Starting tomatoes and peppers inside versus trying to direct seed them? Most definitely worth it. Trying to direct seed either one is normally considered a last resort approach only.

Dave

I meant I should have started them a good 4-6 weeks ago, but I will only be starting them this week, do you think its still worth it? I guess I will go for it anyway, keeping them in a garage next to a south facing window

I don't think you're very late. A little, but not very. All in all, I think you're better off being a little late than too early. Planting out in mid-to-late May doesn't sound too bad for your zone.

I think 6b is still too cold for direct seeding peppers and toms. And peppers are REALLY slow growing at first. Tomatoes will still get big enough to transplant and produce but peppers....I don't know.

Well it is either start them now, buy them or do without all together so I'd sure go ahead and start them. Zone 6 has a long enough growing season that even if they are a few weeks late going in there will still be time to harvest.

Or as an alternative, start the tomatoes but buy the peppers since they take so much longer. A nice compromise.

Dave

Or as an alternative, start the tomatoes but buy the peppers since they take so much longer. A nice compromise.

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Excellent middle ground. Peppers are slower than molasses in January.

I usually have them started indoors by now but have opted not to do so this year. I will be planting mine in little pots outdoors. This at least gives them a good start away from all of the competition that Mother Nature likes to throw their way. Tomatoes, I am sure, will grow like crazy and I am not worried about them. It will be interesting to see what the peppers do. In my experience they are slower growers. It really depends though. Peppers aren't always slow. I don't know what the contributing factor is, but sometimes they decide to get into a higher gear and it is always a lovely sight when they do this. Yes. A weak liquid fertilizer at a very young age helps.