Hi Ladybug, I think I remember trading with you a few years back. Possibly? I do remember a Ladybug on the Canadian Forums... You started this thread on Dec. 10th and had I responded then, my answer would have been the same as Bakemom's, but now we are dawning on the Solstice and so it's OK. I use January to get my things ready. I purchase my potting soil (if it wasn't a Christmas gift), get all my containers ready with their drainage holes and such, clean old ones from last year (I keep pop bottles from one year to the next), and organize my seeds in the order I want them sown. I also finish trading and such. Last year I did put a few containers out in January, but started full force on Valentine's Day. It's a tradition now for me. :O) I winter sow straight through into March and April. And yes, it's called winter sowing in those months as well since we have the worst snowstorms in March and freakish ones in April. Annual Alyssums, Bachelor Buttons, and Sweet Williams will sprout in late March, but I keep surrounding them with other containers of seeds which have yet to do anything. So, no, it's definitely not too late to winter sow. For some you are right on time and for those like me, you would be early. It's a matter of preference. Do what works for you.

Prairie_northrose, I generally do not fuss very much with the soil for my rose seedlings, it's just spaded over with some peat moss added if need be. Though, the soil does tend to be lean and I give them a few light feedings of a triple 20 fertilizer scratched into the surface prior to watering. Otherwise, for specimen plants, I'll turn the soil over about 15 inches deep and amend with peat moss and compost or manure. The above roses were some of my healthier seedlings, especially the light pink one. Normally, I mulch whatever flowerbeds I can to keep the weeds down, though I haven't had enough mulch on hand to do the roses and maybe that's a good thing due to the possibility of the mulch harboring black spot spores.

The yellow stuff is PINE pollen Socks...it's so big that it's not supposed to bother peeps meaning it can't get up your nose...but it does...I was outside most of the day on Tuesday and felt soooo gritty when I came in...It's like working in a dust field and you know that can't be good for ya! This morning the count was 5695...it rained just enough to make a yellow mud mess...COME ON RAIN...We need some more to wash this stuff outta the air!!

Julia and Brad, it snowed lightly again last night and we are in for more snow tonight into tomorrow, lasting all day. I think we're supposed to get another 5 inches. My guess is Julia you are getting more too. School has already been cancelled once and probably again tomorrow, which my grandsons love, but me, not so much.....they stay here with Gram and beg to go sledding....lol. I don't really know what the snow totals were from the last storm because there was already some snow on the ground from another front.....but it was enough that the ski areas are operating and this is the earliest they've opened with 'natural' snow. Our state and towns are expert at keeping the roads clear. They do an excellent job with the main roads. My road, not so much (because it's rural). It's supposed to get even colder mid-week with another blast of frigid temps. Stay warm everyone!