[quote=jeffinsgf;143035]Since when?

Sorry, I think the OP is being a little combative, but he is right that USDA Hardiness Zones are not the best tool for a vegetable gardener. USDA Hardiness Zones indicate the depth of winter cold to indicate the survivability of perennials. Take for example the fact that Houston and Seattle are in the same zone. I wouldn't think that vegetable gardening in Houston would be the same as vegetable gardening in Seattle. :no:

As for tomato starting dates, I started mine about 8 weeks before the last frost date, with set out about a week after the last frost date. April 15 is our average last frost, so I started mine the middle of February and set them out about the third week of April.[/quote]

This sounds similar to what I do, I'm just wondering for clarity. When you say set out do you mean began hardening off? Or planted out?

[QUOTE=RJ_Hythloday;143036]This sounds similar to what I do, I'm just wondering for clarity. When you say set out do you mean began hardening off? Or planted out?[/QUOTE]

Planted out one week after last frost date. I started hardening off about a week and a half before that. I'm not very scientific about hardening off. If it's a little cool and overcast, I may leave them out all day. If it's early in the process and the day is coming on like mid-July, I may skip it and leave them indoors altogether.

Jeff, Do a Google search for gardening zones. Almost every site that posts the map also gives out frost dates that coorespond with the gardening zones listed. They are usually pretty general giving a range of 30 days or so. That is why it is important for some one to know where they live and what their local forecast is. As far as you thinking that I am combative, so what. I know Carolyn doesn't need any help defending herself but she asked the poster a simple and harmless question and was met with an inappropriate response (in my opinion). To discuss seed starting dates without knowing where you live is meaningless.

Tomatovator,

You've misunderstood me. I said the OP (original poster) was being combative, not you.

While sites may or may not add frost dates does not change the fact that the "Zone" only refers to the most severe winter temperatures. There is no correlation to first and last frost dates and hardiness zone. I bring up again the Houston and Seattle example. They are in the same zone because neither get extremely cold, but I doubt anyone would say that they will have similar vegetable gardening environments.

From Feb 25 to March 20. I usually grow at least 80% of my tomatoes in greenhouses or coldframes. Normal setting out time is from May 1 to May 15 in greenhouse and from May 10 to June 1 outdoors. Zone 4a

Well bakersville, if it's none of our business where you are, it should be none of your business when we start seed, even though I know you're posting as if just east of Long Beach, CA:twisted:

So, I start mine closest to a full moon during the waxing moon in scorpio whenever possible.

Annnnnnd back to story A:

This year I started seeds around Jan. 17th and regretted being behind the curve --the curve being Shelley and Roy, naturally. Next year I will make starting seed the official New Years Day Afternoon Activity. I may get lucky and have a big aquarium light rig for my babies this year.

Second week of March for me.

Since I learned that my seedlings grow much better with a bit of fertilizer applied after potting up I can get away with six weeks before last frost date. It doesn't matter if they stay in the pots for an extra week or two while I fiddle around getting the dirt ready between last frost date and actual planting so the seed gets started between April 1 and 15, and the plants go in the ground between May 20 and June 1.

It gets warm enough a month or two before last frost to put plants out during the day so I think I'll start some early varieties for containers in February. They should be small enough to fit in the windowsills until they can go out during the day.

February 15th 2010... this year was my first year starting from seed. I started the first week of April — although all my varieties were set back as they dropped their first set of blossoms to heat (Cherokee Purple, Costoluto Genovese, Black Cherry) I don't expect to taste my first tomato until this weekend, and even then the fruit is a bit early because it's got BER. (thankfully the only one so far, knock on wood)

Here in Madrid the safe plant-out dates are mid-April.

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I just have to say this year was awful in our area of East Texas. I put the plants out. Had surgery and that night had a freeze. Poor husband was out in the cold and freezing weather on April 6th trying to save my plants because even in my heavily drug induced state I was worried about them. Yes that is right April 6th and a freeze in East Texas. Bad thing is it happened a couple of times after that. Then poor Veggie babe got hit with a tornado that rearanged her garden. Then we had monsoons and then hot and more hot. We had about every extreme we could get including hail.
So when am I going to start seeds in 2010? between January 1-15 like I did this year. Peppers and egg plants first and week later the tomatoes. Because who knows what the weather will do. I am hoping for an actual spring next year.:cute:
Kat

This was an awful year for S.E. Texas too. It was cold cold cold, and then blast furnace nonstop for months. Very much a fluke, and not something I expect to see again in my lifetime. I got 1/3 my usual production. I'm not sure I would make any planning decisions based on what happened this year.

I'm starting my seeds around December 13 for a February 1 plant-out. Late winter weather here was extremely cooperative in '09. (We paid for that dearly with a very dry, very hot summer.) Who knows about next year? That's the plan, though. I can always keep 'em inside a couple of weeks longer if need be.

My weather was crazy this year but I got some excellent results by watching feldon. I started seeds the first week of January through the end of February. I planted the first ones the first week of March. June was so hot that they were all finished by the first week in July. I up-potted some of them 3 times and ate my first ripe one on April 30. That worked so well that I'll go for a repeat.

Well our typical last frost date is late April, but I normally put my tomatoes out under cover at the start of April bringing them indoors if a frost is forecast. I normally start my seeds in late Feb early March. Every year I think I've done it too early and promise myself I won't be so impatient the next year.