First, daylilies are not bulbs - they are fleshy-rooted perennials that are incredibly tough and hardy and can be planted anytime of year the soil is workable. Not all iris are bulbs either and many varieties can be planted similar to the daylilies. Most true bulbs that bloom in spring need a period of vernalization to set roots and develop flower buds, that's why they are planted in fall. If insufficient vernalization is provided, they won't bloom, or at least not that first season in the ground. The pre-chilling of spring flowering bulbs in warmer climates achieves the same purpose. IME, January is pretty much the limit on when one can plant spring flowering bulbs and expect them to bloom that spring. And that may be difficult to accomplish in zone 5.....I'd imagine your soils to be pretty well frozen at this time of year :-) The other aspect is that spring flowering bulbs available for sale this late in the planting season tend to be leftovers and of lesser quality....the good stuff's already been sold! One needs to maintain dormant bulbs under proper storage conditions for them to remain viable and they simply don't last forever out of the ground. If you don't have any bulbs on hand to plant now, I wouldn't recommend searching any out. The combination of unsuitable planting conditions (frozen soil or snowcover), the lack of quality bulb sources and the lateness of the season will just serve to produce unsatisfactory, frustrating results. Wait until later when the soil is workable and the weather cooperative to plant perennials like iris and daylilies. And look for already started bulbs (in containers in leaf and often in bud) available at garden centers or other plant outlets when they come in season - February and March in my climate, perhaps a bit later in yours. Or wait until fall to plant the dormant bulbs for the following spring. And pretty much any spring flowering bulb will work in your climate. You just need to do some research on what are bulbs (corms, tubers, etc.) and what are really rooted or rhizomatous perennials.

About peppers - although my zone 10 is near San Diego. However, these peppers may be perennial for you as well. It was a bit frustrating because I planted quite a few this past year (around April 2009) - all were healthy - no problem growing them. The only thing is that they were sooooo slow to turn red. On the bright side, they finally did, and I am still harvesting peppers - would you believe! Although even tho slow growing, they kept a steady yield coming in. In a warmer climate, they probably would have "reddened" all at once. I grew - mainly the Anaheim - ancho type, which taste a lot like the green bells, without all of the problems growing them. I was mainly interested in making stir fries, dehydrating, powders, and Mexican dishes - not stuffing them anyway - so opted for them instead of the bells. Also grew Thai hots - (whew), which to me are even hotter than habaneros - (drying these for stir fries, powders, etc.). A few jalapenos - which I froze - after blackening skins, peeling and putting in citric acid and salt (for Mex-type dishes - taco fillings, etc.) Poblanos - used same as anchos. A paprika type - that I forgot name of - (for dehydrating and drying). Also some multi-colored hots that look like X-mas lights - forgot name. Still bearing strong, inspite of cold temps now. All of these plants were planted last year - around April - and I just cut them back - as they have new growth coming on now. I have never bothered to try to keep them perennial - (planting new plants when I set out tomatoes), but as you can see in our zone, you may not have to re-plant new ones -although I've personally not left mine in for a 2nd year's growth. They do, however, grow over a long period of time and are very hardy. My main reason for pulling them - is to make room for other things that I want the space for - as I grow year-round in small 4 x 6 ft. boxes - intensively. Probably more than you wanted to know but our warmer climates gives plants a longer lease on life - sorry to be so long-winded. Bejay

the issue is winter heave ... unlike trees/conifers/shrubs ... perennials need to get into the ground.. so they can GRAB HOLD .... before ground freeze ... its really a matter of day temps versus night.. for odds of success ... do not transplant if 100 degree days and 75 degrees nights.. just too much stress... but if night temps are getting into the 50 or 60's .. then then can recover from whatever the day temps are ... its all about getting some roots to grow .. to hold on.. a good blanket of mulch really helps .... I NEVER FERTILIZE IN MY Z5 AFTER ABOUT 8/15 ... we do NOT want lush vegetative ... GREEN .. growth late in fall.. we want the plant to harden off properly .. so dont get some bright idea that you can HELP your transplants with a heavy dose of fertilizer ... ken

Thanks, actually Sarracenia are a temperate species of cps, which means they have to experience a dormancy period to preform there best. Last year i left all of them outside in the pool, moved them to the center, cut there pitchers off used a fungiacid and filled the pool with pine mulch, with it covering 6+ over the pots too, and all these successfully overwintered in zone 5. Sorry to say my favorite plant S. fledgling did not survive, and some of the smaller vfts did not either, the only things you have to bring inside during the winter are...nepenthes, tropical sudews, mexican butterworts, heliamphora, cephalotus can be treated as a tropical, and few others.