Hi Amy, My area is actually in the front left corner of my lot looking out my front door. My back yard is full blazing sun and I have yet to plant the back fence. I'm trying to talk my husband into getting rid of his horse shoe pits,it's the only thing between me and a full sun garden back there! Have a great Day Lisa This is a pic of my town owned land garden. I live on a street alone and they let me make it pretty! Of course, I mean to the right! My husband builds me that little holding area at the end of the street for me to hold plants that are waiting to be potted,planted or given away. This area is on the back left fence in mostly full sun, 90% of the plants were winter sown!!!!! This is my biggest garden, right front side looking out my front door. I would say that at least half of the plants were winter sown! I need a wide angle camera, I can't get a pic of the whole gardes! This is standing in the middle of the biggest section of the garden. Don't be afrai to wonter sow those seeds!!!!

I sow seeds in the winter all the way through spring. The only seeds that you have to watch are those that need a cold period to germinate. Marigolds, cosmos, and zinnias are tender and you'll want to wait until closer to your last frost date to sow. I'm in NE Ohio and my last frost date is May 15th. I plan to start mine in mid-April. I have wintersown zinnia before and as soon as the temps drop their leaves burn and they shrivel up and croak. Lol* So that's why it's good to wait! Larkspur I believe is one that needs cold, I started mine a few weeks ago. You could always try them though. Monarda I have sown all throughout spring with success. :)

I work at a farm down the street, and one morning I was walking through the field and stopped short. In front of me was a beautiful plant I had never seen before, either there or anywhere. It had gorgeous foliage, and a lovely flower that reminded me of a Rose of Sharon. It was very beautiful. The funny thing is, having never seen okra in my entire life, I wondered if that was an okra plant, and after asking the farmer it turns out I was right. I still dont know how or why I knew what it was, but I decided right then and there to grow some next year. If I get up the nerve to try it, (I'm a very UN-adventurous eater!) it will be the first time I've ever eaten it. Still don't know what the fruit looks like since I haven't seen one yet, but the plant is just wonderful. :) Dee

I just barely cover the seed in the peat pods with soil/peat and keep them moist but not sopping wet. I have the little clear covered greenhouse thingys with a heat mat and lights over them. Cosmos take longer than zinnias to come up. Once they sprout, get them out of there quick so they dont stay too moist and damp off. From there, pot up in a 4in pot with potting mix with extra perlite mixed in. Keep under the lights or if its really warm out/no frost, then you can put it in a shady spot and acclimate to full sun before you transplant in into your garden. Once you have a lot of cosmos and zinnias established for some reason, if the ground is kept watered, they reseed themselves. It helps to mulch with straw or coastal hay etc. I think, initially, birds or squirrels might take some of the seeds but if there's alot of seeds then some make it. I have trouble starting sunflowers too in the garden..they sprout just fine but then something eats them! If I start them in a pot and wait until they are 5 or 6 inches high, then transplant them into the garden, they are fine. You can also try starting the cosmos & zinnias etc in 4 inch pots out in your garden. I started doing this few yrs ago. I put a whole bunch of pots together in a big clear tupperware/rubbermaid tub. There's holes in the bottom. I cover the top with chicken wire. You can water them with your hose sprayer without taking them out, this way. If its still a little cold out, like in very early spring, you can keep the lid on at night instead of the wire.