I direct sowed a row of tomatoe seed. Half Cherry size plum tomatoes and the other half were brandywine. All are almost the same size now as those I planted from nursery plants in the 3 inch pots. Do any of you direct seed tomatoes or peppers on a regular enough basis to have determined if it's wise to count on this method?

That's very interesting. I would be curious to know how tall the tomatoes in the 3" pots were. We're they small or had the roots grown crowded in the pots? Everything you read about tomatoes says to start them indoors to get a head start. Could be that advice is generic and that people in zones 3 and 4 benefit from that practice more than we in zone 5.

I have to agree with Dorothy. Tomatoes are heat lovers and won't do much until it gets warm.

I started my Brandywines back in March. I started the seed in little starter pots. That was handy when the squirrels kept destroying my plants, I could pop another into the ground.

The plants were healthy, not rootbound but well rooted. I say about 6 inches tall.

I was in Hefners in Topeka ( Garden store) a few years back. Mr Hefner was answering some questions, one being Tomatoes. He said that years ago the 'old timers' direct seeded tomatoes in this climate all the time. Most of the time, pound for pound the results were the same as if the'd put in plants. The downfall was the potted ones DID produce a week or two earlier most times.

I am sure much of it depends on conditions, but I will definitely be doing this again.

FairyLight,
Did you do this again this year? Just curious how it worked out last year and if you did it again directly in the garden. Never heard of doing that this far north!

The year has been so wet and messed up garden wise I was not certain how plants would do. HOWEVER, I did not direct seed, I did seed in little jiffy pots LATE so they germinated and when the plants had the first set of true leaves I hardened them off-removed the netting on the jiffy pots and planted the very small plantlets. Some were too overcome with hail to make it. BUT JUST yesterday I went to view what was in the garden and THOSE BABY plants are as large as the large potted ones I planted last week! I couldn't beleive it. Some even have a few blossoms on them. So the answer is the tiny scrawny plantlets did catch up and look as if they may exceed my expectations.