Thank you Veggieluv, we luv you too! Yes, the 'Winter Sowing Method' is not winter sowing a field in October with a green manure to turn under in April, or a winter rye, etc, to be cut for crop or fodder the next Spring. When you google Winter Sowing, the first hundred hits are dominated by the method, the ancient agricultural practice is going further and further behind the main pages. A few years back I went down to Beltsville seeking guidance and they very kindly and patiently gave it to me, as well taught me how to manage and grow my website. And it is that scholarly guidance which is why the method dominates over the ancient farming practice when you search the internet for 'Winter Sowing'. If you recheck the FAQs you'll see that the first one there is "How to Winter Sow", I think that is what you are referring to as what you want to read again. The FAQs were needed because there was a LOT of explaining because as you say, it is counter-intuitve, and it is also counter-cultural; many people believe that you need those heat mats and light set-ups to begin any sort of seed, and among the more experienced there were arguements that Deno's set of numbers had to be followed exactly. So, God bless Beltsville as they were the first authority who didn't start their convo with "No. You're crazy." I did good, so did they. We have a work-in-progress Database, there are veggies and herbs listed. I repeat it is a work in progress and it was created by the forum, my hands were not involved in its creation, but do to the need to house it in a reliable url, it is now at WinterSown.Org. Last week I finished the "cleaning and dusting", reframed it into a nicer grid, and uploaded the DB. The DB is in plain-text, you don't need Excel or Word or any database reading program, you can just click on the links and there it is. Keep in mind that not seeing a plant there doesn't mean that it can't be WS, and seeing a "NO" there also doesn't mean that it can't be WS--this is because there hasn't yet been enough years of entry to reliably prove and disprove particular plants. The DB is a suggestion and guide, but it is not the know-all, end-all, do-all, be-all for what seeds you can sow with the method. I am very glad that VeggieLuv mentioned tomatoes and peppers, initially most people think that you can't WS them. Consider the plants that reseed in your garden--we've all heard the legendary tales about toms germinating in cracks in sidewalks and growing to be the healthiest plants anyone has ever seen. Toms do reseed in a temperate climate because they're from a temperate climate, peppers and eggplants and all solanums can reseed. It does make sense that it you live in zone five or colder, that you choose a short season tom and not a 110 dtm type because you may be bringing in green fruits to ripen on the counter. Short season gardens need short season varieties. Give it a try, if you're unsure of the method then hold back some seeds to sow by whatever means you want, then at the end of the season compare the vigor, health, flowers or crops of what you sow. Your eyes are your teachers. Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Sowing Database

Wah! I'm going to Calgary for a week and don't know what to do! Most of my w/s perennials are up, some hardy annuals, and I just sowed the tenders. My hubby is going to be responsible for them. I'm thinking I'll move the whole shebang out of the sun (close to the north side of the house), uncover all the sprouted ones, tell him to uncover any new bottles as they sprout, and mist daily. Like token, I don't want them to fry over the weekend. Long term forecast shows above freezing at night for the next week. Jeesh..I really want to see those grandkids, but now I'm getting antsy about going away at such a critical time! He's got to feed the dog too! (And put out the garbage!) Can one of you guys come and move into the spare room while I'm gone?

Marcia & Sharon - you girls are too funny! You give me too much credit to have purposely been alphabetical. I do agree that it would be just like Marcia to notice and sow them that way... :) Thanks again to you guys and all the other traders here on GW. I sowed a lot of seeds today from trades and I am as excited this year as I was last year as a first timer to see what interesting plants I can grow. Here is what I sowed: Columbine, Woodside Variegated (Aquilegia vulgaris) 100. Prairie Clover, White (Petalostemum candidum) 101. Prairie Clover, Purple (Petalostemum purpureum) 102. Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) 103. Rudbeckia hirta 'Sputnik' 104. Columbine - Unknown Blue Tall 105. Lily, Asiatic 'Angels Touch' x 'Fire Mountain' 106. Lily, Asiatic 'Connecticut King' x 'Fire Mountain' 107. Lily, Asiatic 'Fire Mountain' x ? 108. Scabiosa 'Blue Bonnet' 109. Phlox paniculata 110. Northern Catalpa 111. Coreopsis 'Tequila Sunrise' 112. Echinacea pallida? 113. Dendranthemum rubrum 114. Dragon's Head (Dracocephalum moldavicum) 115. Mistflower (Eupatorium dahurica) 116. Shepherds Scabiosa (Jasione Laevis) 117. Clematis ligustifolia 118. Gentiana andrewsii 119. Bird's Eye (Gilia tricolor) 120. Poppy 'Danish Flag' (Papaver somniferum) 121. Poppy, Deep Purple (double) 122. Quaking Grass (Briza maxima) I am trying to cut back on indoor sowing because I just don't have the space so I am anxious to get sowing more annuals soon. Susan

In my experience the answer is no, citrus will not grow during the Winter at 55 degrees, although they will survive. You want them to put on any growth, a clear plastic covering may help during Spring and late Fall, will raise the temperature by about 5 degrees during the day. Warmer temperatures are better than sunlight, where you live. The trees are not going to be able to put on any growth anyway, so might as well overwinter. (when the tree is just overwintering, 50-60 degrees are fine, since it's in a semi-dormant state and isn't really growing) It's true citrus in the ground often does better than citrus in pots brought inside during the Winter season but that has more to do with the roots.