Mechele, in your Zone I think it would be fine to plant out hardy perennials in your garden now. I am often in your situation and have planted out perennials as late as October 26 (according to my journal) with success. However, if for any reason I can't plant out, I sink the pots/WS containers in the ground over winter and then plant out next spring. That works well for second year flowering perennials - you get flowers the first year they are in the ground. Don't forget the earth is still pretty warm.

gardengrove_ac, you have asked some great questions for a newbie to Brugmansia. One needs to learn what is the best method for those growing them in the area you are located. We up north need to protect them more then those down south. Having a local greenhouse is your best bet and in there you will have to care for them on a regular bases as to not spread Brugmansia problems to the other plants or vise versa. To keep in a dormant state would require you to stop fertilizing at some point. I would not advise fertilizing any Brugmansia year round unless you live in an area where they can be put into the ground. But again I still wouldn't fertilize year round. There is so much written on the 'Bucket of Brug' method and I'm sorry to say, that isn't the route I would go. The variety of Brugmansia should determine what is the best method of starting a Brugmansia from cuttings. To leave them in water all winter in my book isn't in the best interest of the plant. Word to the wise the sooner you have them in dirt the better off you will be, it's what is best for the plant. The key to a healthy Brugmansia is to keep it healthy and not stressed at all. Someone at your local college greenhouse can give you advice on doing cuttings with bottom heat or you can email me direct. I have found tip cuttings to be the best route to go with bottom heat. Here we have built a temp. Brugmansia Greenhouse due to the local ordinance where we keep all our Brugmansias at a temp of 50 degrees when they are dorminate during the winter months since we can not keep them in the ground year round. We cut back on the watering and for our area do not fertilize after the 15th of September. We do not start fertilizing until the 15th of March when we remove the plactic off their greenhouse.

Much appreciated. This picture is what I ended up doing. Sorry for the dark night picture. I just stuck my phone out the window. I did the thing I mentioned above where they're tied up and surrounded by about 16" of leaves all around with sticks and burlap holding it all in. What I changed is that I took off the black bags I had on before and replaced it with some Tyvek that I had left over from building my shed. This way it's insulated and has I white protective cover that's water and wind resistant - yet breathes. What I didn't do is bend them down at all. I admit I don't understand the reason for doing this if your not bending them right underground. (That's what my father used to do). Do you just bend them to the ground? Seriously - I'm starting to think these will just be easier to grow in pots with wheels that I can just roll into the garage for the winter.....The things we do for fresh figs....They're just so good though..

I don't grow veggies so I'm probably not the best person to answer you, but I have a few thoughts. My greenhouse is 10x12, so not much larger than yours. (Twinwall polycarbonate walls.) I've learned that smaller structures are harder to keep cool. I use shadecloth on my greenhouse roof, and many fans, to keep it cool. In my climate (zone 8, so warmer than yours) there is no one material that will keep the interior cool in the summer; I have to use a combination of shadecloth, fans, and ventilation. I suspect this is true for most of us, although I know climates vary a lot. Having a greenhouse is one giant endless learning experience, but it can be a fun one. One suggestion would be to buy a thermometer so you can monitor the temps inside (so you can learn what happens.) If your greenhouse is not too far from your house, you could buy an inexpensive remote thermometer. I have a sensor in the greenhouse, and the digital display unit is in my kitchen. This way I can always keep an eye on the GH temps, even if I'm not out there. Over the years it has helped me learn what to expect, in various seasons. And it can give me a heads up, if it's getting too cold/too hot in there, so I can figure out what to do. I think temperatures will definitely fluctuate throughout the day (and heck, throughout the year!) no matter what you do. That is OK, as long as the temps in there don't go too high or too low. What you have to do is learn what temperature ranges your particular plants will tolerate, and what your temperatures your particular greenhouse and climate will create for you. Then, you can hop back to this forum, and elsewhere, to learn what you can do to raise temps or lower temps. Vents, fans, shadecloth, misting systems, and so forth. Nah, you haven't bitten off more than you can chew...it's just a learning process, and over time you will learn what works for you. I think most of us have frozen or roasted a few plants in the process of learning! The best thing you can do, I think, is try to find ways to learn exactly what is happening inside your new greenhouse. That's why I think an inexpensive remote thermometer might be helpful. (I'm using one from Walmart, although there are better quality ones online I'm sure.) Maybe someone else with knowledge about growing veggies in Zone 6 will chime in. Hang in there, keep reading in this forum, and have fun.