I have spread seed at all of those times, before snow, on top of snow and after snow melt. And there are so many "other" variables I cannot really make a comment on which method yeided better results.

Most prairie seeds "have" to be cold stratified in order to germinate. One can do this either naturally through winter sowing or artificially by refrigerating in a cold moist sand...

Yes. Last year I sowed on properly prepared bare ground (I sprayed three times during warm season) over a dusting of snow in Dec. and have had good results. Now is a good time. Best regards. Mike

Thanks.

no doubt that dormant seedings have better establishment rates imo. you dont want a thick pack snow but an easily melted snow. cold snow is a no-no. if you decide to use snow as a 'tracker' as to where you have already been, make sure the wind doesnt take it away.

if im trying to only establish a grass stand(no forbs), then i would round up in the early spring and immediately seed the grasses ~ when the maple trees open their flowers.

froggy

I did my winter sowing outdoors two saturdays ago. It has been a fairly mild winter but it's starting to get back down to normal winter temps now. Thanks for all of the advice. Hopefully, I will have some new plants to show for this in the future.

.....Or if your doing a small planting you can try the "wintersow" method we do at the wintersow forum. Wintersowing equals sowing seed into containers and kicking then outside.
I have both wintersown and direct sown prairie seed, but with wintersowing I have more control of placement of specific plants.

For more info....

Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Sowing FAQ

Vera, so basically u toss seeds into a soil containing flat in the fall and lay them outside thru the winter time?

i also do something simular...never knew there was a specific name 'wintersow' attached to it :)

i have a few spp that i have in my home yard that i lay a soil filled flats under the flowering plant thru the fall/ winter and pick them up in the spring to repot in other places. lets face it, it works and i got enough to do (tho mrs froggy calls it lazy).

froggy

That's it Froggy LOL! We just make little greenhouses out of recycled containers and toss them out the door...pop a few holes in for vents (if not using milkjugs) and drainage and voila!
Here some on January 20th...
{{gwi:1159829}}
Here are the same ones plus a few more added on January 25th...
{{gwi:1159831}}

Vera

Vera is correct. This is a lot better than leaving the seeds unprotected on or in the soil for birds and critters to eat.

Penny

I'll find out how successful I was sometime this spring I guess.

Bob....what you did will work fine. When I did it, it was broadcasted on the ground just before snow was forcasted for later in the day.
I don't know that the wintersow method is easier but it sure makes it easier to plan and place in a small area. Plus as Penny said it offers protection from hungry critters. Direct sowing works great too if it's done at the right time and manner and definatley is easier for a large area :D

So far as for wildflowers I have the following already sprouting in the jugs:
Aster laevis (Smooth Blue Aster)
Verbena hastata
Purple Prairie Clover
Canadanian Milkvetch

Still waiting on:
New England Aster
Rudbeckia amplexicaulis (Clasping Coneflower)
Liatris

Successful with Big Bluestem, Joe-Pye Weed and Milkweed.

I am both unlucky and untalented with seed but my hopes are still high. I did do well with seed I grew through a program at a greenhouse but the people at the greenhouse probably deserve a lot of the credit. I am hoping that the big rain we had did not move my seed too much. I think it ought to have stayed put at least in the main area where I put it as the area was pretty flat. I also just found out that two boxes of plant orders arrived for me so I am looking forward to getting those planted.

My guess is that your problem will not be that the seeds you planted don't germinate so much as that lots of other stuff, that grows faster, will germinate, too. Unless you've done one of those really, really, really good prep jobs. But even then, there'll be weeds, I think.

It depends on the size of the seeds. most really should be raked in. But tiny dust like seeds should be "planted" on teh surface.

CHeck out my propagation page on my website. also look at some of the restoration books i recomend for getting seeds started.

Here is a link that might be useful: my garden