My rudbeckia and gaillardia came in trade and did very well, but I got a few duds as well, namely trifolium rubens (red clover). Planted it twice and no luck.

Just curious, what is pcf? And did you ever consider that maybe you watered too much? Some seeds will rot it they're too wet for too long. Until the weather got warm I didn't really need to water my jugs, and I'd guess that I got about 90 percent germination, certainly that high on the tomatoes, ruds, lupines, hollyhocks, etc.

And it's my first real year ws, too. I've got the wow (and a husband who now describes the process to anyone who will listen because there's so much green coming out of those jugs).

Caryl

PCF= purple cone flower

I only watered once it got warm out, and the jugs felt "light." We did have a really warm spell about 3 week earlier than usual this year, and most everything that sprouted came up then (end of march). I think I've got around 40-50% germanation for some containers, and around 25% for others.

My success with the poppies and snapdragons is enough to convince me to try again next year, I'm just a little disappointed with this year.

FWIW, I've always had spotty germination with PCF and Gaillardia. To compensate, I sow REALLY thickly.
I'm not as diligent about watering; they get it when I'm out there, and whichever ones I "see" that are definitely needing it.
Ruds are also sprinkled really thickly, but I have spotty patchy germination, as well.
Do you "place" your seeds in the containers, or just sprinkle them in? I count pretty much nothing; just sow heavily.
And...FWIW, I'm still WSing- by that I mean still going...because I just didn't do enough over the winter/early spring, and I just want to do more.

It's not too late to still start things. Toss in some Sweet Williams- they're bis, so they'll grow well this year, and flower next (and you'll likely never have to WS them again; I WSd them one year about 5 years ago, and don't have to ever re-WS them. Super easy). Also Dianthus/Carnations don't need cold strat, so you could do those...I'm sure there's piles of perennials that don't need cold strat that you could start now; I just don't have a list.

gladahmae - I've got a list of which perennials need cold stratification and which ones don't. Echinacea doesn't need cold strat. so you could WS more jugs of it if you have seeds. I think I got about 85%-95% germination on all the Echinaceas I WS which were mostly from trades. About half are already potted up. The rest are still too small.
Email me if you'd like a copy of the list.

its still pretty early for zone 5, for my zone 5 that is, it hasnt even gotten warm yet. there's probably tons of things that wont even sprout while its still 40;s & low 50's at night.

I hear ya about expectations tho,

This was my first year. My husband complained about the jugs and thought it was crazy. But now after seeing the results (and the new ones havent even bloomed yet) he is talking about pulling out our huge shrubs from the front of the house and putting in a flower bed. Always before he wanted just a few small shrubs with landscaping fabric everywhere. I had about 20 jugs or so that did nothing, but I put out about 230, and still starting annuals this way.
Tammy

I had stingy germination with Rudebeckia, which I received in trade.
I find (I've done this for about 8 years) every year, some things germinate heavily and some don't. Even tho all get the same care.
I try to keep my expectations from being too high.
Also realize that when people say they get 100% germination, take it with a grain of salt- one poster explained that to her 100% germination, meant that if one seed germinated in a container, she had 100% germination! lol.

I get many containers with only 1 sprout. 1 is better than none! Then I usually try the seeds again the next year.

A hundred seedlings in a container is not necessarily a good thing - HOS is highly over-rated. In my experience, there are only a few types of plants that grow well in a hunk. These are plants like Alyssum, Dianthus, or grasses that naturally grow in a bushy clump. Most others like their space.

Also, I enjoy trading seeds a little, and sometimes gets excellent seeds, but can count on more than 2 hands how many bags of seeds I've received that are mislabelled, duds, or a bag of chafe. Seeds are cheap. Winter-sowing is cheap. I am fussy and buy most of my seeds.

My results this year weren't stellar, either. Mother Nature wasn't too kind so far this year. But I have 4 very successful years behind me so I know it CAN work very well. I'm confident that I didn't screw up but with WSing so much is dependent on weather and you can't control that.

I'm really glad that I started at least a few seeds under lights this year so I didn't have to buy too much. In front of my house I'm trying mostly coleus which I've never grown there before. Fingers crossed on that.

Karen