No you are not, that's the early start date. You can start then now, no problem.

If where you are it gets too hot, eventually, for the tomatoes to fertilize, planting late is disadvantageous. That's the way it is around here. Come July, no tomatoes, so you've got to get stuff going fast so they'll produce in May and June. My last frost was last week. My tomatoes just went in the ground.

But if you keep the seedlings warm, they'll be ready to plant out in 4 weeks.

Get it done! I'm in 8b and started my seeds a couple weeks ago. Potted each seedling into its own pot last weekend. Will be transplanting into the garden the end of the month.

Peppers will be fine, they need warmer weather than tomatoes. Plant peppers too early, they will stunt and not do well the rest of the year.

It is late to start tomatoes. As Dan said, you need to plant tomatoes so they will make before the July temperatures cooks everything. Hot peppers and banana peppers will make throughout the summer. Bell peppers tend to make early, and then again in late fall.

Just go spend $3 for a plant at Walmart, and you'll be right up to speed :-)

Or if you can find a feed store they may have a pack of 6 for about $2.50. It is getting harder to find the six packs, but usually there is a place that sells them.

Well, any nursery will have tomato seedling 6-packs. But you won't have a big choice in the variety.

Now, that being said, USDA zones really don't tell you what you need to know about summer gardening conditions. USDA zones classify winter conditions. Much of southern California is zone 9, and you'll easily get tomatoes through the summer there. Roughly where are you? The right answer to your question will depend on knowing that.

Edit: I see you are co-posting this to Gulf Coast Gardening. If that's where you are then yes, you are probably too late to get an optimal crop unless you buy some seedlings and plant out now.

I'm an hour south of houston.

Thanks everyone for the responses

The seeds I bought are arkansas traveler, rio Grande, and few cherry tomato varieties. I think ill just plant one of the cherry types since they are said to be more heat tolerant.

Well, my point about heat and tomatoes was actually applicable to cherries, which I grow every year. Heat tolerance in tomatoes is a bit of an illusion, in that "heat tolerant" tomatoes might get by with very slightly higher temps than others, but they still shut off when it gets hot. But if you want to go this route, then cross your fingers, and best of luck. Given that you are on the coast, you will have slightly less punishing summer heat than we do inland. Tomatoes shut off not only when the highs are in the 90sF, but when the lows are above 75F.

You might think about a fall crop, where you plant out in July or August. You could take advantage of your very long growing season. The main challenge with that is keeping your seedlings happy in the summer heat.

Well, you won't get any tomatoes if you don't start any seeds! Seriously, I was late too this year, but my philosophy is if they grow, they grow--I bought the seeds to plant them, and my growing season is 5-6 months anyway. No need to worry over it. Worst case scenario is it gets too hot too early, and I have to wait for the second flush in September. I usually am tempted into another Sungold plant at Lowe's. etc., this time of year anyway, just to cover my bases. Maybe I won't get any tomatoes at all from my seeds, but I can always buy more seeds next year.

Carla in Sac