If your only choices are buying transplants grown by others or trying to direct seed tomatoes in the garden then by all means buy transplants. Direct seeding tomatoes seldom works well at all. They really need to be started indoors, under lights, 6-8 weeks prior to plant out time.

Check out the "How to Grow Tomatoes from Seed" FAQ over on the Growing Tomatoes forum here. I'd link it for you but the GW servers are running really slow right now.

Dave

You can winter sow tomato seeds and get very high germination rates along with amazingly hardy/healthy plants. Poke some drainage holes in a clean recycled gallon milk jug, cut it open & fill the bottom with moistened potting/growers mix. Sprinkle seeds over the surface of the growing mix and close the jug with tape or a twistie tie. Set the jug out on your deck or patio or near the house foundation (east side is best) and let Mother Nature take it from there. Once the seeds sprout, pot them up or plant them out.

Post here or check the Winter Sowing forum here on GardenWeb if you have questions.