Seeds needing cold stratification would be perfect candidates to start early. The winter solstice is sort of a social group activity thing, not a specific date you need to wait for. Most seeds I buy that need a period of cold give instructions on the packet to plant in fall or alternatively it indicates the minimum # of days needing cold if you want to do them in the fridge. Some more difficult seeds need the fluctuation and changes in temps from warm to cold to warm to meet the requirements for breaking dormancy. I have always sown seeds needing cold in fall and I prepare the pots or containers outdoors when the weather is still nice. Unless its very small seed or something that I only have a few seeds of, I often sow them in open pots that stay in the shade.

Hi there:) This will be my first attempt at ws. I've collected my containers and ordered my seeds. But I need to ask the more experienced: my seeds just arrived in the mail. How do I store them until I'm ready to sow in dec/jan? they are coneflower, gaura, and salvia. Fridge or just in a dark cabinet???

Hi TexasRanger, fluctuations my seeds should get! They will be exposed in their first week to temps from about 9 degrees F to the high of 55 being forecast for Sunday. I am worried about a late fall warm spell possibly leading to early germination, but that's not looking likely (at least for now). For the tiny seeds with which you're only supposed to press into the soil rather than cover, I was having issues with the seeds sticking to my fingertips so I just dropped them on top of the soil and let them be. Now I'm thinking of using the bottom of a glass to press them in. Wondering if others have a specific method for sowing the really tiny seeds?

Gardentherapy, I sowed purple coneflowers last year - under lights, not WS, but I ended up with three plants. I store all my seeds in a big shoebox in a cool, dark place in the back of the house. If you were planning to start them indoors or after the last frost you might have to stratify some in the fridge for a period of time (they usually put instructions on the packet if you need to do that as TR mentioned, or you can look them up online), but since they are going to be winter sown I don't think you would have to store them in the fridge for any reason before you put them outside (but I don't believe it would hurt them if you did).

Arlene, seeds I avoid winter sowing at all are tender annuals, vegetables or any seed that only needs 7 to 10 days warm temperatures to germinate. Down here that would be not only a waste of time but a sure recipe for failure because we have stretches of mild winter days with periods of very warm temperatures and very little snow.

I sow tiny seeds by picking them up with a barely damp finger and pressing them into the soil and then firm it gently down but I make sure its firm. I use 4" square plastic pots with snack bags on top, those fit real tight and are short enough to keep from sagging down on the soil. You can pick up the whole pot by the tight fitting bag. Its real easy to sow too thickly so I do these seeds more carefully than larger ones, those I just space out on the top and use a dull pencil to bury to the correct depth and then firm down the soil. Otherwise you end up with crowded seeds coming up in a solid mass thats a mess to deal with in spring and plants that are competing or need pricking out. For me, this is much easier than messing with milk jugs when sowing and even more convenient when transplanting. Each pot might have 4 or five plants which I just tamp out and divide in spring. These pots fit nicely into flats which makes carrying them easier and if they dry out, I simply set them in shallow water. Usually I only have to do that once or twice in winter. I keep them under our car port where it stays clean and cool on warmer days.

Its all a matter of what fits best for each person and their climate.

I just store seeds in a dark dry place in a box, not the refrigerator, especially not for fresh seeds that only need to be stored a couple months.

Do these count? It's only things that grow through the winter for us. Parsley, Cilantro, Peas and Nasturtium.

What I do for those tiny powdery seeds is sprinkle them on the surface, then take a large metal dinner spoon to press them in. I use a spray bottle with water in it to spray off any seeds and potting mix stuck the spoon over the container. That way my fingers stay clean and dry for handling the next set of seeds and I avoid transferring seeds from one container to the next on my hands. Then I can also use the spray bottle to wet and settle any additional potting mix i might add over larger seeds.

missymoo, yep, I think those count! I'm doing nasturtiums as well, but I don't know if they're winter-sowable here. I'm thinking I may wait until spring and direct sow.

molanic, I will be giving your technique a try with my next batch. Thanks!

Haven't started yet. Did not winter sow last winter, but
plan to this winter. Don't know which seeds yet except
echinacea's, and rudbeckia Indian summer. Will have
to see what seeds I get in the two swaps I participated
in.

Hi everyone :)

Well I am waiting till Dec 21st before I really get down to business but I did do a few containers of Peony seeds which I read need a Warm-Cold-Warm period to germinate so it is best to start in Fall. There are several seeds that require this.

I did I think 11 containers after today of Peony, both Herbaceous and Tree Ones...I am putting a lot of faith in these seeds and hoping for the best! Two of the containers I haven't actually done yet(lol as soon as I'm done on here) but I just got them yesterday from a fellow GW so fingers crossed that they still get the needed warm period before it gets too cold!!! :)

~michael
heavenlyfarm