Not sure what seeds I am looking for exactly. All I know is l love most all of them! I have all of the herbs that I use on a regular basis. I have the usual black eye susans, purple cornflowers, lilies, iris, hostas etc. I seem to lean towards wild flowers, poppies, blanket flowers and such. I have a bed with different grasses. Last year I planted dahlias, they were beautiful, but I didn't care for lifting and drying the bulbs. However this year I did plant dahlia seeds and they sprouted and I have them planted. This year I started asters, violas, pansies, bachelor button. I did collect some seed from cone flower poppies and flax and allium. Allium did not sprout, nor did the white cone flower. I also started balloon flower. I started hollyhock, with minimal results. Been babying that one. I also had one Bells if Ireland sprout. Am hoping that will take off. I tried the green wizard rudbeckia Cant remember the rest right now. My list is not in front of me. Will be attending a local plant exchange in a few weeks and will come home with a load of different plants. Last year my trunk was full as well as the floor of my car. The people I have met at this exchange were so nice and knowledgeable and generous. I came home with much more than I took. Its almost like an addiction! With that being said, I need to get my butt outside and watch my garden grow!! Diane

How big are they? 26 years ago when I bought formula the cans were only about 3 inches in diameter? But if you use 3 cans a week for twins I assume yours are bigger, concentrated, and that you dilute it. I've never used aluminum. It wouldn't matter much in winter but I'd think come spring they would freeze pretty fast and also heat a lot in warm temperatures. That's just a guess though. I'm not sure where you live but I'm also in zone 6, southwest Ohio, and our temps fluctuate an awful lot in spring. Like Strouper I prefer milk jugs, gallons over half gallons, over any other type of container I've tried. Karen

I tried all sorts of containers last year, because I was SO excited to learn how to winter sow - I sowed in just about anything recyclable. The winners: gallon milk jugs and 2L soda bottles. The also rans: deep roasting pans with lids (one solid slab of soil), individual yogurt cups in deep roasting pans with clear lids. The definite losers: recycled nursery pots covered with plastic, baby wipes containers, smaller soda bottles (20 oz.). This year I'm using gallon milk jugs, 2L soda bottles, deep clear plastic coffee cups with lids (in a plastic basket, so they don't fall over), and a recycled clear round plastic cake container (I'd like to get some more of those!). People on this forum are SO inventive - take notes from whoever has a good idea! When in doubt, put in another scoop of soil - better more soil than less. Ditto for seeds. And, as for why winter sow in containers instead of direct-sowing: since I'm surrounded by rampaging psychotic squirrels with a chronic obsessive/compulsive digging disorder, covered containers are a MUST. Laurelin

Hi! Back on the forum after a long absence. I'm in Zone 7b, and we've had some crazy weather lately (last week it was nearly 70, this week in the 40s). So I put my jugs out later than usual this year. So not totally sure about your first question as far as "when" in Zone 8. I posted earlier about some native seeds that I just put out a few days ago (used to put these outside in December) so waiting to hear from anyone about that. They're probably fine out there, but just double-checking since it's been a while since I winter sowed, and a lot of the natives need at least 60 days of cold moist conditions, so just a little concerned. But for your other questions: Container Location: I used to put my jugs in a sunny spot on an uncovered patio for the winter in the Mid-Atlantic, but I was in Zone 6b then, and those years we had very cold, snowy winters. Then once the seeds sprouted, I moved the jugs to a partial shade area under a tree. Now I'm in Zone 7b, so I put the jugs in light shade for their winter stay. Since you're in the warmer Zone 8 in the South, under the oak tree might be a better bet, especially in the late winter to early spring. Here's a link to a chat about containers and sun/shade: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1680459/do-ws-containers-need-shade?n=10  Soil: Seed starting mix: I've never used it for winter sowing. But I think it should be fine. I've heard of other people using it with good results. My only thought is that it could present a slight problem when you remove the "hunk-o-seedlings" from the container. Seed starting mix is so light and fluffy that it may not really clump well, making the "getting the hunk out of the container" process somewhat difficult. Unless you've layered the seed starting mix over some potting soil, the whole hunk might just kind of crumble during the removal-from-container process. But if the mix is damp, hopefully it will pretty much hold together during the "extraction process" as I like to call it. And the bakery containers might be easier to extract the hunk from than jugs, which are pretty stiff. For winter sowing, I usually just use regular ordinary potting mix. Right now I'm using "Espoma Organic Potting Mix" which is just what my local hardware store happened to have in stock. I think I used to use "Miracle Grow Potting Mix." The one thing you definitely DON'T want to use is any soil that says "Weed Free" on the bag. That stuff has chemicals in it that kill weeds (and your seedlings.) Definitely avoid. Also, I would probably avoid any potting soil that contains hydrogels or some other type of "moisture beads" especially if it tends to rain a lot in Alabama in the spring. Too soggy. Here's a link about soil options: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1668733/what-potting-soil-do-you-all-use?n=12 Damping off/Cinnamon: Never heard of cinnamon sprinkling to prevent damping off. That's really interesting. I'll have to try that. But I actually never had any damping off when I used the outdoor winter sowing method. Once in a while, I'd get what looked almost like moss growing on the surface of the potting soil. But no damping off. Good drainage in your containers is important. Not too soggy, not too dry. Here's some info on damping off / fungus in case this helps: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1712645/sprouts-and-fungus?n=4 Once it starts getting warm out, the thing to really be careful about is not letting the containers get too hot, which could fry your baby seedlings. And so, the springtime opening and closing process of the containers begins. I make holes for future pipe cleaner closers on my jugs, so I don't have to keep taping and un-taping once the weather gets warmer. Snapdragons: Have had great success winter sowing snapdragons in the past. They're a hardy annual, so do well with winter sowing. Your seeds sound lovely! Had not thought about mustards. I love dark-leaved plants. May try those as one of my edible ornamentals--thanks for the inspiration, and best of luck with your winter sowing!