Hi marial1214, I'm in your same zone in PA, mid-north Montgomery County. I set out my tomatoes about May 1-15. I do everything a little early, so I'm risking frost. Last year, a late frost hit on May 19th, so I had to build tent cities with Xmas lights around my tomatoes. They were fine, but it was a lot of work. I find it to be worth it to plant them early. I set out my sweet and hot peppers based on night time temperatures, usually around June 1st. They and sweet potatoes are the only plants that I don't put in the ground earlier than recommended. For seed starting, I do the following: Hot Peppers: January 15th (but I will be starting the Habaneros next week) Sweet Peppers: February 15 Tomatoes: March 1 I have a VERY good light set up and my tomatoes grow thick, bushy and quickly. For all my plants, I pot up several times. For the tomatoes, I dig a deep (~12") hole, so even if they do get big, a fair amount of the stem is underground (they will put out roots from that stem). I've been doing some odd additions at planting time for the tomatoes: (bottom of hole) wool, crab compost, shrimp shells, Root Zone beneficial microbes, crushed calcium carbonate. I then water with Root Shield beneficial microbes (2T per gallon). The microbes/shrimp/crab compost is to prevent Verticillium wilt, but oddly, it also helped with late blight last year. The calcium carbonate is to prevent blossom end rot. Hope some of this helps. I've attached a link to my seed starting setup (can't find the one I posted on this forum) Good luck! Bellatrix Here is a link that might be useful: Bellatrix - seed starting light setup

Hi! This is what I do for zone 5. My last frost free date is Mother's day (do a google search for your area's last frost free date). While you can plant outside before your frost free date and cover the plants and protect them from frost, peppers and eggplants do not like cold soil so I wait until my frost free date for more than warmer air temp.....I am seeking warmer soil temps...... Okay.. back to your plants..... I would start sweet peppers 8 weeks before your frost free date and hot peppers and eggplants 10 weeks before your frost free date. There is harm in starting them too soon because they may get root bound and have a hard time recovering the transplant to their final places outside, as well as just running out of room and enough light to keep them happy inside. I would guess plus or minus two weeks on the dates above would still be okay. I hope that helps! Cheers Keriann~

Oh, yeah...here in the 'urban warmth island' of the inner city, in a walled container garden, plant-out dates of March mean that I get tomatoes on my birthday in May, reliably, every year. There is quite a bit of difference between microclimates, even in the 70 miles between Alameda and Napa. But thank you all for you concern and assuredness that I don't know my seedling from a frozen hold in the ground. Just trying to share my enthusiasm for Spring, sheesh!

John, As to that greenhouse height. Here is a suggestion. Build up a 1 foot high foundation of concrete blocks to hold the greenhouse frame above the ground. On the inside, go down a few more inches and put in a brick floor with sand as a filler between the bricks. I electrified mine with a single 4 foot outdoor type flourescent fixture with two 4 foot bulbs, as well as weather proof outlets. The wiring was done with PVC tubing used for electric outdoors. The wiring also as a GPF in the circuit to protect against grounding problems. In summer, I have fans running as well as leaving the door open. Mine also has an oil filled piston that will open the center roof panel to allow air to flow out too. Building the greenhouse up on blocks a foot high, and with a deeper floor inside, you can increase the inside height by about a foot . I also have a 6 foot long wooden bench inside that is narrow enough to get through the 2 foot opening of the door. Not only that, the greenhouses usually have aluminium channels that are the framework and these usually have slots for specially made screws that push into the slots and lock in place. Then, I place the shelf brackets they use for closets, and put a foot wide 6 foot long board on the opposite side of the bench. Mine can hold about 20 of the 18"x24" plastic plant trays. Check out Charleys Greenhouse Supply in Washington state. Here is a link that might be useful: Charley's Greenhouse supply