the soil resisted.
Not because it was stubborn — but because it was exhausted.

That dark, crumbly soil you see gardeners talk about?
That’s not dirt.
That’s life.

And we didn’t have it yet.

Hey Bloom Friends

Welcome to Flower Shower Farm in sunny (and sometimes surprisingly chilly!) Brooksville, Florida!

-If there’s one thing we’ve learned on this floral adventure, it’s that growing beautiful blooms is a journey filled with tiny triumphs, a few head-scratching moments, and a whole lot of joy.

But despite these mood swings, we’ve got a plant story that’s part miracle, part mischief, and fully inspiring.

Meet Ammi visnaga—aka the tall, airy queen we never saw coming.

And yes, she grew over five feet tall. We’re talking, “Where did you even come from?” kind of tall.

The Backstory: A Seed, a Dream, and a Mulch Blanket

A Hurricane’s “Blessing”

We had big dreams of getting our cool-season seeds, like our beloved Ammi Visnaga, into the ground by mid to early November. We were all set, calendars marked, and eager to get planting.

We braced for a hurricane that brought its fair share of wind and rain. Annoying, but manageable.

Then, just a week or so later, a second, more intense, and frankly, scary hurricane made its presence known.

Our amazing neighbors, bless their hearts, lost over 33 oak trees, and five of those giants landed right on our side, directly crushing our raised beds.

Another monster tree narrowly missed our house by mere feet. It was a chaotic scene, and suddenly, our planting schedule was replaced with an overwhelming cleanup operation.

We were definitely set back.

But here’s where the blessing in disguise part comes in!

While it was heartbreaking to see our raised beds destroyed, it presented an unexpected opportunity.

We realized we could expand our growing rows, transforming that broken space.

We salvaged all the incredible, fresh soil and compost from the damaged beds, integrating it into our new, larger planting areas.

Once the monumental cleanup was done and the new beds were prepped, we proudly labeled them “Cool Season Bed A” and “Cool Season Bed B.”

And guess what?

This expanded, fertile ground is exactly where we lovingly planted our Ammi Visnaga,

turning a chaotic setback into a fresh start for even more blooms!

A Glimpse into the Future: Indoor Starts & Even More Blooms!

While direct sowing gave us a spectacular success this year, we’re always dreaming bigger at Flower Shower Farm! For our next growing season, we’re planning to start our Ammi Visnaga seeds indoors.

Why the change? We’re aiming for even more blooms, even earlier! Starting indoors helps us:

• Beat the Florida Fickle-ness: Give those tender seedlings a safe, controlled start away from those unpredictable 80-degree days and 50-degree nights.

• Boost Germination: Indoor conditions can be optimized for better seed sprouting rates.

• Stronger Starts: Get robust, established plants ready to sprint once they hit the garden, leading to an earlier and more abundant harvest.

We’re already mapping out our indoor setup and can’t wait to share our tips and tricks with you in a future post!

Thanks for Blooming With Us!

We truly hope our Ammi Visnaga adventure has sprinkled a little extra joy and inspiration into your day! Here at Flower Shower Farm, our mission isn’t just to grow beautiful flowers; it’s to cultivate connection, share knowledge, and spread the incredible happiness that comes from nurturing something beautiful, right here in Brooksville, Florida.

Every time you visit our little corner of the internet, read our stories, or choose a bouquet from our farm, you’re helping our dreams bloom. We’re incredibly grateful for your support and for being a part of our growing community.

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