Hi Kathy:
You should read the winter sowing FAQ "how to winter sow" or on the www.wintersown.org website. It will give you both excellent ideas of what plants to start now, wintersowing outdoors. You won't need your greenhouse for this, you want all your seeds exposed to the elements for winter sowing. Perennials are an excellen choice to begin sowing now.

I'm not sure what you mean by a lean-to greenhouse. Is it glazed, heated and ventilated? If so you can of course start anything you like.

I don't know why I assumed I shouldn't try Winter sowing now. I guess it would work fine since it is still winter. the greenhouse I have is really just one step up from the little plastic covered shelves that you & I both have had GGG. It just is a little more insulating and when it is closed it will hopefully keep out the birds that got into mine last year and destroyed every last seedling I had started. Here is a link to what I have.

Here is a link that might be useful: Patio Greenhouse

Kathy, those will heat up nicely! Start your seeds with winter sowing, so you don't need to fuss with them much. When they germinate, pop them in here and let them get some extra warmth generated by the sun thru the glass. Then you will need to tend them more, and water them at least once a day. You should be off to a nice, speedy start!

GGG

Thanks for the info. Do you or anyone else have any opinions on the Hothouse Growing System I linked to in the first post? Do you think it is worth getting. I have a $50 gift cert to Growers Supply and I don't really know what to get there. The greenhouse had a couple of problems with assembly and I called to complain-- my husband had to drill a hole in a piece that wasn't drilled and go by washers to make the shelf supports slightly tighter because the trays fell through, so they sent me a gift cert. I want to use it while I have a 10% coupon, and can't decide what else to buy. But I don't want to waste my money on something that I won't use either. Any thoughts anyone? Has anyone ever tried one of these?

Hi Kathy I use a growing mat to start my seed. It works fine.I think you could use your gift certificate very wisely for a mat. The one I have is elec- with heat control. They come in all sizes. GOOD LUCK Bill R

I have a hopefully not dumb question. I understand that the greenhouse heats up during the day with the sun (I got a lesson in that yesterday getting in my car that was sitting in the sun!). But what happens at night? Obviously the greenhouse will cool off considerably. Do you have to keep it heated? If the heat during the day encourages seeds to germinate and grow, will a cold night kill them?

I did buy a bunch of heirloom seeds and am deciding how/when to start them.

The greenhouse heats up and then the air inside stays much warmer at night then the outside air, but know it is not heated. Cold will kill certain ssedlings, but others are stronger and it also depends on the night. A very cold night would require bringing some things in or providing some other sort of heat. I probably won't start annuals in it for a while but it does definitely give you a great place to keep young seedlings when you first transfer them outside. The top can be propped open to allow extreme heat out on very warm days.

Kathy, I too have a heat mat. I agree, they are handy. Sometimes but not often I start seed on it. Mostly I use it for cuttings.
Either way, I do not think you need to get the little greenhouse kit. I just do my seeding in old 4" cups and put them in a flat. Then I tie some dry cleaning plastic over it until it germinates. Then I remove the plastic and spray with water regularly. But most of the time I just use the plastic baggie tent method to start cuttings with the bottom heat. I have some camellia cuttings from PINS rooted and growing now, thanks to the mat.

Buford, look on the list of forums and find the winter sowing forum. You may try winter sowing to start your seeds. Some seeds also do better here sown directly in the ground in the fall or winter. They germinate way too early (or germinate in the cold, and grow their leaves then) for winter sowing.

GGG