Go for it. My collard, kale, and musturd seeds are still viable after 5 years. My green been are not, My watermelon seeds were 4 years and they came up great. If they don't come up, go buy new seeds

I had a really hard time finding out the name of this plant. I just bought one like it at Garden Gate Nursery in Gainesville, Fl. Garden Gate said it was a Torenia. After I came home I did a search. Its full name is Wishbone flower Torenia fournieri. It makes such a beautiful flower. I recommend Garden Gate.

I'm very sorry, I should have thought to check your profile; however, most people don't seem to be in the habit of posting their locations there when they don't include it with their zone, or omit it from their question. It's also unfortunate that the agricultural agencies in California aren't responsive to people. If you want California-specific advice, you might try a California gardening forum. This one doesn't get enough traffic to pull in very many Californians, generally. The Florida connection happened in my mind because you mentioned the sandy soil -- this is a prevalent issue in parts of Florida and it is associated with nematode problems, which can be controlled through the (repeated) addition of organic matter. In that hot climate, soil organic matter is decomposed at a break-neck pace, so adding more of it regularly is necessary to obtain its benefits. In your cooler climate, I'd think you might be more lucky, if nematodes are indeed a problem for you. Your problem may be one thing, or several things, and if you can't find an answer from someone else you might just have to experiment a bit, or look harder. I understand your frustration, but snapping at those who try to help is not generally a productive exercise. Please try to be patient.

Thank you, Phoggie! I'm in southern Ohio. It's a matter of conservation--of natural resources, and my financial resources. ;) My bedroom is in an addition that can easily be closed off, and since I don't spend much time in it during the day, I don't bother to keep it warm. Also, I've read that one sleeps better in cooler rooms. I really don't notice the cold before I drop off to sleep. If I happen to wake up cold during the night, I can push the button on the mattress warmer, for a little shot of summertime. If I, or someone else in my family, needed warmer temps because of illness, I'd crank up the thermostats. My parents kept the house we grew up in on the cooler side, --that's where I learned to dress in layers. We didn't have air conditioning, either. jemdandy's story sounds very familiar. When my kids were younger we used to camp out in cold weather, often when snowflakes were flying. Those days are definitely over for me!