Well, there are cold frames to consider. Put into a sunnier place in the garden, you can often start things much earlier without having to worry about it. You can build one with old bricks and old windows, or even lumber and such. Or, you can get a nice one from a garden catalogue that might suit you.

We had great success with building a cold frame with strawbales (laid down on their long sides) and woodframed heavy duty plastic "windows" laid down over the top and held down with rocks on the corners. You can also create a slope for the windows by laying the front bales down flat and then placing your seed flats inside. The straw is a wonderful insulator and works really well. We found that the best width was only one bale, saves your poor back from having to reach too far over. Basically, you are creating a long rectangle, make sense? Pretty low cost too. Good luck. Kat

I start all my seeds by winter-sowing. As a matter of fact, it was so successful for me, that is how I got into selling at market. I have no greenhouse and do not start a single seed indoors.

My market does not start until July, so I do have more time than some to grow things, but by the same token I do grow stuff for my own garden that blooms earlier.

Check out the WSing forum for more info.

Good luck!
:)
Dee

Here is a link that might be useful: WSing FAQs

When I ordered plugs I would often pot them up and sell some...the profit was enough that the plants I kept where free.
Jan

With limited amout of space for grow lights in doors, you are limited to:

1. Building some sort of hoophouse/greenhouse.

2. Buying plugs

3. Winter sowing will work for perennials not annuals that will die with the first frost.

4. Call a local greenhouse or nursery and see if they will grow them for you. I have done that for years. Buy the seed and pay them $8 to $10 a flat for a 72 tray or smaller. Cheaper then headstart/yoder/raker etc..

Bryan

I winter-sow everything - perennials and annuals. I have no choice, as I don't have a greenhouse or room indoors.

Unless you have a greenhouse, or other season-extending coverage, annuals will die (more or less) with the first frost anyway. The OP was asking about how to start seeds/plants, not how to prolong the season in fall.

I stand by my recommendation of winter-sowing, if no greenhouse is available. Often, winter-sown plants are somewhat hardier than indoor-sown plants also. I often have annuals blooming well into November here with no protection (and thanks(??) to changing seasonal patterns).

Just another option to consider.

:)
Dee

Hey, thanks all!! I am working on building some cold frames although I have to say I am skeptical about it. I am afraid of with this wacky weather I will either fry the plants or freeze them. But I guess I gotta try.
Dee-thanks for the idea of winter sowing. Strange, that had never even crossed my mind...I have a degree in forestry!!! :)
I think I'll give that a try. If one of your annuals comes up and a frost comes along what do you do to prevent everything from dying?What do you grow?
Bryan and Jan-I am coming a bit closer to putting some money into plugs.

Thanks to all again!

blaithinbeka, the seedlings are in containers outside, so they are pretty protected from frosts. Last year was the first time in 5 years of winter-sowing that I felt I had to add extra protection. So I went out and covered the containers with some blankets for a few nights when we had some unusually cold nights in early spring. But other than that, I've never had to worry about it.

Often times, the greater concern is that you open up the containers in time so they don't fry.

Here are some of my containers from last year.

{{gwi:619603}}

Dee

Oops, just saw the second part of your question, beka.

I grow a lot of stuff! From my sowing records last year:

acrolinium
agastaches
ageratums
alliums
alsstroemeria
alyssum
amaranthus
ammi
snaps
aquilegias
armeria
asarina
asters
baptisia
berlandiera
brachycome
bidens
calendulas
carthamus
celosias
centaureas
centranthus
chamomile
chrysanthemums
coleus
coreopsis
cosmos
craspedia
dahlias
delphiniums
dianthus
didiscus
echinaceas
emilia
euphorbia
feverfews
gaillardias
geraniums
gerberas
gilia
godetia
gomphrenas
heleniums
heliotrope
heteropappus
impatiens
kales
knautia
larkspurs
laurentia
liatris
lisianthus
lobelias
lupines
marigolds
mimulus
monarda
monopsis
morning glories
nasturtiums
nigellas
ornamental cabbages
osteospermum
petunias
phacelia
phlomis tuberosa
phlox
platycodon
primula
ratibida
rudbeckias
salpiglossis
salvias
scabiosa
statices
sunflowers
sweet peas
tithonia
tradescantia
venidium
verbenas
veronica
zinnias

vegetables

Sorry, I know the list is long, but I wanted to give a good idea of how many things can be winter-sown. Some things do better than others, or at least do better than others in some years, but overall I've had great success with this method.

Hope this helped!
:)
Dee

Okay, me again with one last thing....

I mentioned it above, but want to repeat this as it is important depending on how and when you sell, if you do sell.

With winter-sowing, you will not have early plants as you would with a greenhouse. This can make spring sales difficult with this method.

If you are growing for yourself, that won't be a problem. For me, again, my market opens late, so I don't need to worry about this. I do sell some bedding plants early in the season, apart from my market, but I sell them as "seedlings" and tell people that the plants will indeed catch up.

If you are looking to grow for early season sales, this method might not be for you. (But gosh darn it, it's so much fun during the winter to do this, you should try it anyway!)

Okay, I think I finally said all I need to, lol!

:)
Dee

blaithinbeka, many people in different countries with snowy winters use cold frames to get an early start. You can add straw or hay or even old blankets and hopsacks and such to cover the cold frames for a day or two if the winter and night temperatures are that bad. Otherwise, you cover them at night in the event of snow, and remove the coverings during the day for an hour or two for ventilation and any necessary watering. It works; beleive me. Winter sowing might work for you with some plants, but not all. Also, paying a nursery $10.00 a flat rather defeats the purpose, in my opinion, of raising things on your own. You only buy a rake once. Still, it is for a short time so if that works for you, then fine.

Haha..thanks Dee. Im gonna give this a try because, like you said, it looks fun. I have all kinds of seeds that cant go in the ground until after the last frost, such as poppies, so what do I have to lose.

Yes, I do need some early summer blooms but Im working on cold frames now and I cleaned out my cellar so I should be able to get 6 or 7 flats down there started.

Thanks again

You are welcome from me, too. :).

Sorry hopflower, didn't mean to leave you out. Thanks so much for your help as well. All the ideas were great....I'm so glad I came across this group.

I wintersow all of my perennials and annuals. The way to do the annuals and not have the tenders die in the frost is to plan to sow them a bit later - I do mine in beg March - and I've never lost one seedling - In fact, I end up with TOO many!(PS if there is a surprise drop in temps in March, I can easily put the really tender seedlings either in unheated garage or lightly cover with a frost blanket).

Carrie

Ok, I'll throw in my 2 cents worth of decades of sowing and growing without a heated/cooled greenhouse.
For perennial flowers: Winter Sowing for me has been the best method, hands down. No worry or hassle with stratification. I am even over the need to check containers every week after sowing for germination and wonderment of survival, lol! I make my own plugs using plastic bathroom cups with a slit on the bottom.
Annual Flowers: Spring Sowing like Winter Sowing for Zinnias, Sunflowers, Marigolds, Petunias, Tithonia,Alyssum, Verbena, Dahlias, Coleus and Blue Fescue. I have tremendous success for the "growing on" period that was a real juggling act previous to this method. The Spring sowed annuals I use aluminium baking pans, slits on bottom, Clear lids, slits on the lid, by April when the lids come off, I put another baking pan without slits under the pan so I can bottom water. I can keep annuals growing on these containers well into late planting dates of June.
If we get a frost warning when the annuals are small either lids on or off I use old sheer curtains over the containers.
I can't explain the odd looks I get from yard salers selling old sheer curtains when I tell them it doesn't matter the color, size a rip or a stain, I am using them for plants!
Yet, old habits die hard. I still have my heat mats, thermostat and lights on shelving.
I start all my maters, eggplants, peppers, geraniums and impatiens this method. I don't think a lizzy or geranium would flower in one season if I Ws'd or Ss'd those.
Agreeing with Dee, about the earliness of plant sales using these methods over a greenhouse arrangement. Last year I gave a dozen zinnia plants to a neighbor who loves them. She was given a greenhouse zinnia by someone else at the same time, my plants weren't flowering at that time, but they did out preform the greenhouse one season long. I also noticed last year that the ws'd and ss'd plants generally didn't look shaggy and worn out by August compared to the greenhouse plants I knew of driving by houses.
Our big fair is the last week of September, my Dahlias took second place for the first year entering and Zinnias took first place, plus I made arrangements up until November. I use the sheer curtains in the fall for frost protection when needed.
Ok, I am off my soap box, lol