Deb, I have already done some of my hardier annuals. such as the Garden Balsam, Salvia Coccinea and a few others. I will start doing more probably later this week. The more tender annuals and tender perennials I will do the 3rd week of March.

Penny

I've already started and most (if not all) of my hardy and half-hardy annuals are out--at least the ones I know are h or hh. I'm waiting for dahlias, salvias, torenia, and zinnias. That's good to know that Salvia Coccinea is hardy...I will have to go through and see which ones are of that variety and put them out first.

I did all mine in February and they've been frozen ever since (the seeds that is, no sprouts). I'm doing most of them indoors too, just in case... :)

tastefullyjulie
I've got lots of sprouts on the Freesia I'm sowing indoors...I have to WS a batch for comparison (gonna soak them first then put them out around the 3rd week of March).
Once again, I've just about given up on the Impatiens Wallerina. Darn things.

I just started sowing my hardier annuals last week, and I'll probably put out the rest this week (zinnias, salvia, portulaca, a few others). I've got all my WS containers on a stone patio in full sun by a stone wall, so it stays a little warmer than the rest of the yard - a handy microclimate, so I'm going to take the chance and sow now. I've got birds singing their spring songs all around me, so I'm hoping they know something I don't. My daffodils are practically leaping out of the ground, and even my oriental lilies are starting to sprout near the house. Even if we get another snow, it's still spring in my mind.

Laurel

Thanks for all the imput. I think I'm going to get the rest of my containers out there 2 weekends from now.

Wasn't yesterday heavenly for doing some garden cleanup??

~Deb

I am waiting until after this next cold snap to do the more tender plants although I did do a few of my tropicals inside this year like bat faced cuphea and cuphea ignea and some South American Salvias and lantana. The South American salvias are up now I am waiting on Lantana and the cupheas. I also rooted a dozen fushia cuttings so they are ready to go. In fact i will put those puppies outside today since it is going to be so warm. Still have LOTS of seeds to winter sow.

Penny

I hear you, Penny. I just looked at the accu-weather 15 day forecast. It's going to be kinda chilly out there for what I have left to sow (Zinnias and annual Salvias)
I keep thinking "Get going, girl", and then I look at the weather forecast and feel justified for sitting on my hands.

But, my Freesias seedlings are up. I'm just about ready to soak another pack of Freesia seeds and WS those (to compare results). I also have Ranuculus and Dble Freesia bulbs starting indoors and one of the "R's" has little sprouts!
Then, I went to Lowes yesterday and they had their bulbs in the foyer. So I bought Calla Lilies and Cannas. I think I'm starting those indoors too...at least some of them.

I still haven't done my zinnias or my salvia, or my morning glories or the lone packet of verbena plaintively calling to me from the bag of seed packets in the kitchen. I'll wait another week or so for them -let's see how much of this cold weather actually comes to pass. I did get brave (foolhardy?) and sow portulaca and some annual ornamental grasses today. (I just HAD to sow SOMETHING!! So I taught my 4yo daughter how to winter sow, with bunny tail grass, and acorns collected from our favorite parks. Then, since I had already made a mess of the kitchen, I went ahead with the portulaca and the pennisetum. Oh, who am I kidding, I just wanted to play in the dirt!)

Laurel

This weather is really starting to make ME hesitant!
I did my portulaca already...I do have one pack of one variety left, but I'll probably save it for next year anyway.
I want to sow my Zinnia's, but their talking 4 degree windchills. And this year, it seems I can't rely on snow cover.
I did my annual grasses a couple weeks ago. I did hold seed back on all but one of them so I could do a second sowing when it got a little warmer--when is THAT going to be?
I'm getting a little concerned only because I'm running out of room inside. I have tons of seedlings that I was hoping to start hardening off at least by mid-April. Guess that was too-wishful thinking ;-)

lblack,

Do you normally start to harden off your indoor sown seedlings so early? I was actually thinking about this last week, because I usually wait until mid May but thinking I could probably start throwing them out earlier. Do you bring them inside for really cold nights?

~Deb

lblack
I am running into the same problem as you. In fact this year I have resorted to doing a few of my very tender tropicals inside which I have never done before because I just can't wait any longer to start some of these seeds. As for hardening off the inside sown seedlings, mine will go out whenever we have days that are around 55 or 60 and then I will bring them in at night or cover them if the temps get too cool. I have already been doing that with my cuttings that I rooted. I put the containers on the porch in a protected spot and let them soak up some fresh air and sunshine for a few hours.

Penny

I'm going to ws my annuals next week if the weather gets better. I have sowed somethings inside, peppers, coleus, etc. gona try some onion seeds for the first time. I have seedlings in all my sunny windows, hoping they don't get to leggy.
I only have pern. ws so far.