[casper]

Hi, I sowed my Toms in Feb, they look fine, some of them quite bushy now, they are still in my greenhouse in my sitting room. How long can I expect them to live in the house? and what time can I safely put them outside? I know its still cold now but just as a guide 

[Yorkie]

You can start hardening them off during the day about the middle of May, and plant them outside after the last frost - probably at the start of June.

This is assuming you're not putting them into a greenhouse or similar.

I won't be starting my tomatoes off for another month or so.

[casper]

You mean start them from scratch next month, like sowing them. Wow I have so much to learn. Maybe next year I wont have a greenhouse in my lounge for 4 months if I sown a bit later 

[Yorkie]

  Yes, I only have a little plastic greenhouse so can't use a proper greenhouse to get a head start.

I've learnt the hard way that if you start off too early, you end up with leggy plants on windowsills for absolutely weeks.  I reckon about 4-5 weeks is enough to give them time to get started and grown enough before planting out.

[casper]

Oh thank you, wish I had known all this when I took too much notice to seed packets,