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When do I plant tomato seeds in Zone 5?

I have never grown tomatoes from seed and want to try this year. The seeds I will be planting are heirloom seeds of several varieties. I'm a novice gardener, I planted a veggie garden last year but started from plants so it was a little different. Do I need to start the seeds inside, or can I wait and start them outside? Either way, when is the best time for me to start the seeds?

Public Comments

1. It's usually better to start your seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before the date of the last frost in your area. Then, after the plants are mature, start "hardening them off" outdoors a few days, then plant. It has been my experience that you get best results when you start the seeds indoors, however, I have known people to have success with direct seeding. Generally, here in Kentucky, we set our tomatoes and peppers out in the first week of april. Check out the farmers almanac for planting dates in your area.
2. February is a good time to start seeds, but of course now is not too late. They need warm soil so you must start them indoors now and transplant later. Last year I missed the boat so I grew them in a large pot that I could bring inside, where it bore fruit throughout late fall. Tomatoes are touchy transplants so peat pots are good starters; submerge the whole pot when they go outside and don't leave any of it above ground because it wicks moisture. In a good year, with an early summer and long warm weather, you may be able to start the seeds outdoors, but odds are by the time they produce they'll soon freeze.
3. I would definitely start them inside. I did the same thing you did last year, and this year I am starting from seed as well. Here in Vermont, I'll start the seeds mid april indoors so I can replant them outside around Memorial Day. If you're in Zone 5, you can probably start a little earlier than that, early April or late March. PS. A great way to start planting is to start the seeds in a cardboard egg carton. Put a little soil in each egg holder and when you're ready to transport them outside, you can just rip off one of the sections and put the whole thing in the ground. It saves you from buying those plastic starter kits that you can't recycle anyway.