Hi Lisa:
Please don't get so stressed about nature. I would advise you to go to Wintersown.org and have a look at the database there for your zone. It will give you guidelines for winter sowing a host of plants. Most perennials can be sown as early as Winter Solstice, as long as they get the freeze/thaw period they require. Hardy annuals which reseed can also take quite a bit of freeze/thaw. I was late last year and my Shasta Daisy, Hosta, Rudbeckia were not sown until April 5 and they did fine. In fact, I did most of my sowing in the period from March 2 to April 6. Most of the annuals were planted in April and I did fine. As for lettuce, I waited until the weather was warmer and planted on April 21. You can never be sure of success with Winter Sowing because nature is in charge and you never know what the spring will be like. Several times in Washington the cherry blossoms come out, and then there's a killing frost and they're all ruined. Last year we had a terribly rainy spring and my peppers and tomatoes suffered. On the question of poppies, I did not have success with them, but I think I planted them too late - March 9. Most people recommend starting them quite early - apparently they like a good period of freeze/thaw. I'm sure you will have some success, but just be patient and treat it like a great adventure and see how it turns out. Good luck!!

Thanks for the pep talk Northerner! I do visit both the FAQs and the Wintersown website regularly... I'm just hoping for more success this year. Last year I did have some wonderful successes but I had A LOT of things that didn't come as well (I don;t want to say failures since I had fun trying anyway). I'm just trying to make a few changes this year that may help to improve my chances. But I'm having fun doing it... wish I had more time to spend on it though. Thanks for the info. I will start my lettuce mid-April.

Thanks,
Lisa

Hi Lisa,

Well... I didn't start until about two weeks ago. Did a few containers, then held back when it got cold last week, and this past weekend put out over 100.

I find I get much better success when I start late February going into March. There's still lots of time for the cold to help out the seeds which need it since our last frost date is at the end of April or so. I still have a lot left to keep me busy for some time, including tender annuals which I'll do mid to late April such as Zinnias and Cosmos. Other hardier annuals I've sown already - Chinese Forget Me Not (Cynoglossum), Tagetes Marigolds, Alyssums, Lavateras, etc.

I've never had any success with poppies being winter sown in containers. On the weekend, I went in the gardens and buried some seeds under a bit of snow. They'll sprout where they want, but in the general area I want.

You should be able to winter sow Lettuce now. They are a 'cool' weather crop.

I know you will have better success this year! Chin up!

Nicole.

Speaking of successes and failures...last year was my first time wintersowing and almost nothing germinated. I did about 2 dozen 2L pop bottles. This year I switched to peat pellets in trays 72 pellets per tray and did 5 trays up and so far germination has been EXCELLENT. I'm not saying that the pop bottles didn't work... I'm just saying that some years may produce better results than others.

Columbine is one of the last to germinate so don't give up on it, whoever asked about it. If you get tired of waiting, just put your whole clump into the garden if all you have left to wait on is the columbines to germinate. Otherwise, just wait, it WILL come... :o)

Barb
southern Ontario, CANADA