You should have nice plant by fall move to soil any day after Christmas until January 10th in your zone. That give time be well into rest stage for winter. And time in new planting hole so gain some rooting before buds swell in March.

I do germinate tomatoes in a flat container. I use mushroom plastic containers which I put holes in the bottom. When the tomatoes have their second true leaves I transplant them into 16 oz glasses sinking them up to the leaves. Tomatoes--no other plant--will grow roots all along the stem. Mine stay in these until they either get too big for the pot or are planted out. This would usually depend on when they were planted but most times they stay in the 16 oz. glasses. I don't like transplanting too much because every time you do you set the plant bach a couple of weeks. I do the same with peppers but I don't sink them down. I gave up planting anything in the cabbage family because I got tired of fighting the cabbage worm

should I continue to use seed starting soil when I transplant and should I start fertilizing with a weak fish emulsion? That's a bit of a gray, multi-opinionated area. Since you have done some reading you already know that I'm not big on supplemental feeding of young seedlings and consider it risky. Once they develop a second set of true leaves, fine as they will need some. But many others disagree with that position so it's up to you. Basically it all depends on what soil mix you are using. If it is one that already has added nutrients then its fine. Since I use ProMix BX and it has some mircros in it I don't need to change. If not, then it's best to move on to a growing medium of some kind. Or if only doing a few plants then use your nutrient-free mix and feed them a diluted 1/2 strength feeding once a week or so. Keep in mind that while fish emulsion is great for established plants in the garden, it isn't all that micro-nutrient inclusive or balanced when dealing with young seedlings (not mention it can stink up the house ;) so if that is what you prefer to use you might want to mix in some additional micros. Bottom line as hoosiercherokee always says on the Tomato forum - watch your plants and they will tell you what they need. :) Dave

Dana, I have had about 75% germinate. Don't throw out your ungerminated seed as I have 3 seeds that are just now germinating. Look how late they are in comparision to the first ones to germinate. I winter sowed my seed and when we had a lot of ice and snow, I actually opened my containers and put ice on top of the potting soil, so as to mimic the winter conditions. I figured if the seed had been outside on the ground, they would have been covered with the ice and snow and maybe as it melted, there would be a good rinsing of the seed coatings with mother natures water. :-) One pot I put into the greenhouse early on, after it had been outside for about a month, just to see if it would make any difference and that pot had the least germination. Some of those seed did germinate a bit earlier but I had fewer seed germinate than in the pots that I left outside all winter and spring. I use ProMix potting mix and watered with rain water that had some old dried leaves soaking in it. Today, because of the transplanting, I gave them their first watering with a weak liquid fertilizer added. I was amazed at the root development! When you transplant, you will see what I mean. The oldest seedlings only have their first true leaves and some of the seedlings had a root that was 3-4 inches long. These seedlings had enough root structure nearer the soil surface that the soil held so I'm hopeful they weren't terribly tramatized. I had the holes ready in the new pots so was able to get them moved without the soil all falling away from the roots. It isn't hot today and so far, no wilt. Something ate the seed leaves off of one of my seedlings, too. All I could see was a bit of green stem at the soil surface. I left it alone and now the true leaves are growing, so take heart. These little seedlings are hardier than we might think. Mary