I did some of my veggies a month ago or more. Did the tomatoes in late Feb and they're just now sprouting so it's not too late. I direct sow cukes and zucchini so I wait till mid-May when last frost is past. Herbs can be seeded now, too. Just did my basil, dill and cilantro a couple weeks ago and they're coming up now. My peppers aren't showing a bit of life, yet, though.

Caryl

I have not grown coleus but my understanding is that the seedlings damp off easily. Maybe someone with more experience will chime in.

Lemongrass is a tropical plant which loves heat and sun so you might wait on that one. I grew some last summer, not from seed but from a stalk I bought from an Asian market.

i haven't started any of my annuals or veggies yet either. i will probably be starting those sometime this week. with a frost date in late may, i thinks it's just too soon, especially with this weird weather we've been having this spring. i bet you're safe on those. as for the things that need cold stratification, i'm too new at this myself to have any clue. how long will your cold weather last? i'm not sure, but people who put their seeds in the fridge for stratification have their seeds at 38-40, so i would think if you are guaranteed temps at night like that for the next 3-4 weeks, you'd be okay? that's just a guess. i took a weird leap of faith last week and sowed a few things that wanted stratification and crossed my fingers that the nights would be cold LOL good luck!

I'm in Wisconsin, too, and I have just started my annuals. This is the time that I do veggies and annuals like morning glories, zinnias, marigolds, nasties, cosmos, and so on.

Wet flakes of snow are falling as I type, but I know my annuals are okay because they won't pop until we've got 50s-60s consistently during the day. I keep a row cover and old sheet handy to throw over my annuals once they sprout because it can easily drop to the 30s through the middle of May.

I have a packet of tomatillos I'm going to sow today and tomorrow. Sowing annuals helps chase away the intense irritation I feel about the ongoing cold weather we are having here in Wisconsin. Ack. :)

cheers,
Norabelle

Wow, thank you so much for all of your help, I appreciate it! The weather has truly been nasty these last 2 days in WI...it's sleeting right now as I type this, and I had to turn the heat back on in the house yesterday. (It wasn't a very nice birthday for me yesterday, weatherwise,...my 50th...but luckily, my family loves me and celebrates even if the weather doesn't!)
Today, I will pick up some new potting soil and get it wet so that I can "spring sow" this week!