Wintersowing involves sowing outdoors in a covered vented container with drain holes. If you haven't seen the FAQs, I'll give you a link.

Welcome to the forum.

Karen

That's what I thought it meant when I discovered this forum, scattering on the ground or snow in winter, until I read some posts and the FAQ's.

Actually I've been meaning to try scattering certain seeds in winter in the garden where I want them and see what happens. The birds may not bother some of the smaller seeds, guess I'll find out.

I'm thinking of doing that, but directly into the soil. Make an impression in the soil with a milk bottle top half, then sow the poppy seeds onto that spot, and cover again with the milk jug top until the spring when the seeds sprout.

I'm sure the neighbors will think I'm off my rocker, but then, they're right!

Tammy, I don't know about the penstemon, but I've winter sowed it the regular way with great success.

If you've prepared some ground and partitioned it to keep pets and people out you have an advantage over sowing into unprotected and weed-bearing soil. My marigolds had staggered germination but I got almost two dozen from about 40 or 50 seeds. As the sprouts got their first true leaves I transplanted them around the tomato garden.

Seriously, if you're going to direct sow penstemon--which you can summer sow in containers--then first find seedling photos of the penstemon, print the photos and tape them to your wall because they have micro sprouts--penstemons have very tiny seeds. Knowing what the sprouts will look like will help you in identifying the seedlings once they begin to germinate.