Tom - Throw away what you know of growing tomatoes from seed indoors under lights--it doesn't apply to WS. I WS tomato seeds in milk jugs March 28, set them out in the snow and essentially ignored them (other than peeking inside to look for sprouts). I saw my first sprout April 29. I'm guessing you could bump that back a week or two in Z7 and sow around the middle of March. I haven't done squash or peppers but from what I recall, squash grow so fast WS might be impractical but I'll let others comment on their experiences with those.

From my experience, winter sowing tomatoes doesn't give you earlier fruit--just stronger, healthier plants. I purposely WS tomatoes with short DTM (days to maturity) because my growing season is shorter here in New England.

I wouldn't say WS tomato seeds take longer to germinate; they simply germinate when the combination of temperature, hours of daylight + moisture level triggers their genetic code the time is right. Starting them indoors under lights artificially triggers that code. Unlike their WS cousins, plants started indoors also must be "hardened off" gradually to fluctuating outdoor temperatures. My WS tomato seeds that sprouted on April 29 didn't need hardening off because they were already accustomed to the variations in temperature--including frosts--until our last frost around the middle of May.

You could always experiment--WS some tomato seeds but also start some indoors under lights and track your results through the growing season/harvest. Then you'd have the data that would support whichever way works best for you.

The thing you have to accept about wintersowing, is that your seeds will be vulnerable to the whims of Mother Nature. You can't always predict when they'll germinate. Everyone gets some exceptionally cold wet springs, and everyone gets some warmer drier years too. Sometimes your toms will sprout March, or it might be April.

The longer you wintersow (i.e. # of years) the better the feel you get for how things will do for you most of the time. I've learned not to sow tender things in winter- they can too easily sprout in an early warm spell only to succumb to the later return of cold weather. Try to follow what others in your area do, but learn to accept the fact that some years will be different from others.

Karen

Tom,I started mine in zone 7 March 1st planted out May 1st,1st Tomatos July 8th still picking tomatos Oct 1st

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let me say also,the year before I started out in feb. planted out beginning of May.First toms 2nd week of July.I guess it really doesn't matter how early you put the seeds out.they will germinate when they are ready.The year before I didn't do too many wintersown plants,I was a doubting Thomas and I bought store bought plants also and I will say that the wintersown ones way surpassed the storebought ones after it was all said and done.This year I only used wintersown plants.I am no longer a doubting Thomas on wintersown tomato's and peppers

thanks for the great encouragement, and info. I wasn't really doubting ws tomatoes. I just thought maybe if sown to early the seed might rot. I don't do the inside light thing. But I do believe in all you ladies and guys that have already have the experience in ws. I believe when in doubt, ask the pro's! I sure couldn't do this without gardenweed and all the rest of you. I have already learned so much on gardenweb.
thanks to all
Tom

As winter gets closer, you'll start seeing posts by worried newbies asking questions and questioning how WS can possibly work. Once you have a year of WS experience under your belt, you'll no longer wonder why it's a USDA-sanctioned method of growing fruits, vegetables, annual & perennial flowers, shrubs, grasses, trees--just about anything--from seed economically in an environment-friendly way. Stick with us and we'll walk you through it one step at a time. It won't be long before you're posting pictures of your own successes for the next crop of newbs.

I didn't mean that you were a doubter,Tom.I meant I sure doubted it my first year,I thought there was no way I could grow a tomato from seed started outside while still winter,in a soda bottle, that would produce a tomato before September.but I took the leap of faith and glad I did.I hope you have a great short winter and that you enjoy wintersowing as much as I have.
Tom Va

All of you have been a great help here. I now am feeling more confident about this. I know there will be mistakes on my part. Nothing is ever 100% a sure thing. but if I just get 70% germination I will be happy. gardenweed, you "had" to have been a cheerleader in high school! you know how to get a person feeling like he can do it! lol
tomVa. You can sure be proud of those tomatoes, and the little gentleman holding them! I think ws is kinda like going to school, we are taught the basics, and how every thing works, but we will also have trial & error's.
I am sure I will have many questions come this winter. I am also attending a plant/seed swap this month on the 15th. it is the middle tn. plant swap at Henry Horton state park, and I believe they will have a speaker there concerning ws.
I really do thank every one here for all the help and support
thank you again
Tom

Yes Tom, I was a basketball cheerleader at my high school and a chorus girl in college musicals. My parents were glass-half-empty (with good reason) while I was always glass-half-full. When I first stumbled across this forum, I sat back and read about winter sowing with a growing sense of excitement. I quick grabbed some recycled aluminum salad tins, WS some seeds in no more than 2 inches of moist potting mix and set them out behind my garage in November. As the chilly days and weeks went by, I read previous threads about winter sowing--on the solstice--as well as the information Trudi posted on wintersown.org and it wasn't long before I discovered the milk jug mantra. I dashed outside, grabbed the salad tins, transferred the seeds to milk jugs and recycled the salad tins! Those dogwood trees are now 3 ft. tall.

Many of my neighbors are avid gardeners so they were amused and skeptical when I told them about winter sowing. One neighbor got a kick out of bringing me recycled gallon milk jugs from the town landfill once a week so he could laugh when I filled them with potting mix & seeds and stuck them out in the snow. Last week he brought me a dozen apple seeds to winter sow from the tree that grows behind the town hall because, he said, "they're delicious apples and nobody eats them." He actually tried winter sowing but insisted on using his own garden soil. Did he have success? Not so much.

My daughter is a gardener and she has beautiful, healthy perennials. Last year she called and asked me a bunch of questions about winter sowing, mostly why it's better than growing under lights or planting seeds in garden dirt. I answered her with the information available on the wintersown.org website. Her husband built her a greenhouse but after a single season she's convinced winter sowing is the best way to grow perennials, vegetables, etc. Do I envy her lush, gorgeous garden beds + yummy veggies? You betcha!!!