Valencia

Family: Solanaceae Nightshade

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Valencia to a garden.

Sun-warmed and richly aromatic, Valencia tomatoes ripen to a vivid, classic red with a smooth, satin skin that feels firm yet yielding at first touch.

The flesh is juicy and well-balanced—meaty for slicing, with a bright, tangy sweetness that shines in fresh salads and shines again in bold sauces. Grow Valencia for dependable, midseason harvests that deliver beautifully uniform slices for everyday table favorites.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 75 DaysHabit: Determinate

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Valencia Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2a	Apr 6th	Jul 20th	Oct 3rd – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Sep 23rd – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Sep 23rd – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Mar 31st	Jul 14th	Sep 27th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Sep 23rd – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Mar 25th	Jul 8th	Sep 21st – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Mar 20th	Jul 3rd	Sep 16th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Mar 16th	Jun 29th	Sep 12th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Mar 13th	Jun 26th	Sep 9th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 7th	Jun 20th	Sep 3rd – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 2nd	Jun 15th	Aug 29th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Feb 20th	Jun 5th	Aug 19th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Feb 11th	May 27th	Aug 10th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 2nd	May 18th	Aug 1st – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Jan 16th	May 1st	Jul 15th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Dec 22nd	Apr 6th	Jun 20th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	Continuous Production
Zone 10b	Continuous Production
Zone 11a	Continuous Production
Zone 11b	Continuous Production
Zone 12a	Continuous Production
Zone 12b	Continuous Production
Zone 13a	Continuous Production
Zone 13b	Continuous Production

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	75
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Determinate
Support Needed	Cage
Planting Depth	Deep
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	10

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Valencia’s meaty-to-juicy balance and bright tang make it a slicing workhorse: it rewards salt-and-oil like a table tomato and still performs when reduced into a punchy sauce. The satin skin and firm-yet-yielding flesh help the slices stay intact on the plate instead of turning watery.

Best Uses

thick slices on sourdough with a slick of good olive oil and flaky salt
quick-chopped salad where the juice stays lively under vinaigrette
bold, stovetop tomato sauce that doesn’t need heavy balancing—built for quick reduction
hot blister-and-peel sandwiches where the flesh holds its shape

Flavor Profile

bright, tangy sweetness juicy, meaty slice with a clean bite sun-warmed tomato aromatics smooth, satin skin that gives way without collapsing

Kitchen Pairings

extra-virgin olive oil garlic mozzarella balsamic vinegar red onion anchovies

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s a common disease or pest problem for Valencia peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) and how do I manage it?

Watch for peanut leaf spot (a fungal disease) and caterpillars early in the season. Keep plants spaced for airflow, water at the soil line (not the leaves), and remove heavily spotted foliage as soon as you notice it. If you see persistent leaf-spotting, use a labeled fungicide for peanuts and repeat according to the label, especially during humid spells.

How often should I water Valencia peanuts during the main growing phase?

During flowering and pod fill (roughly mid-season through most of the 75 days), keep soil consistently moist but not soggy—aim for the top 1–2 in (2–5 cm) to dry slightly between waterings. In full sun, this often means watering about 1–2 times per week depending on your soil, with a deep soak so moisture reaches pod depth. Avoid waterlogging, which increases rotting and poor pod development.

How can I tell when Valencia peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) are ready to harvest?

Harvest when plants turn yellow and a portion of the foliage dies back, usually around 75 days after planting for Valencia in favorable conditions. Dig several “test” plants first and check that the pods fill out and have mature, fully developed kernels; you should be able to feel the kernels clearly through the shell. If pods are still small or kernels are thin, leave the crop in the ground for another 7–14 days and re-check.