Sorie, I don't claim to be the expert here, I can tell you that I certainly don't feel that you are too late. I live in east central Kansas and I don't plan to winter sow my tomatoes until about mid-March. Tomato seeds need warm temps to germinate so I feel I could even wait until April. Hope this puts your mind to rest!

Ann

Thank you. Think I'll wait till first of March. We'll see.

I'm in 6b in Connecticut. I usually start my tomatoes in late March, possibly even early April if I'm running late (and I often am!). I would think you have plenty of time!

Dee

You could probably sow them any time. I've had tomatoes volunteer in my compost pile and under the plants from previous years. So, the seeds are perfectly happy sitting out in the cold until the weather suits them for germination. If you have time now and are chomping at the bit, I'd go for it.

Martha

I WSd tomatoes about six or seven years ago and frankly I questioned my own sanity. I think I set the WS containers out in early February. To my surprise, most containers germinated and produced strong plants. But it was not a horridly frigid year like this one has been in the mid-Hudson Valley.

I've had the same experience as docmom with the volunteers in the compost, so WS toms in 6b is not out of the question. Whaddya got to lose? Just don't bet with all of your seed supply.

I heart somewhere they need few stratification cycles( heat and cold) to break of outer shell? I suppose you wouldn't need freezing temperatures?? Even if you WS in Mid march, end of march, I suppose you will still have few cycles as the weather is up and down till end of May till it is consistently warm. What do you think?

Jaggudada- Tomatoes don't need any stratification. Warm soil temperatures is what they like. If it's warm, tomato seeds can sprout in about a week from sowing.

Rodney

We've had temps up and down from one day to the next below freezing and then 40's and 50's. I think the germination temps are usually higher though. Worried that they will sprout and the seedlings will freeze

I just got them in so I feel they will be fine. We just got a good snow. So glad, needed moisture.
If seeds don't sprout I'll try next yr!

I am the same zone (Western Maryland). Last year, I WS'd my tomato seed the first week of March. They sprouted around April 19th. All of my containers sprouted:

Posted Pictures of last years sprouted tomato plants

In 2012, I WS'd tomato seed in mid-January. They did not germinate as well that year so I waited.
This year, I started WSing tomato seed on February 23rd and finished March 1st.

I do save all of my own tomato seed which also has made a difference in germination rates.

Here is a link that might be useful: DW's Blog

This post was edited by midmented on Wed, Mar 5, 14 at 15:25