I would... only because Hippeastrum seed doesn't store well. You're lucky to get any germination at all after about 1 year of storage. The seeds are most viable when fresh, and since it takes anywhere between 2-5 years, or thereabouts, before you'll see blooms, the best way to proceed is planting the seed when it's fresh. If you're worried about the heat, start them indoors in a sunny window, and simply treat them as houseplants for a while... until next spring, even. Or, you could start them in a shady, but bright, area outdoors. Remember, Hippeastrum originates in various areas of South America, so the ancestors of our hybrid bulbs are used to a little heat at times. If you do a bit of poking around in this forum, you'll see that there is more than one way to grow and bloom these bulbs... I'm in zone 5, where summers are hot and winters are frigid. I grow my bulbs indoors, treating them as houseplants that require a lot of light. I keep mine in an east window, and I have supplemental lighting that extends the light several hours every day. I allow my bulbs to bloom as nature intended, which is normally in early spring, though a few will bloom in summer. In winter, they're usually resting. I start my seeds in a flat with regular potting soil, keeping them consistently moist (but not soggy), and when the little plants outgrow their flat cells, I pot them in little community pots of 3 or more plants per 4" pot. As the little plants grow into marble sized bulbs, I begin to allow the soil more drying time in between waterings... and soon, I'm treating them just like their adult counterparts. It takes roughly 2-5 years from seed to first bloom... 2 years would be with optimum conditions... though, you're probably looking at more like 3 or more years before a seed grown bulb will flower for the first time. There are too many variables to give an exact time frame, though the better you care for them and give them what they need, the shorter the time until bloom. I hope this helps you somewhat... if you have any questions or need more information, this is the place to be! The forum is slow right now, but it's kind of off season... in autumn, when the ordering of fresh bulbs begins, it'll pick right up, and good luck getting a word in edgewise then! ;-) Welcome to the forum... and yes, go right ahead and plant those seeds! Let us know how things go!

You can have as many of these leaves as you want for free. This tree dwarfs their house visually, its a problem of scale and proportion. People really should think more carefully before planting trees. Its a particular complaint of mine. Sometimes a single tree is preferable, for instance, not 4 or 5 different kinds and shapes in one front yard struggling for sunlight and fighting for attention. I like well chosen trees. I grow full sun loving SW native plants that need drainage, air circulation and have a mostly all gravel xeroscape with lots of prickly pear cactus, agaves, yuccas and native grasses mixed in that are not fun to clean out. These leaves are not my friend and I spend all winter cleaning them away and raking boat loads off the roof which has a parapet that holds them, so the gutters stay clear and won't leak in the house when it freezes. I haven't met a gardener or homeowner yet without some problem to put up with however. I wanted to add on the mulch question that snow makes an excellent mulch when its there all season like in Colorado. Here we experience a lot of very warm days alternated with cold dry windy ones. Mulch is a good way to protect the freeze/thaw damage and cold drying winds or freeze damage. Here it keeps the temperature from too great of a fluctuation for the plants. Our ground can get pretty dry in winter and warm up pretty hot in the sun and doesn't really freeze much except in shady spots, sometimes not at all. Mulch would be good here but maybe not necessary where you are. I have never had problems with rodents etc, and mulch. Plants always look nice, green and fresh when you pull it away in spring. I recommend some kind of protection. I have used thick polyester quilt batting on less cold hardy cactus and succulents because it wicks away moisture. It works great where you need something dry to avoid rot problems.

Update on the seeds I covered with boiling water, rinsed in cold water and placed between damp paper towels which were rinsed every day.. Eight days out and one of six seeds is swollen and has a root. The other five look the same as they did at the start. It seems that nicking the seeds, (I do it with kitchen scissors) allows moisture to enter the seeds more uniformly. With nicking, boiling water, sanding, etc. they will sprout faster, but given time and moisture they will sprout without treatment. Happy gardening!

I just recently watched a National Geo Wild program about domestic cats that actually demonstrated that even though there is the instinct to hunt in all cats that a cat from an outdoor farm environment will make a better ratter/mouser because it will have been taught to hunt by it's mother from a very young age. It was fascinating to watch her teaching them.