Which annuals can I put outside early?

I'm running out of room under my lights, and need to move some annuals in order to transplant some more of my flats. The question is which ones can I move early. None of them are ready to actually go into the garden yet. I don't want to plant until early to Mid May, but I need to make way before my little guys become rootbound.

Somewhere, I saw a quote from Suzy on moving annuals outside. This year, I started marigolds (they are almost ready to begin blooming), geraniums, thithonia, dahlia, vinca (cooler selection), butterfly weed (ascelpsias T & C), bachelor's buttons, lady in red salvia, calendula, blanketflower, spider mums, cactus zinnia, pinwheel zinnia, and a blue annual salvia.

The weather is turning colder again this week. I think it is going to be in the 50's during the days, maybe low 40's a couple of nights.

As long as you bring them in if there is a danger of frost,Geraniums,Butterfly weed,calendula.mums and the lady in red salvia can benefit by being outdoors.Any perennials (for your area) and cool season annuals do well in temps in the 40s and 50s.Make sure you put a screen over them the first day or two or they will get sunburned! I just lean a screen from our windows against the house and put them behind it. If you have a cold frame they can go in that and withstand temps in the high 20s to low 30s with no problem.
Good luck,they will get good and tough outdoors!
Gail

Golgi, That is such a good idea about the screen! Very timely, too! I was just thinking abbout all the plants I could move outside for today, but wondering how I would kep them from getting sunburned.

Penne, Here is a list, I'm not sure on some of them, but the others I have experience with. I took a look at your 10-day forecast and tonight is going to be too cold for any of them. Thursday and Friday they can all go out to play, though, as long as you use Golgi's sunscreen. LOL!

I'm not sure why you would want to wait until mid-May to plant -- isn't your Virginia weather gorgeous in spring?

marigolds (they are almost ready to begin blooming), Start hardening them off now. I looked at your weather; go ahead and plant them when they are ready.

geraniums, Start hardening them off now; go ahead and plant them when they are ready.

thithonia, -- wait. This likes heat and a lot of it! Start to harden them off so they are ready to plant out when the nights are reliably in the 60s.

dahlia, -- wait. This likes heat and a lot of it! Start to harden them off so they are ready to plant out when the nights are reliably in the 60s.

vinca (cooler selection), Not sure.

butterfly weed (ascelpsias T & C), Start hardening the perennials off now. Not sure on the annual, but I would treat it like a Zinnia based on how it grew for me last year..

bachelor's buttons, Start hardening them off now. Cool season annual, can take a LOT of cold...I had them planted last year and they flourished thorugh a week long freeze at easter.Plant as soon as possible

lady in red salvia, Start hardening them off now, but be sure to keep an eye on the weather. These are more cold-tempermental than others I have marked as ready to be hardened off.

calendula, Start hardening them off now. Plant as soon as possible. Cool season annual, can take a LOT of cold...I had them planted last year and they flourished thorugh a week long freeze at easter. Plant as soon as possible

blanketflower, not sure, but your bigger problem this time of year will be too much rainfall and not enough sun leading to crown rot.

spider mums- not sure, but if they are a hardy perennial, start hardening them off now.

cactus zinnia, wait -Start to harden them off so they are ready to plant out when the nights are reliably in the high 50s-60s.

pinwheel zinnia, wait - Start to harden them off so they are ready to plant out when the nights are reliably in the high 50s-60s.

and a blue annual salvia. Not sure, but they'd probably be fine to start hardning off now. One way to tell for sure is if the garden centers have them out.

On all the ones I say wait on, they would like to be outside in the sunshine if the temps are high enough, like this Thursday and Friday. Watch for sunburn the first few days or use a screen like Golgi suggested. Anyday the sun is out and it is warmer than they are inside is fine to let them out to play...I just find that traipsing up and down the steps with all my flats leads to gardener fatigue. :)

Suzy

to add to suzy's list-vinca should be the last to come out (at least for at night) and blue salvia is ok now-to reiterate from above-no frost or freezes on any of them.
I actually just bring them out without any protection from the sun-a few may show a little bit of sunburn on the leaves, but not much. But I am bringing them out from a grhouse where they get more sun than ones in the house, so that may make a difference in terms of shock from the sun. Also though, the sun is not as strong yet.

Thank you. You guys are wonderful. Suzy that was such an extensive answer, I'm sure lots of people will appreciate it.

I guess it's going to be time for me to exercise my muscles. Luckily, I don't have to do stairs to get outside.