Thank you Veggieluv, we luv you too! Yes, the 'Winter Sowing Method' is not winter sowing a field in October with a green manure to turn under in April, or a winter rye, etc, to be cut for crop or fodder the next Spring. When you google Winter Sowing, the first hundred hits are dominated by the method, the ancient agricultural practice is going further and further behind the main pages. A few years back I went down to Beltsville seeking guidance and they very kindly and patiently gave it to me, as well taught me how to manage and grow my website. And it is that scholarly guidance which is why the method dominates over the ancient farming practice when you search the internet for 'Winter Sowing'. If you recheck the FAQs you'll see that the first one there is "How to Winter Sow", I think that is what you are referring to as what you want to read again. The FAQs were needed because there was a LOT of explaining because as you say, it is counter-intuitve, and it is also counter-cultural; many people believe that you need those heat mats and light set-ups to begin any sort of seed, and among the more experienced there were arguements that Deno's set of numbers had to be followed exactly. So, God bless Beltsville as they were the first authority who didn't start their convo with "No. You're crazy." I did good, so did they. We have a work-in-progress Database, there are veggies and herbs listed. I repeat it is a work in progress and it was created by the forum, my hands were not involved in its creation, but do to the need to house it in a reliable url, it is now at WinterSown.Org. Last week I finished the "cleaning and dusting", reframed it into a nicer grid, and uploaded the DB. The DB is in plain-text, you don't need Excel or Word or any database reading program, you can just click on the links and there it is. Keep in mind that not seeing a plant there doesn't mean that it can't be WS, and seeing a "NO" there also doesn't mean that it can't be WS--this is because there hasn't yet been enough years of entry to reliably prove and disprove particular plants. The DB is a suggestion and guide, but it is not the know-all, end-all, do-all, be-all for what seeds you can sow with the method. I am very glad that VeggieLuv mentioned tomatoes and peppers, initially most people think that you can't WS them. Consider the plants that reseed in your garden--we've all heard the legendary tales about toms germinating in cracks in sidewalks and growing to be the healthiest plants anyone has ever seen. Toms do reseed in a temperate climate because they're from a temperate climate, peppers and eggplants and all solanums can reseed. It does make sense that it you live in zone five or colder, that you choose a short season tom and not a 110 dtm type because you may be bringing in green fruits to ripen on the counter. Short season gardens need short season varieties. Give it a try, if you're unsure of the method then hold back some seeds to sow by whatever means you want, then at the end of the season compare the vigor, health, flowers or crops of what you sow. Your eyes are your teachers. Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Sowing Database

I sow perennials and hardy annuals thru the winter and wait until March'ish to start cool season veggies: broc, lettuce, chard, ect.. Heat loving tender veggies: tomato, pumpkin, melon and tender annuals usually hold off until mid April early May. A few times I got impatient and started things like Zinnia, Tithonia, Marigold and tomatoe 2-4 weeks too early and paid the price :) Vera

I am a member of over 20 years, and have never been to any national function yet. Sadly, this one included. But I have never heard a bad review of any of them, or even a so-so review.

Busy weekend. I got my posts set for the rails for my movable buildings, both buildings! I still need to set the posts for the 2nd position, but I have until early April to get that done! I can now go ahead and start building up on all hoop structures. I am going to finish bending the hoops on Tuesday or Thursday. Meanwhile, I will work on side walls, replacing hoops with metal ones and repair endwalls. I did get 228 tomatoes started and about the same amount of broccoli. I need to start some early peppers, but I ran out of time. I will work on that this week. We missed the snow. Most went east of here. We probably have around an inch. I am SO HAPPY! Probably will be all gone by mid week. Marla: I always feel better after getting outside when I feel an illness coming on. Brook: That is some record. As a teacher, too many of my kids share their illnesses. We have had a really sick year at school. Surprisingly, not too bad at our house. Jay