sowing early annuals

[MargeSimpson]

I've just been mooching through Alan T's  - The Gardners Year - October. He says you can sow some early annuals around now, sweet pea, poppies, cornflowers to name a few.
But you have to grow them under glass. I don't have a green house, so I was thinking of growing them indoors. Would they survive in a house over winter, with central heating and few daylight hours? Or would they just get too big and awkward before I could plant them out next year. I could move them to my mini greenhouse in Feb/March but I think one good frost would wipe them out.

I guess I am trying to get into a routine where every month I have something to do that will be of benefit in the future. Need to think and plan ahead.

[Kew]

Hello Marge, and I wish I had joined this forum a little earlier to catch your querie sooner.
Unless wer'e talking about a special variety of seed which would break your heart to loose....(not really, eh?) then sweetpeas can go in the ground from October...don't chit them. Poppies and cornflower, if you have collected your own seed from your own garden then feel free to scatter in way nature does. I love all of these flowers and would certainly put them in my top ten group...not only for their beauty but for their ease of growing. This is now January and a little late to be outdoor scattering although your sweetpeas will happy enough as they need to be a couple of inches under the soil. Poppies and cornflower at this time of year would do better sown under cover.
Any frost hitting your newly emerged sweetpeas might cause some damage but to be honest, they are hardier than the books say....get 'em in, Marge....you can only gain.

[JeanV]

I am no expert but you know it is all a question of timing. I used to live in Bolton and I often started seedlings inside to gain some time, so they were ready to go outside may onwards. You can always cover them with fleece outside, or even bring them in at night.  You could just put a box over them if you remember to take it off in the morning <g> which I never would I admit!

I would try some out but bear in mind if you get too far "ahead" you can end up with a lot of work <g>