I highly doubt it WOULDN'T work, unless somehow a major arctic blast with extremely cold temps comes your way. Which doesn't seem likely based on all of the prognostic stuff I've read the last few days on NOAA's Climate Prediction Center site -- it seems that they are predicting basically more of the same for the rest of the winter, with the northern branch of the Jet keeping the worst of the cold bottled up well north of the 48th parallel. I would go for it if I were you. Turnip seed is pretty cheap, worst case scenario you're out a buck or so for a packet of seeds. But it will probably work fine. If it is too cold for germination, I'm sure they would sit and come up on their own as the soil warms.

I just update a thread "Setting out Broccoli, Kale, Cole crops" with the results of my cole crop experiment. My transplants survived down to 25F with protection. Last year, my broccoli transplants went down to 26F (two weeks after planting) and still grew like crazy later on. Overwintered broccoli will survive pretty low temperatures, but I've heard that new transplants are more tender. I'm covering mine up any time it drops to freezing. I planted mine at the same time that I planted my peas. My last frost date is April 15th, if that helps you judge the timing. One caveat - all my plants are heirlooms. I don't know if they are hardier than hybrids (or the reverse, for that matter). I know the De Cicco broccoli is supposed to be frost tender, but it made it for a while past the first frost last fall. It's an excellent broccoli, produced side shoots from early spring all the way until late fall. Hope this helps you, Bellatrix Here is a link that might be useful: Setting out Broccoli, Kale, Cole crops

Just my opinion but I think you need to keep the trays warm and not let the temps drop below 60 degrees F. If your just getting above freezing at night then perhaps, just perhaps, they are not getting the constant warmth they need to germinate faster. Once you have a constant warmer temp in the GH, then they will start coming up. I start mine indoors in Jan/Feb because our season here is short with most daylilies starting to emerge in late April to early May and bloom season is not in full swing till late June to early July. Starting mine indoors helps me get them out in the garden by May and hopefully have some blooms the following season. I use water and peroxide mix, put the seeds that have been refrigerated for at least 3 to 4 months into the solution (little clear cups)and let them sit on the counter till I see the white nub appear. No bottom heat when they are soaking . I really think some seed crosses just take longer given my recent experience with the RR X SM cross. I love doing this in the winter. I like seeing the green indoors when it is cold and snowing outside :-). I envy you having a greenhouse. Wish I had one. Just as a side note, I've typically started well over 200+ daylily seeds indoors but this year, I've scaled way back. I'm planning on starting my vegetable and perennial seeds soon so these guys better get off the heat mat soon. Julia This post was edited by juliany on Sun, Feb 24, 13 at 21:08

I'm way behind thanks to a hectic Summer full of classes and really hoping I don't fail miserably for the Fall planting because of it. I just started seeds for all of the following and since it's a first time for me and I'm running late on some, praying they work out. Muskmelon - Edisto 47 Watermelon - Crimson Sweet Watermelon - Sugar Baby Eggplant - Black Beauty Corn - Sweet - Silver Queen Pepper - Cajun Belle Hybrid Pepper - Hungarian Wax Pepper - Blushing Beauty Hybrid Pepper - Jalapeno M Pepper - Long Red Slim Cayenne Pepper - Serrano Pepper - Early Sunsation Hybrid Cherry Tomato - Super Sweet 100 Cherry Tomato - Sweet Million Tomato - Solar Fire Tomato - BHN 640 Tomato - First Prize Tomato - Ball's beefsteak Tomato - Beefmaster Tomato - Super Beefsteak Lima (bush) Bean - Fordhook 242 Snap (pole) Bean - McCaslan Southern Pea - Mississippi Silver Brocolli - Waltham 29 And I'm debating on starting the lettuce.. have some Tom Thumb and Capitan Bibb Butterhead type