I honestly have no idea. I wasn't with the originals, but I have been shipping my own harvested seed for several years.

This is my second year.

Third year for me.

Bonnie

Year 6 for me. and that doesn't make me one of the originals either

Fran

I've been here since the winter after 9/11, so it looks like I'm on my 8th winter. Last year I just enjoyed the plants that were sown in earlier years, but hopefully this year I will make up for it. I'm at the "yank out and replace" stage. I think the change will be good. If I didn't winter sow I could never afford to do that!!

Mary

I think I might be among the "originals" - this will be my eighth year.

PV

I honestly can't remember. I think this is my sixth year, but quite possibly my seventh...

:)
Dee

I started winter sowing in '04, found this forum in '05 and lurked until posting in '06 so that makes this my 6th year of winter sowing.

This is my not-yet year. Am I too late? Hope not. Got the neighbors alerted to saving jugs and I bought seeds, so now I'm waiting.

This is year #6 for me!

Me? Feels like forever! But really, just 3 weeks. :-D
Kris

If memory serves me correctly Trudi posted her original idea on the seed starting forum in Aug 2000. I thought it was a good idea and tried it that season with limited success.
(bad soil)
I believe in 2001 that Spike started the winter sow forum and here we are.
Ron

This is my 4th year.

Members have come and gone but many who were around when I started are still here helping others like they helped me.

Karen

Just might be one of the 'originals'. Just know that I did a couple of containers when we got our first computer in winter of 2001/2002 to try it out and then jumped in with a vengeance the following winter. :O)

I was on the Growing from Seed forum, in November of 2004 where i met Tina (trowelgal) (who has since become my dear, dear friend - although we are miles away) and she sent me over to WS forum and I've been there ever since.

So, it's been 5 five years! Wow, I've learned so much since then and am STILL learning - because of all the great input here on the forum. Thanks

Carrie

Hey Ronald,
where you been hidin'?
Just kidding! We had an earlier thread about how "Male members" - that phrase cracks me up.
So now I see another guy that's been here a long time.

I'm guessing I've been doing it about 5 years. One year I skipped, the year I got Lyme. And then I came back the next year, and I was so surprised that people remembered me! Cuz sometimes forums are so anonymous, and that was a warm feeling that people had noticed my absence.

ellen

at least 5 years on this forum and with this method. I had actually been doing something similar for many many years (mostly perennials) just didn't realize it had a name :D .....

Lynne

I sowed my first containers (tomatoes in milk jugs) on 21 January, 2007. I'll never forget when I first read about the concept of wintersowing - talk about a "lightbulb moment"!

I was here in 04/05 and sprouted myself a lovely garden bed... until the HOA dug it up to put in ugly bushes.... which promptly died.

Now, I am back and on a mission!

I think I started in winter of 2002. We bought our present house in 2000 and I remember being frustrated after my direct sowing of seeds first spring did not produce much results. Have no memory how I stumbled on WS forum but after that my life changed...

Since 2001, so that makes this my 8th year.

Alberta

and..lindalana's post reminded me - I discovered WS the year after my first and LAST attempt to grow seeds indoors. Every seedling died. Talk about devastated. At the time I didn't know that was a common problem- thot it was me. lol

There is something about growing from seed (as opposed to planting seedlings or plants which have been started).
Do you think?
I feel more in touch with the process, more connected, not sure how to describe. I think it is that I see a tiny tiny seed develope into a plant and it is awesome.

AND I feel like I have really accomplished something.

ellen - seeing that seed turn into a seedling and then into a beautiful plant IS awesome! THAT is the reason I sow seeds every year, even if I don't have the space to grow them on. So what if someone else gets them - I get the pleasure of seeing them BECOME.

PV

Wow! That's just over 100 years of experience, just from those who have signed in so far! We must be doing something right! I love the idea of all the plants that have beautified & fed our little corners of the world through the support (enabling?) here!

I have SpringSowed annuals since 1992, in aluminum fruit cake pans from our catering business. I still use that type pan for SpringSowing.
Started trading seeds when Spike had the site,don't recall when Trudi started posting, but that's when I started using milk jugs.
I didn't log on to GW/IVillage till 2004 I think, I was aol chatting away in the AOL garden chat.

I beleive this is year five for me.

Just a few days for me...

I wish it was years, I am sick just thinking about all the $$ I wasted buying plants each season when I could have been WS!

Lots of great people here with years of knowledge on the subject. I am glad to have found you all!
Karen

oceanna- You're right on time! Jump in the pool!

This is 4th winter for me. Wouldn't do it any other way.

PV - "So what if someone else gets them - I get the pleasure of seeing them BECOME."

Exactly - well-put.
And that's why I cannot throw away a seed - cuz it can become something beautiful.

This my 2nd year. I found this site looking for info on growing in a greenhouse. I was given one for my 50th birthday. This is so much easier, no keeping them warm, or hardening off. I love WSing.
Jennie

Since the Winter of 2000.

This is my third winter. I remember stumbling upon the website for wintersown.org and feeling so psyched!!! I had weak, pathetic seedlings lining my window sills inside the house at the time and could not believe that this could be done outside. I am a believer now, nearly 500 jugs later!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nancy

5 or 6 years for me. Hell, I can't even remember my age, let alone when I started WS. LOL
Duane

2nd year WSing. Although I have been starting plants from seed for over 20 years, WSing makes it economical and easy on a much larger scale than under a light.

And I agree it is very exciting to watch a plant grow from a fleck of a seed. It brings you closer to a miracle of nature.

You guys are reminding me of one of my favorite movie quotes, it's from "A Bug's Life":
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flik: Here, pretend - pretend that that's a seed.

Dot: It's a rock.

Flik: Oh, I know it's a rock, I know. But let's just pretend for a minute that it's a seed, alright? We'll just use our imaginations. Now, now do you see our tree? Everything that made that giant tree is already contained inside this tiny little seed. All it needs is some time, a little bit of sunshine and rain, and voilá!

Dot: This rock will be a tree?

Flik: Seed to tree. You've gotta work with me, here. Alright? Okay. Now, y-you might not feel like you can do much now, but that's just because, well, you're not a tree yet. You just have to give yourself some time. You're still a seed.

Dot: But it's a rock.

Flik: [shouting] I know it's a rock! Don't you think I know a rock when I see a rock? I've spent a lot of time around rocks!

Dot: You're weird, but I like you.

I'm pretty sure I started spring 2005. Didn't take photos, so I have no record. My 2006 photo file shows new lasagna beds with over 120 containers to fill them, so..I figure I started the year before. I remember my first sprouts, showing them to my next-door neighbours (now my in-laws 'cause their son married my daughter..despite her weird mother) and the eye-glazing..Why do people's eyes glaze over, but when you give them potted up seedlings you're their best friend???

This is my 3rd year. I had never heard of winter sowing or the GW or any of this and just stumbled onto it, like nan-6161. One of those "It was meant to be" things we come across in life.

Nancy you always have something to make us smile! Thanks for the "Bugs Life" quote.

I'm new to ws as of 10 days ago. Already have seedlings and am looking forward to learning and growing (pun intended) through hanging out with y'all!

The folks that have checked in total over 145 years of experience-WOW. This really is the friendly forum!

I did a few last year,but i count this as my first year,i have had great fun with trades this year,and meeting every one here,i think i will always do WSing,even if i do not have any where to plant them,i have lots of people who would like to have more flowers in their yrds.

Nancy, i loved the movie A Bugs Life,don't remember that part,but enjoyed hearing about it from you,sounds like most of us here eh?
Carol

Since December 21, 2008. I spent the fall reading all the threads in this forum I could find for the seeds I had collected. I ascribe more to Bakemom's attitude than anyone else. Easy and simple. Hunks and plunks and leave them alone. I haven't moved anything inside that was started outdoors except some petunias that I potted into other containers. I just haven't moved them back out. I'm lazy about certain things.

This is year two for me. I've said this before but- What a great hobby! I have learned so much! I've never had the room indoors to start seeds. I did try once years ago but, I can be a little lazy about watering. This method is so easy! I've got plants now that I never even heard of before GW & WS. I check the forums daily now. Don't know what I did w/ my free time before GW.

Annette

I found this site August of 2001, just when we were selling our townhouse & moving to our 37 acre hobby farm, which only had 4 lonely peony shrubs. Thanks to this forum & the Cdn seed swap, I moved with tons of seeds and then I used the boxes from moving to lay out my beds in October of that year. It doesn't seem all that long ago...

Gail

Started winter of 2001 - 8th year and still going. But every year I do less, 'cause I'm running out of room. Best gardening tool I've ever used - never could keep a seed alive before winter sowing.

This is either my 5th or 6th winter sowing year. I'm leaning toward the 5th, I had better memory back then:)

This is my 2nd year WS though I've only recently started posting on these forums. I don't even quite remember how I 1st discovered wintersown.org. I tend to stumble upon so many things when doing internet searches on growing different plants. Anyway the method made total sense to me and how could I resist trying with Trudi's offer for free seeds. I believe my very 1st babies were poppies (I so love poppies) and I never had much luck with growing them before WS. So glad I found you guys! I learn so much by reading these forums.

-StLGirl

I learned about WS on a yahoo groups Rookie Gardener.
I tried 2 jugs last year. Neither really panned out.
I couldn't get the jist of it. I need visual reference!

Been hanging around GW for a few years now. Mostly in
Garden Junk, Daylilies , OG , in and out of forums
when I needed help for plants in my zone.

So, this year is really my first year.

Mary

This is my second year. All my friends and family thought I was crazy. They sure changed their minds when they started receiving free plants from me. I just love watching everything grow.I winter sowed a bunch of flowers that didn't bloom last year and I'm looking forward to seeing them bloom this year.
Linda

This is my 4th year.

I used to buy plants, an expensive proposition, and I felt compelled to make that plant work for years. Replacing annuals would be a yearly fortune. I did direct sow some zinnias or nicotiana occasionally, but mostly bought plants. My yard stayed pretty stagnant year to year.

Since wintersowing I have discovered a whole new world of plants. I have yanked most of the old stuff and replaced with new stuff, just because I can. It costs less, is fun, and allows me to change the look at will.

Karen