Hi Pat, I live in Bryan about an hr. from Houston. I usually plant just like you would a vegetable garden. Sometime after frosts. I start my seeds in the house with a wet papertowel in a ziplock bag and let germinate. Then I plant them directly into the garden. I have tried them in the house and put them in pots but when I transplanted them they went through more of a shock than the other way. Its really hard to say when to plant them as El Nino has really changed things this year. We have hardly had a winter...Its really hard to say.... Hope this helps.. Rowena