hi Annette. I suppose your question depends on a few variables.
First, you need to know when the average last frost date is in your area. From threr, work backwards in time.
Tomatoes, I go 6-8 weeks
Onions(from seed), almost any time, but the sooner the better 2 months should be good though, and keep snipping the tops, you want a lot of the early growth to go to the roots.
Any of the broccolli family 6 weeks, and can be put out early. They may not grow as fast as indoors, but will be hardier and not get spindly on you.
Peppers/chili at least 8 weeks or more, and don't transplant them until the ground temp is warm enough Also, it helps a lot in the germination of peppers to give them bottom heat until they sprout. You can buy fancy bottom heaters for mucho bucks, but I have found a heating pad works good also. Or here's what I do, I use those 4' florecent tube lights(otherwise if you are just placing them by the window, they(all vegi plants) tend to become spindly and weak- same is true with florecents but not so bad.
SO I have a set up with two levels and two sets of two tubes in each enough for a couple flats on each level, on the top I place my chili. The low heat from the lower lights supplies adaquate heat to germinate the seeds. On the lower level I have my tomatoes and onions.
Than seperately I have the bolccolli family stuff(cabbage culliflower etc) they germinate well in cool temps, so it's not an issue of too little heat, just the lighting and moisture
Starting outside. Around here, it's traditional to plant peas outdoors the weekend of Good Friday, they are hardy enough and also require some cool temps to germinate. Green beans, have to do outdoors and wait until the ground temp is at least 55-60.
You might also want to put a call in to your local county extention, they will be of good help as they know your climate better than I do.
Hope this helps.
p.s. Usually I start the chilis the beginning of april and the rest of the stuff the second or so week there after. I think our last average frost date is june 20th. So looking back at my post, it seems I start a little earlier than suggested. But I can put the broccolli out earlier than the last frost , same with the onions if they have a good start. The tomatoes, shoot, once the weather is warm enough I stick them out. if they are a little spindly, I just snip a few of the bottom leaves and bury them up to there, they will root from there as well and you'll have stronger plants.
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