Stupid question...

I'm planning on trying to grow tomatoes from scratch - got all my supplies & am ready to go - when should I start seeds indoors? I do have grow-lights...

Bec, I'm in zone 5, I can't set out my tomatoes without protection till almost the end of May. I start my seeds the first week of April. Tomato seeds germinate easily and grow fast. I fell that starting them too early doesn't give them any advantage, once they are set outside and the weather warms up they take off and catch up.
Chris

Bec, I always figure 6-8 weeks before last frost date, which for us is roughly Mother's Day. You may be good to go a week or 2 before that if you can protect them over night if needed. Ric

Yes start them inside.

Okey - thanks y'all - I'll start them inside in mid-March then - I have a covered deck and I can pretty much put everything outside a few weeks early

Bec--

In 2008--I planted my Tomato seedlings out in the beds 3rd week in April--as they were 12" tall already.
Don't know WHY they grew so well!
Tried to find the picture--but could not.....I KNOW I have it.

Last year, they never grew at all--I threw them all out......Might be something I did--but it seemed that many people had issues with seedlings last Spring--nationwide.

Will try again this Spring. I plan to start my Tomato seeds about the second or third week in April.
The usual recommendation is 6 weeks before the last frost dare. Here--it is May 10th. , but I often sneak my plants out by the end of April and hold my breath......;o)

Gita

LOL - sounds like me - I had all my plants out on the deck way before last frost date and they all did just fine - I tried flower seeds last year and had no luck at all - they started out like gangbusters, and then a sudden stop in growth, didn't die, just 'sat' there! Did the same thing you did, tossed out nearly all of them - this year I'm trying something different, starting them under lights and a little earlier than last year - so we'll see ^_^ I'm also going to try what I saw my neighbor do last year, she started a bunch of annuals in the outdoor planters, put plastic wrap over them and just left them alone - then voila, she had flowers! I already have my seeds and sowing supplies - now it's just waiting...^_^