@Morz8 and Dave (digdirt): Thank you -- this is, of course, very helpful... no freezing them. I think what I will do it sow 50% of each species now, and the other 50%: place in zip lock bags with vermiculite that has been moistened; leave at room temperature for 24 hours and then refrigerate until the first week of May; then sow. For the very few species that require a period of warm-stratification followed by a 3 month period of cold-stratification, I will keep in vermiculite for 2 months at room temp, then put in refrigerator for 3 months, then sow indoors and grow them in a green house for a year. Since I have a very small amount of GA-3.. enough to treat just a few ounces -- whereas I have 3.5 pounds of seed, would it be a bad idea to add this comparatively small and therefore dilute amount to the vermiculite so that there is a trace amount of GA-3 during the process of stratification. i.e. since I have it, since it will be a minimal amount, etc.? Thanks!

Do you have a source for that statement? That no annual seeds in your zone need any type of winter/cold stratifying. Once I read that and understand all that it refers to then I can answer better. It seems like this is something taken from a larger article or document and I need to read all of it to get the author's point of view. Is it possible that the statement should be "from" your zone" not "in" your zone? Adaption to natural climate and environment is certainly part of genetics but that can take many multiple generations to develop a distinct landrace.

Can you tell me why the freezer won't work? I thought cold stratifying was mimicing a freezing winter. Actually, I don't know how cold our ground gets in winter, but I would think it freezes at the surface where seeds wait. Why woudln't the freezer work? BTW, I know the fridge would be just fine, but I still like to know all the details I can! Trudi, I had some Rose campion seeds and I was going back and forth between winter sowing and direct sowing. My garden is covered in mulch because of weed problems, otherwise I would have just direct sowed them. Thus the dilemma! I wanted to DS, but felt they needed WS, but was trying to use my containers for more necessary WS flowers. So...I have just realized they need cold stratification and they've been in the fridge for about 2 weeks. Do you think they'd be find if I just threw them out in the garden? I'll have to clear mulch, but I really need to save my containers, so I'd rather DS than WS. I'm on the 5/4 border.

FINALLY got around to starting the process... That darn "life" thing can be time consuming sometimes! I've set up seven methods to trial in hopes of planting for this season, as well as some more long-term fallbacks. Axed the medium idea and stuck with paper towels or water, just to remove the variable of potential soil issues. Found some allium and cleome seeds collected from last year as well, so they've been added to the experiment. Not near as many as I have rudbekia, so the results won't be statistically sound, but I figure the more the merrier! Did a float test to separate out the good from the bad, which ended up doubling as an overnight soak. At room temperature, we have method #1: submersion in water with daily water changes, #2 submersion in water, no water changes, and #3 the traditional damp paper towel in a zippie bag. In the fridge we have the same three - #4 water, #5 water changed daily, and #6 damp towel in a zippie. There is also a container in for the long haul to do the normal three-month chill period. The one I have most hopes for positive short-term results is #7, a damp towel in zippie that will be swapped between the fridge and freezer every 24 hours. Seems to me the most accurate recreation of the required environmental factors. I still have nearly 1/4 cup of dried rudbekia seed left, and used at least that much setting up the trials. Considering tossing a handful along the woodline to fend for themselves. Plan on doing the same with the "floaters" that were culled from the experiment, because it seems whenever I discard bad seed, they always sprout in the compost heap, just to spite me.