christie---the FAQ list is for seedlings

Some that I have that are on the FAQ Hardy Annuals list:

Cosmos
Zinnias
Tithonia
Celosia
Cornflower (Bachelor Buttons)
Sunflowers

All of those could take a hard freeze unprotected if they've already germinated?

Hi Christie,

This website might help ya :)
http://www.wintersown.org/wseo1/index.html

Christie (or any other newbie) the plants listed above are NOT all hardy annuals. A few, like the sunflower and Bachelor buttons, might tolerate some frost, but Zinnias, cosmos, and tithonia are tender.

Martha

Hi Docmon,

What about ajuga (carpet bugle) and basket-of-gold?

Christie,

Your winter sown things should be in their covered containers, so they are protected.
Planted out or with out covers on the containers are called unprotected.
You do not need to worry about un sprouted seeds.

If its a brief frost/light freeze I wouldn't worry so long as the plants aren't touching the plastic cover. If its sustained cold it is iffy on those tender things.

If you've already sown them, and they've sprouted you can take your chances on leaving them out and see what happens. If you lose them, there is plenty of time to re sown.

If they've sprouted and you are expecting really cold temps longer than over night you can always move them indoors to a garage or really cool room. But only for a short while, other wise they'll get all leggy and weak, then you'll need to harden them off when temps warm back up.

You could try to move them to a covered porch and toss a blanket over them for a little while but only while its really cold. (below freezing)

This is the reason why we only sow hardy plants early and wait until later to sow the tender stuff.

The above is not set in stone, and people in different areas may have other experiences.

You'd be surprised how these little sprouts tough out short periods of really cold temps in their little greenhouses.
But really tender plants, just can't cope.

Depending on how many plants you have to be concerned about, you could also cover them with row covers if you are worried about cold or frost.
I did that one year when I sowed salvia too early (tender) and they sprouted in Feb! I kept row covers over them when necessary and let them get the sun when the temps rose. They made it, but it was a lot of work. So I agree with Melvalena- from now on, I do not sow my tender annuals til April. or March at the earliest.

I realize the plastic lids protect them somewhat from freezes but when I said unprotected, I meant without additional protection like blankets.
I've only winter sown perennial seeds so far this year and have been waiting on my annuals, which is what I do every year. I have five containers sprouting so far and I think they'll be ok even if it drops down into the single digits again since they're perennials. What I'm unsure about it whether any ANNUALS could handle single digits after sprouting with just the plastic lid for protection.

If you get the free Park Seed catalog it always has 2 pages of generic seed starting/plant info. It lists "class" (i.e. annual, half hardy perennial hhp needs heavy mulch or protected location where winters are cold) for each plant(i.e. clematis, celosia, astilbe). It's a nice reference.

Here is a link that might be useful: My blog