Noob tomato questions

[guestmama9971]

We want to grow tomatoes on our apartment patio this summer. We make a lot of pizza sauce- so I think a sauce tomato like San Marzanos would be good.

We live in zone 5b. Or there is this zone map - http://www.tomatofest.com/tomato-growing-zone-map.html According to that we are in zone 2.

A local website says "our growing season is probably 80 to 100 days, though if you are in a sheltered warm spot you may have as many as 120 days."

So could I grow these: http://store.tomatofest.com/San_Marz..._p/tf-0444.htm ?

It says on one site that the average last frost date is May 12th. It says the safe date is May 31st. So do I plant the seedlings 2 weeks after the average last frost date or the safe date?

[goldfinches]

I used to be in Zone 5 and our tomato planting date was Memorial Day, (May 31).

[JamieCatheryn]

Plant hardened off seedlings a week or 2 after the last frost date, which should basically be close to that safe date. I pay attention each year around the edge of the frost date locally and find I'm safe earlier than the maps put me, check out your 10day forecast when it's close to planting time. Those San Marzanos look great to me. But if you are canning you might consider a determinate tomato that has lots at once instead of harvests spread out over the season.

[DashsMama]

You should be able to grow San Marzanos where you are. I personally would put the seedlings out on May 15 with protection (a wall of water or improvised clear plastic greenhouse) that could be removed when the weather warmed up. If you are starting seeds yourself, plant seeds inside in mid March, harden off in early May (put them outside for part of the day), and plant outside in mid May. Make sure you use a big enough planter. Tomatoes have big root systems so use at least a 5 gallon pot or larger for your seedlings. And you can plant the seedings deep for extra stability and root surface area. Good luck!