I'm not actually sure what you are planning on doing. It's too late in the season to be planting anything outdoors for most of the country, if that is what you are thinking of doing.

Just keep the seed 'til the proper planting/seed starting time. For most things, germination may be slightly less - but most seed is good for several years if properly stored.

I appreciate the response.

All the packets say "... direct sow 6 weeks before a hard frost." i.e. put them in the ground for winter stratification, if I'm reading that correctly.

That's what I was wondering if anyone does, and/or has had success with germination? I have only with yarrow seeds I'm using as a lawn replacement, and that's hit or miss.

Ah, I see. What are you trying to grow? We need to know that before we can come up with any ideas. I assumed you were talking typical garden veggies. So much for making assumptions, LOL!

Or try Winter Sowing your seeds this winter. It is a hassle free sowing method that yields tremendous success.
How is it done?
1. Sow seeds in good potting soil in a deep container such as milk jugs, salad containers, 2 liter soda bottles, etc.
2. Cover the container to protect the seeds from downpours but make allowance for light, drainage and ventilation.
3. Set the container outside through the winter.
{{gwi:249512}}

The seeds will germinate when the temperature is right. The seedlings do not grow as big as those you buy from garden centers, but they grow fast and healthy.
This is Petunia 'Laura Bush' 3 weeks after transplanting:
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6 weeks after transplanting:
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10 weeks after transplanting:
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Check out the Winter Sowing forum. You will be pleasantly surprised what you can grow with this method. It is easy, no fuss, ho hassle.

Lovely, but no thanks. I've had nothing but miserable failures, which is why I gave up on seeds. If I couldn't make it winter sowing, it wasn't going to happen.

The one thing I never tried was just sticking them in the ground.

I've never done that either, at least not with anything that wasn't a cover crop. My concern would be heaving out of the ground due to freeze/thaw cycles.

Starting in flats indoors doesn't have to be awful. I've done it for years without heating mats or complicated processes, sometimes even without fluorescent lights (though I wouldn't recommend that last).

If you could tell us about your failures, maybe we could help turn that into success.

I would suggest you till your soil, in the area you intend to sow your seeds & then rake to a very fine tilth.
You still may have time to get your 'six weeks before frost' seeds sown safely.
A light frost for a few hours generally isn't harmful. A hard freeze, of more prolonged duration, can be destructive & damaging to newly germinated seedlings.

Make sure you keep your sown areas continuously moist, by setting your hose nozzle to a fine mist spray & don't allow the surface to dry out, until at least some time after you get a fair amount of germination. This may mean, twice a day. Failure to follow this procedure, is probably why people that sow directly onto the soil, do not have success with this method.
It's much like starting a brand new lawn from seeds & you don't want water run off, by excessively prolonged watering, either.

As for the suggestion of "sowing in spring", many can be sown, before the last 'light frost', & still survive, while allowing them to get off to an early of a start, as possible.
Of course, this advice is all provided without really much more to go on, than simply having specified hollyhocks...

I'm sorry. I guess no one has direct sown seeds as the packages indicate.

I'm not looking for germination.
I'm looking at seeds that would normally have to be in the fridge for several weeks, or the ones you nick.

I'm just going to follow the directions, since they probably know what they're doing.

Thank you all for your time.