I had a great start to WSing, 50 jugs in one February weekend, because I'd invited a few office friends over to learn how it was done and I was very motivated. But then - - life has gotten busy with other things and I've not gotten back to it. Thank goodness this new WSing grouped has planned a day in April already to do annuals, so I am sure I'll get all my must have annuals done then (amaranthus, profusion zinnia, mellies, tithonia, Yvones Salvia. A couple of comments about things that have been posted: - I've WS lupins in containers for the past 4 years and they have moved to the beds just fine. Like most perennials, get them in early so they can develop in their "homes" and not the jug. A week or two after first real leaves is what I aim for. - Promix bales: I pay about $25 a bale, but I am buying them at a place that doesn't have a retail space to pay for really, just a yard. It's set up for local nurseries to buy their stuff wholesale (and I pay retail cause I'm not a commercial grower) Sometimes if I pay cash they don't charge me tax on top of it. Most seasons I go through at least 7 bales! -gardening pregnant - good for you! Consider a "sit upon" gardening cart (sort of a box on wheeels) to help you be lower yet stable. We don't want our mommy's hurt!!!!! The sunshine and fresh air will be great for those growing babies! - it's never to late to start perennials. I keep going into summer. Those plants often get planted in the fall.It all works. And annuals? I do try to start most of them in April, but I often do a whole other "round" in late June/early July to freshen up my beds. Especially non- profusion cutting zinnias, when the first one's from april get icky (too leggy, P/M, whatever) I just rip them out and put new ones in that bloom often through September into October here. - if you are living where the temps are starting to rise, really try to avoid the frying of your sprouts - it's so discouraging! The first day you are at work, hours away from getting home and you realize the thermometer is rising it is very painful to think about all those poor sprouts crying in the scorching heat. I try to take tops off soon as sprouts emerge if there is not a chance of frost. Nancy

Arlene, seeds I avoid winter sowing at all are tender annuals, vegetables or any seed that only needs 7 to 10 days warm temperatures to germinate. Down here that would be not only a waste of time but a sure recipe for failure because we have stretches of mild winter days with periods of very warm temperatures and very little snow. I sow tiny seeds by picking them up with a barely damp finger and pressing them into the soil and then firm it gently down but I make sure its firm. I use 4" square plastic pots with snack bags on top, those fit real tight and are short enough to keep from sagging down on the soil. You can pick up the whole pot by the tight fitting bag. Its real easy to sow too thickly so I do these seeds more carefully than larger ones, those I just space out on the top and use a dull pencil to bury to the correct depth and then firm down the soil. Otherwise you end up with crowded seeds coming up in a solid mass thats a mess to deal with in spring and plants that are competing or need pricking out. For me, this is much easier than messing with milk jugs when sowing and even more convenient when transplanting. Each pot might have 4 or five plants which I just tamp out and divide in spring. These pots fit nicely into flats which makes carrying them easier and if they dry out, I simply set them in shallow water. Usually I only have to do that once or twice in winter. I keep them under our car port where it stays clean and cool on warmer days. Its all a matter of what fits best for each person and their climate. I just store seeds in a dark dry place in a box, not the refrigerator, especially not for fresh seeds that only need to be stored a couple months.

I'm not too worried. All of my plantings except for the canna, are perennials. Most would be able to withstand the cool overnight temps and for sure measure, we can always add a cover of newspapers or the like to protect tender plants from frost. Ianna

Dear Cathy, Thank you for all the good advertising and marketing information. It refreshed my memory about doing up press releases for my own business and sending them out to the local and surrounding newspapers. Also I remembered about advertising on local chamber of commerce internet pages - I did that some time ago when the chamber was redoing their web page and I have already gotten a call from that listing and I am not even open. Last year when my lavender was blooming I brought bunches of fresh lavender to all of the chamber of commerce offices in surrounding towns, so this year I may do that again along with a flyer about my farm, announcing when it will be opening. Giveways for thank yous along with your card to businesses is a good idea too. I have painted up some two sided signs that say fresh flowers with an arrow that can be set up on the highway to direct people into my location (these will be movable and taken down when I am not open). I have been getting my signs and such ready beforehand. I have had a sign posted on my fence saying "... farm coming soon" for some time and I have had good responses from that - in fact some people have said "your sign says coming soon - when it is coming?" (maybe I put the sign up a little too early). I do give out my business card to anyone I talk to. Even in grocery lines, gift shops, and department stores. In fact, my husband was talking to a gentleman in the auto repair shop that said he wanted to come when we opened. So you never know which people are interested in coming out to the country to buy direct from the farmer. I have always thought perhaps people in cities might have a longing for that country atmosphere and going to a farm is an excuse for them to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. I just remembered someone else I know partnered with a local hotel and has advertising in their hotel rooms about their ranch - to entice visitors to come and stay there. I don't know if your area might be a tourist area but that might be a way to get more traffic to your location. In fact I did have a meeting with the small business administration office and they said the best way to get people to your location is to have a website and to make up one of those 8.5 by 3 inch brochures and place the brochure in locations where tourists pick up information about what do in that area. Having some of those at chamber offices is a good idea too. Cheryl mentioned above - about perhaps not having enough flowers her first season if she had advertised - and I am kind of worried about that too. I am planning to have other botanical/garden related items to sell in case I don't have enough fresh flowers - and I am hoping the drieds can get me through times without fresh flowers. I think Trish mentioned in a previous thread about us being marketers - and that is so true - your posting has reminded me to look at my business plan again and to make a list of all the things I should do to entice people to my farm. It is easy for me to get involved with the planting, growing and arranging and to forget about the advertising and marketing portion of the business. You said "staying in the customers face" and I think that is real important for me to keep remembering. Thanks for your thought provoking post. Linda