Keep your fingers crossed on those temps! I was thinking today that I'd love to do some sowing now, but I just know we could easily have temperatures that would sprout these babies in December, and then they'd be toast in January. It's pretty chilly here today, but instead of sowing I was out moving rocks and wood, and trying to level off an area that I hope to turn into more garden space next year. As much as I'd love to be planting some of the cool seeds I have, there's always something to do in the garden.

hey, drippy, don't scare me like that! ... well, o.k., i will cross my fingers & toes especially that my z5 will stay colder than your z6 ...

seriously, we *could* have a warmer than normal day or two, but it probably wouldn't be an extended time frame enough for seeds to germinate ... i hope i hope i hope ....phyl

Perennial seeds that nature plants will go through the same temp swings. If they decide to sprout during a warm spell they'll likely survive.

A few years ago we had a very warm spell in early January. My self-sown larkspur (annual) sprouted in droves turning the bare ground green. Next came weeks/months of snow and at every melt, the larkspur was still there. Come May they finally were able to actually grow. Lupine is another 'early riser' that shows up before the snow is done.

Many of the perennials don't bother sprouting until May or June no matter when you sow them.

Relax and trust nature.

WOW! I was was out there yesterday trying to pull up the rest of the sunflowers now that the seeds are all eaten and the ground was FROZEN! I shoulda known LOL!
On Thanksgiving (and the day before) it was barely 29-30 and dropped to 16 for the low. Now they say by the weekend we will see low teens and might be getting up to 3" of snow by tomorrow :O
I was planning on burying a few containers of perennials I didn't get planted: Agastache foeniculum, Monarda didyman and Magic Carpet Thyme. I might just have to make room in the house and trick'em into spring :)

Vera

hoehum ... hey, darlin, i like your *hoehum* attitude! .. yup, i'm just going to "relax & trust nature", as per your suggestion ... plus, it's too late to *undo* what i have already *done* ...

vera, it is cold here too ... but it sounds like you have even more *wintery* conditions than we do here in chicagoland ... perennials can be successfully wintered over in your house? ... i didn't know that ... what do you do, let them go dry & dormant? ... put them in the basement or garage?

thanks, phyl

Yes, you can. I just didn't get around to planting them this year. They have been dormant for at least 1 month...frozen solid even! I don't even know that they require a winter long dormancy, but I just didn't have a choice this time. I winter peppers over too (yes, they are tender perennials), some winter better than others, but I've got 5 this year that came in about 3 weeks before the frost. Aside from that a Zonal Geranium in normal 70-75F house temps and 2 Climbing Snapdragon that were outside for several weeks of freezing. Lost the first 2 I brought in...too warm I'm sure. This time I moved them into the coolest room in bright light..so far they are doing pretty good here. I always change out the soil though so I don't bring in fungus gnats! Some wintering plants would like a long winter sleep and keeping them at just above freezing to 45 in the basement, garage ect. would be preferable...not to mention save space in living areas :D I don't have either one so this is my choice now!

Vera

There are many perennial plants you can overwinter indoor, you also have to remember it is huge pain in the ... to do so unless you have conservatory and really care about this plant, it is not worth it. You can also build some kind of cold frame and overwinter lots of plants there. Basic design is clear top- old glass door or window pane would do it- and walls made from bales of hay, wooden frame, etc. You can dig soil out and put it in the ground or you can built it above the ground.
I have simple one and successfully overwinter number of tender/ small perennials which I feel have no chance surviving on their own in the garden.
I also have basement where outside window wells come on the ground level so I am able to stuff them with all kinds of pots. Due to heat coming from the house and tops of window wells being covered with plastic, it never gets below freezing and plants enjoy their snuggly place till spring comes.
Some plants like hostas, do have to have cold winter spell otherwise they will never grow well- usually such plants can not be grown in zones above 8- aconitums another example of it. There is one small trick with such plants- if they only first year seedlings they won't know any better if they do not receive cold period and can be successfully overwintered indoor.