After some more reading I'm guessing I should wait to plant outside. Another question: they are in solo cups now, should I pot up to a 1 gallon? 2 gallon? They are under a 400 watt metal halide light and seem to be growing fast.

Is the concern putting them in pots that they'll stay in permanently, or are you simply concerned the root system will be too aggressive for a 1 gallon? I've heard from many that larger tomato plants don't transplant well... I have personally transplanted large plants (with care and planning) and seen a modest amount of expected shock before seeing it bounce right back. However, it already being April, you're pretty close to your "guaranteed last frost date"... perhaps you should just go with a 1 gallon, and put them in the ground when you feel comfortable? If they'll stay in the pot, do the larger gallon option and just let it get cozy in it's home, but that's just me.

Until the soil warms up the tomatoes will be slow in the garden. We have a week of rain, maybe periods of heavy downpour. Might be best to wait a week until it settles and the soil drys & warms. In the mean time one can work on hardening the plants to prepare for the garden.

The recommended dates for planting in your area are probably close to ...

Tomatoes 5/10-5/20
Peppers 5/10-5/30

... according to the chart linked below where West Central Illinois climate is mostly similar to the Central Missouri column.

Those dates are over a month away, so I thinking potting up is your best bet.

http://extension.missouri.edu/p/G6201-3

Yes, I too had doubts about last frost dates in mid April in zone 6A. I'm in that zone, and they're mid May here.

<Guaranteed last frost is 4/21.>

Sorry, no such thing as a guaranteed last frost date. :)

Don't know the source of your info but that date sounds way off to me - way too early - and I'm a zone warmer than you. Not mention that "last frost date" and first planting date aren't the same thing. Plant out is normally 10 days -2 weeks after last frost.

Dave

I agree that sounds a little early for last frost date for my area although if you go to Dave's garden they have a page you can plug in your zip code and that's what it says. I'm 62301. I found this agrees with a few other sources as well. At any rate regardless of what the last frost date is I think I'll be better off transplanting to a 1 gallon pot and allowing them to continue to grow inside under more optimal conditions until early May or so. Thanks for all the input!

On April 22nd, there's still about a 10% chance you could see a frost in your area.

On May 3, 2013, the high temperature was 36 degrees at a weather station nearby you and snow/ice pellets were observed. I remember what a horrible day that was for everyone anxious to plant out. Seems like 2013 was a year that winter wouldn't let go.

How big are the tomatoes getting? And what kinds of tomatoes are they? I mean, if you are growing patio toms and getting big means 4 inches tall that's one thing- if they are giant indets and are a couple feet tall- that's quite another.

And it can also depend on how warm your bed is- and if you are prepared with some sort of coverage/capping type of scenario in case you get hit with a late chill.

It can also depend on what your micro-climate is. Like for me, looking at a general map- I'm zone 5. But by going into detail, and considering my micro-climate, I'm actually a zone 6. But I still don't put out tomatoes till May, regardless of how nice the last frost date is. And even so, I'm prepared with hot caps and mulch deep just in case. Because even though I'm supposed to be frost free by then, it has happened where I get a late frost or even (gasp) on one occasion a late snow.