@Morz8 and Dave (digdirt): Thank you -- this is, of course, very helpful... no freezing them. I think what I will do it sow 50% of each species now, and the other 50%: place in zip lock bags with vermiculite that has been moistened; leave at room temperature for 24 hours and then refrigerate until the first week of May; then sow. For the very few species that require a period of warm-stratification followed by a 3 month period of cold-stratification, I will keep in vermiculite for 2 months at room temp, then put in refrigerator for 3 months, then sow indoors and grow them in a green house for a year. Since I have a very small amount of GA-3.. enough to treat just a few ounces -- whereas I have 3.5 pounds of seed, would it be a bad idea to add this comparatively small and therefore dilute amount to the vermiculite so that there is a trace amount of GA-3 during the process of stratification. i.e. since I have it, since it will be a minimal amount, etc.? Thanks!

Can you tell me why the freezer won't work? I thought cold stratifying was mimicing a freezing winter. Actually, I don't know how cold our ground gets in winter, but I would think it freezes at the surface where seeds wait. Why woudln't the freezer work? BTW, I know the fridge would be just fine, but I still like to know all the details I can! Trudi, I had some Rose campion seeds and I was going back and forth between winter sowing and direct sowing. My garden is covered in mulch because of weed problems, otherwise I would have just direct sowed them. Thus the dilemma! I wanted to DS, but felt they needed WS, but was trying to use my containers for more necessary WS flowers. So...I have just realized they need cold stratification and they've been in the fridge for about 2 weeks. Do you think they'd be find if I just threw them out in the garden? I'll have to clear mulch, but I really need to save my containers, so I'd rather DS than WS. I'm on the 5/4 border.

Oh Mister Patrick, you have so much to learn in the next 10 years or so. You have started on a very exciting and rewarding journey. Wonder what your technique will be a decade later for germination. I've been there and this is how I'm tackling it this year(year 11). I started all my prairie seeds as warm(30)-cold(90)-warm in ziploc snack bags with soiless mixture, about 3 weeks ago. I already had some germination going on and they went into the fridge as it is a disaster to try and pot them now. Of course some will germinate like crazy in the fridge which is another problem altogether. After the 90 day period is up, it will be warm enough so any new seedlings can go outside in the daytime. (Wait until you experience seedling die off.) Then there are those seeds that still do not germinate after all the pampering has gone on. Those guys get the dry out method and the bags stored until the following January and get to do it all over again. Already had 3 of those tardy guys germinate now and they have gone into the fridge. I could go on a lot longer about what happens to the seedling in year 1, etc, but you will find that out yourself. Please keep us posted as to how your method is working as I for one want to know everything there is to getting this right. And oh, WS's I am totally not interested in your methods. And please check my seed list for trades. I made two purchases to Prairie Moon but still missed things I want. Lotsa luck to you. Here is a link that might be useful: Dandy_line trade list

What kind of seeds? I stratify outdoor plants outdoors. Sprinkle on a flat or raised bed and lightly cover with soil or light mulch......and walk away. Spring comes and up come the plants. I've done this with a lot of different trees and shrubs including rhododendrons and azaleas. My wife seems to be in charge of the refrigerator. ;-) Usually when done indoors, mold is not a problem unless it's the dreaded 'damping off' when the seedlings are grown indoors. . It's warm now. I'd go ahead and plant them outside. No damping off outside when they come up in late Feb. or March. Mike...with Tulips coming up.