So far I have had better success with my herbs surviving a freeze better than I have had perennials survive it.

Soapwort, mexican tea, dill, bronze fennel, virginia stock, rosemary, self heal, have all germinated and looking good. My stock is already growing its first set of true leaves and it germinated before a freeze not a frost moved in.

Take some soapwort to this class with you. I have never grown it before now but from all that I have read this little plant is a very useful plant. It blooms all summer and the leaves you can use to even wash your hair, I even think I read somewhere that a few seeds can wash a couple loads of clothes.

I'm a zone colder than you, but I would wintersow any of the following now:

Parsley - biennial, very cold tolerant
Sweet Marjoram
Sage - fast growing for a perennial herb
Oregano
Thyme
Cilantro
Hyssop
Chives - both regular or garlic

About the only herb I would definitely hold off on is basil. It sprouts so easily, and croaks at the first sign of frost.

I just recently did a talk on wintersowing at the Colorado Farm Show, and it was a great experience. Hope you enjoy yourself!

Bonnie

I agree with Bonnie. I do two kinds of chives, parsley, leaf lettuce, mint (in a container) thyme, hyssop, feverfew and then I carefully plan my basil. I also grow bronze fennel, dill and rue. I stopped growing cilantro because I can't get the timing right to have it ready when I need it to cook.

Have fun!

Thanks everyone,
you have given me many good ideas.
Carolyn - funny you mention soapwort - it reminded me that I got soapwort seeds in trade year before last, and they grew wonderfully.

Now I just have to remember where they are! (not the seeds - I mean where in the garden did I put these plants.) lol

ellen

I'm a newbie with cilantro sown on winter solstice. I'm much warmer than you so it's good to see posts from colder zones. My sprouts aren't that pretty but you are welcome to download & use any of my fuzzy pics you want. Or e-mail me & I'll send you pics with higher resolution. I have photographed my babies at several stages, but have had trouble getting camera to focus on what mattered!

Have you tried posting in the Herb forum? Might be some ws'ers there. Below is cilantro today 2/17/11.

{{gwi:355076}}


Here is a link that might be helpful: cilantro & my ws project.

Herbs are my favourite thing to WS, and i can never have enough of them.

Ive sown tons of herbs, all in early feb, in zone 5- and they did fabulously.

Agastache
Valerian
artemesias
alliums
chives
chamomile
cilantro
lavender
fennel
dill
celery
monarda
mints/nepetas
Oregano
Sweet majoram
rue
sage
rosemary
any Thyme
any parsley
feverfew

im sure theres more :P

thanks for more herbs to add to my list,
and for the idea of downloading pics-
what a great idea!
I will have to ask someone who is more computer savvy than me to help.
Definitely I should take some pics to the class- if one hasn't already done WS'ing, sometimes it is hard to believe it really works..