first.. they are not houseplants.. so no on that ..

second.. i z8.. you really dont know what winter is ... and bellflower can take my ground freeze z5 MI ... so dont heap your biases on a plant that probably wont care ...

if you can protect them in the ground.. then plant them as soon as nights are reliably in the 50s ... big stake you you dont step on them.. and screening so vermin dont dig them up ...

there is an old saying.. that you are not a gardener.. until you have 100 pots to plant every fall ... so with your one pot.. you are on your way.. lol ...

but dont love them to death.. trying to protect them from themselves... they are not children ...

ken

Thanks ken for the great advice, especially about planting in ground when nights are reliably in 50. I would like to get them in ground before winter, after reading it has long tap root and does not like transporting. There is still more than a month so hopefully they will grow a bit more and the bed will be cleaned and ready

In the UK, we often use a coldframe, to overwinter small seedlings or slightly tender plant (if no greenhouse is available. Something easily rigged up with a box and a clear lid (old window). Can be stashed somewhere out of sight and offers protection from winter rains and hungry mice. Or, put the seedlings into the ground and set up a cloche...which can be anything from elaborate basketwork to an empty plastic bottle.

Rosaprimula,

thanks very much! a cold frame will do. We have a discarded broken big fish tank by the shed, and I could utilize it for my potted seedlings and cuttings too.

With all the annuals still in the ground, it is still hard to plan ahead. I hope some of these can make to the ground in the fall.