Karen,
Have you truly sucesfully winter sown tomatoes? Have you noticed any change in fruiting/ first harvest date?
Do you want to race me
?
I wont buy anything bigger than a 6 pack and I won't pay more than $1.25 for it, and I won't put them out till June 1st which is 2 weeks past my last frost and I bet you dollars to doughnuts I get tomatoes before you do!
Basil is a pipe dream.
Cilantro, parsley and dill, absolutely. They love cold weather and shoot to seed as soon as it gets warm. I've never tried perennial herbs from seed;, oregano, lavender, thyme, rosemary are easier by layering but, Basil? No way. Not ever. Not until nights are over 55 consistently.. period.
