Hi Tim, I'm fairly new to intentional winter sowing, but I am a veteran vegetable grower. I got started with the square foot gardening method, too, so I can help bridge from that to here. Many of the cool-season vegetables will adapt quite nicely to winter sowing. In particular plants like parsley, kale, and arugula start well this way. I don't usually go out and *plant* them though--I let a mature plant go to seed during the previous year, scatter the seeds and then enjoy no-fuss seedlings the following spring. Peas are another good one to start early, even under a blanket of snow. Those I *do* intentionally plant this way. Winter sowing doesn't necessarily fit with the square foot technique though. Germination can be spotty, and you aren't precisely controlling the beds as in square foot gardening. So to start out, I would only use it for parsley and brassicas (broccoli, kale, etc.). The peas I would start directly in the garden soil. Regarding your questions: 1) Freezing seed packets in the freezer. This is an excellent way of long-term storage of seeds. The seeds MUST be stored in airtight containers though and moisture reduced to about 8% (I use some silica gel with my seeds). 2) Most vegetables--especially the warm-season ones like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers--want to be started indoors under warm and controlled situations anyways. Plus, they sprout so fast and do not require cold conditioning, so there is really no benefit to be gained by this sowing method. 3) Most things can be transplanted, even if they aren't meant to be, with extra care and trouble. Corn isn't usually transplanted. 4) Sure, you can use a small elevated deck. 5) I think 6 jugs would be plenty to start with. 6) If all you are planting is vegetables, then you have plenty of time. The seeds that would press you for time are the ones that required cold conditioning--some flowers and such require weeks or MONTHS of cold, moist conditions to "stratify" the seeds and make them ready to germinate. I think the longest-sprouting thing out of the square foot gardening book was parsley at ~14 days. So yes, like morz said, you have plenty of time! -Kris

Cindy, Trudi has listed both the Zinnias and Sunflowers as ok for your zone on the WS FAQ page. I know that I have wintersown hollyhocks here in zone 5 successfully so I am pretty sure that they would work for you as well. Here is a link that might be useful: Extreme Climate Winter Sowing

This is turning into a very weird weather year for many of us. Because of that, it's hard to give you an absolute answer. Be aware that no matter what any of us tell you, it's nature that has the final answer in when those seeds will sprout. My best guess is that it's probably fine for perennials hardy to your area, and hardy annuals too. I'd definitely wait for anything tender. And if perennials and hardy annuals would sprout early, they have a much better chance of survival in their containers. And keeping them in a shady spot is definitely a good idea until spring is in the air. This is probably our coldest part of winter most years, and it's when I sow my hardy annuals and perennials. I sowed my first jugs a few days ago. I'd go for it if I were you. The chance that they'll sprout in shade is minimal I think, and winter might just stay mild this year. Karen

Linda, I sent you 28 packs of seeds today. That should keep you busy! Youngstown is not that much different from Columbus, although you are above the snow line. I am below. Start saving containers now!