Peppers are normally started 12 weeks before transplanting. They are much slower to grow than either of the other 2. But no, you don't decrease the time. DTM, which is only a very general guideline anyway, is counted from the date of transplanting, not the date of sowing the seeds.

Dave

I say start em earlier the better as long as ya got sufficient space and lighting to sustain seedlings.

Jim

I start my eggplants and peppers about 10 weeks before planting out the end of May - so that would be about March 18. It could be a bit earlier if you have the space and lights as noted above because the plants will be a nice size by then. Tomatoes are started 6-8 weeks before the last frost. I will start mine the first week in April.

It is confusing when you are new to seed starting so it is good that you are asking questions - there is no such thing as a stupid question here.

You will find a lot of information if you type "Growing from Seeds FAQ" into the search box at the top of the screen. Scroll through the list and you will find one that asks the same question you did. There is a lot of information that I think will be helpful.

Don't hesitate to come back with more questions. This site is to help all gardners and to share experiences. There is a lot to learn from our fellow gardeners

It's a great question! For tomatoes, the days to maturity number tells you how many days it takes for the plant to produce a mature fruit from the time you set it out in the garden. That means if a variety's days to maturity number is 50 days, you still start it indoors 6 weeks before setting it out. Once you set it out in the garden, fruit will set and mature in 50 days from that point. Hope this helps!

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomato Dirt: When to start tomato seeds indoors in your area

No question here is a stupid question, we learn from everyone. That being said, kathy is right. The days to maturity mean from the day you set it out in the garden. You would still start a earlier variety the same time indoors and that means you would get to enjoy it soon than the others when planted outdoors.

All varieties are different and if ever in doubt, the package should say on the back when to start the seeds.

Hop on over to my blog, i have some great tips on seed starting and fertilizer use on them!

Here is a link that might be useful: Home Gardening Tips

That is a good question and the answers are often as varied as the number of responses.

Let me offer a few suggestions that might help in your situation as I have been doing for many years now. I don'tknow what facilities you have to grow transplants but much consideration has to do with your setup. Tomatoes varieties are different in growth habit. Even among Indeterminate varieties some varieties will have a growth surge after 4-6 weeks in a container that could result in a tall, spindly, plant if you are not careful. However, these are also the varieties that have to potential to produce your first tomato fruit. So as a general recommendation I would start all tomato varieties at about the same time if you have adequate space and light.

With other plants, especially pepper varieties, You will benefit by starting seeds at different times if you want a similar sized plant at time of transplanting. I would give extremely hot varieties, like Habanero or any ornamental type, 12-14 weeks to achieve a reasonable transplant size. Habanero peppers may still only be 4" high after 14 weeks. Other hots like chili, cayenne or serrano usually are best started 2-3 weeks later. Large bell peppers will grow relatively fast and furious after they germinate so I start them 2-3 weeks after the other hots, about 8-10 weeks before expected transplant date.

I find it helpful to jot down when you start your seeds and make adjustments every year until you have a starting schedule that fits your needs. After 20 years you may still be fine-tuning your own guidelines.

I posted something similar to this in another section of GW. Days to Maturity are a guide, a rough one. A better guide is Growing Degree Days (GDD). It takes into account heat, where DTM does not. A 50 day tomato planted in early May will not be three weeks ahead of one planted in June. Also, a strong, hardened-off seedling with a great rootball will not take as long to produce fruit as a weak, smaller seedling, even if they are the same age.

Mike