Since they are hardened and ready to grow - don't let the small size deter you - they catch up very fast once planted to the stuff you see sold in stores. I love doing perennial plants this way. I usually have a nursery bed for my perennial flowers to let them grow and then transplant them into the area I want them to grow big in during the fall. The exception to this are the plants that develop tap roots - those need to be planted where you want them to expand.

The cost saving alone by starting plants this way compared to purchasing young plants makes it well worth the effort. For instance - lupines sell for $4.00 per plant. This year I've started these indoors (I have done the WS method with lupines many times and it works). Presently I have 30 seedlings. A packet of seeds was under $2. I've just saved $118.00. That's one packet of seeds.

Now that we are getting hit with this major storm this week, I've just hauled in 2 garbage bags of saved water/juice jugs I've collected all summer. They are clean and washed right away before I save them. I'm going to be winter sowing echinacea, daisies, lavender, hollyhocks, anise hyssop, delphiniums, foxglove to name a few. I don't have space to start these indoors. I know they will be successful from past experience. You can start lots of annuals this way too. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing those little babies wake up when spring fever starts hitting you before May long weekend.

I'm glad you are joining us. I'm sending you an email regarding seeds I can share - please keep an eye out for it.

Cheers,
McPeg

Jennifer - you will learn from your mistakes - I still do. You will learn from your successes. Each year your confidence will grow. If you see perennials growing in gardens around you, don't be shy if someone is working in the garden to ask if you could have some plant seeds when they are ready. Many gardeners love to share. Just make sure to bring the envelopes to put them in and label the envelope right away. Great way to build up trading stock for next year too.

I'm starting my winter sowing today - sweet william, jacob's ladder, perennial geraniium (not the ones potted up for sale in spring as annuals), shasta daisy, delphiniums, foxglove and echinacea...that's if I don't run out of dirt first.

Waiting for the storm that just went through Ontario to stop blowing snow drifts and the snowfall to stop before going to clean up outside. Today I made cornbread, froze yesterdays veggie/pea soup (made huge batch) and hubby is making white bread. Helps to not go stir crazy.

I hope everyone is taking care today!

Cheers,
Peggy

mcpeg,how are things going with you?

My list of WS is on the thread started by mcpeg "started today" (I think that is what it was called)

At a young age I was exposed to wonderful gardens tended to by my Grandparents & various other family members. Those gardens & the gardening knowledge of my ancestors were laid to rest long before gardening opportunities became an option in my life.
My childhood memories & the dream of someday tending my own gardens lead me here in search of the knowledge I needed to move forward.
To say the least, I was not an experienced gardener when I stumbled upon winter sowing... just a dreamer.

Most of my adult life I lived in city dwellings that limited my horticultural experience to pots & planters of various kinds. Some were indoors & some were out. All of the plants were bought.
My dream was big. I wanted gardens. Gardens with an ' s '. Big luscious gardens full to the max with flowers, foliage, fruit & food. The only way to accomplish this, aside from winning a lottery, would be to learn to grow from seed & raise all the plants that I desired.

It was here at Garden Web that I was introduced to winter sowing & where my evolution into becoming a 'gardener' took flight. The concept was first and foremost the most educational introduction to propogation I could have imagined. I credit this method with providing me the confidence to take on my big garden dreams head on and realize that with time, patience & a little 'sweat & tears' .... it could become a reality.

The generosity of fellow winter sowers provided me with many more seeds than I could have dreamed my first year. With more enthusiasm than restraint I sowed almost every seed sent to me. To my surprise ... almost every seed sown sprouted!! It is no exaggeration to say that I was over my head in sprouts... & amazement.

Being type A personality and having no experience, the 'hunk o' sprouts' method of transplanting seedlings didn't suit me. That first year I was planting WAY into the fall. And on top of it I had to make the beds to plant into as nothing existed here before in the way of gardens.
All the seedlings got planted individually and for various reasons not all those seedlings survived. Most of the failures were due to my inexperience. The failures taught me as much as the successes.

It's been 4 years now & winter sowing has become a mainstay in my gardening routine. Knowing now with experience how successful this method is I have been able to reign in my enthusiasm knowing that almost all that I choose to grow will be successful. I now spend the winter months playing with planting schemes on paper for the upcoming season.
This allows me to figure out colour schemes, light requirements etc and choose my seeds accordingly. Of course one can never have too much of a good thing so I routinely plant something more.

So say ... Good-bye ' Black Thumbs '.
Welcome to winter sowing! Cheers to your enthusiasm.
Wishing you many successes ... and remember... that there are lessons even in our failures!

KanuK