On Sat, 24 May 2003 15:59:58 -0400, Chuck Mercer
wrote:

I told a friend that I would like to grow some tomatoes from seed and
he told me that it is too late this year and that tomatoes are usually
started indoors 6 to 8 weeks prior to being planted outdoors. This
friend told me if I planted seed directly outdoors then tomatoes which
say they produce ripe fruit in 8 weeks will require 14 to 16 weeks.

To everything, there is a season. In temperate (such an odd term for
bitter winter cold and scorching summer heat) climates, tomato plants
will *grow* after "danger of frost" is past and the soil has warmed up
some. However, we generally try to get a jump on the season by
starting plants in warmer, sheltered environments. My 'volunteer'
plants from last year's dropped fruit are about 3" high now; the
greenhouse-started ones are 2' tall after 3 weeks outdoors. They all
take approx. the same time to mature and bear fruit. We start them
early (or buy plants) to have fruit as soon as possible.

It's not exactly "too late" if you have a long growing season. You
just won't be able to serve your own tomatoes at your 4th of July
picnic.