I am looking forward to getting so many inside winter projects finally done this year. (I say that every fall) Decluttering, painting, closets, heavy cleaning of everything everywhere, along with windows, blinds cleaned and carpets shampooed. Yes. I spent last week redoing the bathroom. The house is old and I had already replaced the tub and tile surround. I finally got everything painted and finished. Well, except for the toe molding and a piece of tile behind the toilet. I grabbed some more seeds today during a walk. I got a native clematis that looks like confederate jasmine. Small star shaped flowers. It was covered in seed. I only got two small baggies full. I also got more datura inoxia. And I collected some seeds from a tree that looks like a butterfly bush, but there's no way a bbush gets 25 feet tall. These seeds are round instead of the normal pods. Tomorrow, I'll spend another day in the yard getting my leaves chopped up and spread over the new beds I'm building in the back yard. And Monday, I start putting new molding in the living room and stripping window frames getting it all ready for new paint too. I hope to be in the dining room by Wednesday afternoon. Ugh. The joys of working inside. I'd so much rather be digging in the dirt. Oh, I also got a sunken bed built from reclaimed concrete blocks which will be my hoop house cold frame in the spring. I'm not sure my body can handle this much productivity. No, I am not a hoe. But I have played one on tv. Designing women reunion show - Hoedown's in Atlanta.

Depends on what they are. Tender things just leave as is..hardy things can take some cold and be ok. Do you have them in direct sun or in the shade?

Hi, Christie I live in east central Mississippi, probably about 200 to 250 miles south of you (which can, of course make a difference). I have an unheated basement. I bought a set of plastic rubbermaid shelves, and some cheap Lowe's shop lights. Hung the lights under the shelves using chains and S hooks, plugged them into a power strip and a timer. (Run the lights 16 hours a day.) Presto! A lighted plant stand for less than $125. (Get the shelves that are deep enough to slide the flats into sideways and you'll be able to light up 3-4 flats per level.) In late summer, I take cuttings from my tender plants I want to save, get them rooted outside, and then overwinter them in the basement under the lights. I realize it may be too late in the season for you this year, but it's something to plan for next year, if you like this idea. All that being said, here are some things to consider for right now. In my area, Illustris Elephant Ears are one of the most invasive plants I have ever grown. I used to dig them and try to overwinter them, and would lose half of them to rot. Three years ago, I told them to "Just Die Then!" and didn't dig them. By spring, I had them EVERYWHERE, and running through EVERYTHING. (Do you have whole ditches full of the plain green ones in your area? If so, my money's on the Illustris.) Since that winter, they have been relegated to big pots that stay outside all winter, and have to be taken out (a solid pot-shaped mass of roots, mind you), divided, and re-potted each spring. If you are in doubt, bring in a few, and leave a few in the ground. And remember, I warned you. Lantana and Cape Fuchia are absolutely, positively hardy for me here, no matter how cold or wet it gets, as long as I don't cut them back until new growth emerges in the spring. I would think that you could mulch them heavily and get them through your winters, if you're not too far north of Memphis. With Salvias, the problem is not usually how cold it gets, but how wet it is in the winter. If I were you, I would take one clump in for insurance, and leave the rest of them standing, but do NOT cut them back. The standing stems seem to give them insulation and keep them dry. Be sure your winter mulch is pulled a couple of inches away from the crowns, and if it gets really soggy, pull it back further this winter. Plectranthus is as easy to root as coleus. Take some cuttings, strip off the lower leaves and put them into a glass of water. They'll root in a couple of weeks. Pot them up and put them in a reasonably warm, sunny window. They won't flourish, but they'll live. Then take them back outside when it warms up. Once they get growing, you can take more cuttings which will grow FAST throughout the summer. (In fairness, I have not grown the purple one you describe, but have grown several other varieties and all were equally easy to root.) Hope this helps! Donna

Many thanks to "drippy" for providing us with this important and valuable timetable. A Winter Sower's Calendar, or No Time For a Job September - Harvest many veggies & herbs (for fresh use). Harvest seeds from flowers and package for trade. Sow pansies early if not done in August. October - For cooler zones, final harvest of warm season veggies - save some seeds for sowing or trading. Pick herbs for drying or freezing. Freeze or can extra veggies (or give them away). Harvest more seeds and start trading. November - Garden bed cleanup time. Seed trade at a frantic pace. Get containers for winter sowing together, clean those that are re-used from last year (if not already done so). Make sure potting soil supply is adequate. December - Winter sowing begins! Seed trading continues. Seed catalogs start coming in - spend multiple hours going over them for "gotta haves". If you're not completely iced in, more garden cleanup ensues. January - Winter sow daily. Check December's winter sown containers daily. Order more seeds. February - Winter sow daily. Check December's and January's containers daily. Order more seeds, sell car to pay for them. Late February, look for signs of spring in early bulbs (crocus, e.g.). March - Do the happy dance when first winter sown containers show life. Survey what needs to be done to prepare gardens even after all the fall work, go have a drink. Sow more seeds. April - Check seed racks in stores for deals, new stuff to sow. Watch for spring blooming bulbs as they come up in your garden. Keep winter sowing. Start venting containers that are germinating. File taxes, pray for large return to pay for bad winter-sowing habit. May - might be time to start listing all those germinating containers - eek, what was in container number 476? Plant out any plants that are ready - lettuce for sure! and other winter sow successes. Exercise patience as majority of containers are waiting or just beginning to show life. June - Plant out. Daily. Hourly. Every minute. Ask yourself what you were thinking as there are still 345 containers to be planted. Survey half acre lot, vow to get a 10 acre plot by next year. Spring/summer sowing in full swing - good time to start perennials. July - arm-wrestle neighbors, cashiers, even family into taking last of plants. Consider calling Seedaholics Anonymous. Look around at beautiful garden, decide SA can wait. Very important - deadhead to keep garden blooming. August - enjoy fruits of your labor - flowers & veggies at their best! Stop deadheading as much, start collecting and packaging seeds for winter and trades. Consider getting a job to pay for bad winter-sowing habit. Scrap that idea, obviously not enough time to work! Thanks again drippy!