Yes, of all things to have that one day of really cold weather! I keep checking the forecast to see if it changes. So far the nighttime low has gone up and not down. And, to top it off, we were going to take advantage of the last bits of winter by skiing at Wildcat Mountain for just $9. That's an unbelievable price...but no price is cheap enough if it's going to be freezing AND windy. Winds are supposed to gust up to 36 mph, and it will be even windier on top of the mountain. That's enough wind to blow my 4yo across the snow starting from a standstill, not to mention blowing the lift chairs around.

I will have to cover my annuals, as I have sown several jugs. I just couldn't wait!

Of all the days...

I know! I just went forecast shopping hoping to see better news. The lows on Friday ranged from 29 down to 24 (eek!). I'm also going away this weekend. The only time in forever. So, I'm considering bringing the annuals that have sprouted into the house for the weekend since I can't cover them and then uncover them during the day. I'll turn the heat down to 55 and put them in a bright room on a tarp. Terrible idea? Should I bring the perennial sprouts in too?

By the way, I sowed the annuals in the very beginning before I understood that you shouldn't really winter sow them but rather wait 'til spring. I thought you could winter sow anything that self-seeded like alyssum, cosmos, etc. That's why this beginner has annuals sprouting so early. Ah well...ya live, ya learn.

Actually, even though it's my first year, too, I thought hardy annuals could be wintersown in winter, as well. There is so much to learn and so many details to remember! I thought things that self-seeded could be sown early. But, I'd also be covering them if it gets as cold as they say it will. Maybe an expert will chime in, but I wouldn't think a weekend in the house would hurt anything as long as they start out the weekend well watered. My alyssum has sprouted, too.

I wouldn't bring the perennials in. I don't plan on covering my perennials...unless an expert chimes in and tells me I need to!

Nothing like a bunch of newbies trying to figure out what to do, right?!

My January sprouted perennials survived much colder than 26 degrees. Some took the teens and kept on going. I did lose a few hibiscus seedlings, but that's okay. more seeds have germinated since then.

I've been watching that Friday night weather forecast too...amazingly I resisted the urge to sow my tender annuals last week during that gloriously warm weather, but I did sow some snapdragons, california poppy, cosmos, and sunflowers over the last couple of weeks. I only have some very tiny sprouts on the snapdragon...I wonder if I should bring them all inside for the night on Friday?

I figure it's OK to leave the perennial sprouts out there as long as they are safely in their milk jugs and the jugs are duct-taped? Hmmm.

I have lots of lettuce sprouts:

Mild Mix Lettuce:
{{gwi:365109}}

Forellenschluss and Brown Dutch Winter Lettuce:
{{gwi:365110}}

..and one Oregon Snow Pea has sprouted with a vengeance:
{{gwi:365111}}

I also have Rose Mallow and Spinach sprouts.

The forecast low is 20 Friday night, any recommended precautions?

I am by no means an expert evo tho I've been doing this for several years, lol
but I'll chime in with what I know and what I think.
To ferretbee:
lettuce, spinach,and pea should be fine. I don't know about Rose Mallow, if you are concerned, I'd cover it to be safe.
Topie:
I do not suggest you bring in yr snapdragons. If you think they are not hardy to that temp., I'd cover them. I bought row covers which will protect to 24 degrees.
I think the perennials will be fine out there in their containers.
Deanna:
don't feel bad! Even tho I am not new, last yr I got carried away cuz everyone was sowing, and I had only annuals to sow, so I wanted to join the fun. I sowed them In Jan/Feb, they sprouted in 2 weeks, and I had to cover them til the temps warmed up! But they all survived.
Lisa;
Generally I think bringing them inside should be avoided cuz the environment is so different. But since you have no choice, it sounds like a plan.
Let us know how it works out.

Meanwhile, I'll be interested to see what others advise.

ellen

Again, no expert here... but everything I've read over the last couple of years would go against bringing them indoors. That could really shock the plants both now and when you put them out again. Do you have a garage? How many containers have sprouted? Maybe putting them close to the foundation of the house to get whatever radiant heat will keep it above freezing in the container, and covering them with a tarp?
Usually a low of 29 is only that low for a few hours... better to get them to a place where they will get just that little bit of warmth they need rather than inside were it could be too much
OLD TIMERS- chime in if I'm wrong!

I have a garage, but there is no light in there whatsoever. I'd hate to kill them by leaving them in there for 48 hours, too. Ahhh...the dilemma! I really wish I wasn't going away. The forecast looks a degree or two more dismal right now. One site is predicting a low of 23, the best case scenario is 27.

Would being inside at a temp of 55 while still inside their little greenhouses really be that shocking? It has been as high as the low 70s in the past week. The main difference would be lower light levels in the house, in my view?

I probably have sprouts in about 60 out of 100 containers right now. Probably only 10-15 of those are annuals (alyssum, cleome, sweet pea, sunflowers of various sorts, annual poppies, bachelor buttons, forget-me-nots, a couple of cosmos) that I mistakenly WS'd too early. Maybe someone can tell me if any of those sprouts are likely to tolerate the temps. I am inclined to trust the WS process with the perennial sprouts and leave them alone, but I'm trying to compensate for my mistake with the annuals to get the best outcome I can

Thanks so much for the help.

Lisa

things are looking a bit better up here. on Tuesday the forecast for Friday's overnight low was 11. Last night the forecast said overnight low of NINE. yikes. But this morning the forecast says it might be 13. I like that number much better than 9!

Supposed to be 29° with snow here tonight...

Karen

Lisa,
maybe you can e-mail Trudi and ask her opinion as she is the resident expert with lots of experience.
Or re-phrase yr question to reflect your dilemma (inside vs outside).

I re-checked my forecast, 30 degrees for late Fri/early Sat, but after that appears to be over freezing will be the norm, so I will probably sow my tender annuals as soon after Sat as I have the time.

Try a forecast of -8C - your 12F!!!!

I will chime in as an 'old timer' and tell everyone that, no, I'm not bringing anything in. Never have and never will. I have seen sprouts covered by 2 inches of ice pellets survive quite well - and I mean with the cover of the containers off.

I'm not saying I won't lose some sprouts this weekend. It's going to go down to the -8C on both Saturday night and Sunday night and then it's going to the norm of 2C to 6C for the rest of the week. Most likely I won't lose a thing since the nights have been around the freezing mark anyways.

Nope! No coddling here!!!

Excellent, tiffy. Exactly the kind of stuff I need to hear. Even "hardy" annual sprouts like sunflowers, alyssum, bachelor buttons, etc? I sowed heavily, so if I lose some sprouts that's ok as long as I don't lose all of them. I think I have enough verbascum sprouts (for example) to colonize the planet--LOL.

Everything you mention Lisa will tough it out. Bachelor Buttons were the ones which had the ice pellets on them, and Verbascums, well, they stay green here all winter so I don't think a slight freeze would even make them blink. :O)

24 was the foretasted low.. I pulled in the petunias in a bag that I had started under lights and moved outside and the peppers I started under lights and move to the greenhouse. I covered the rest with tufflight and let them fend for themselves.
If it were just for me i'd probably skip the tufflight.. but since its for the sale I did. The plants own me lol I must coddle them a little since i need em.

It's 28° here now. It did snow some overnight. There is a dusting on mulched beds and some grassy areas, rooftops, cars... I want spring back!

Karen