Using containers lets me start the seeds in a higher quality soil than I have in my garden beds. It also keeps birds, mice and chipmunks from snacking on the seeds and prevents winds and rains from moving all of my seeds off to my neighbor's yard. That gives my seedlings a good jump start before I transplant them into the garden and has made a big difference in how many mature plants I end up with out of each seed packet. I don't direct sow anything in the garden unless I have so much saved seed on hand that I don't mind when 90% of it doesn't germinate. And the more I wintersow, the more I end up with tons of plants and saved seed - so I do eventually switch over to direct sow on a lot of things. But if it's something where I don't already have gobs of it in the garden, and I'd be sad if I didn't get great germination - then ABSOLUTELY it's wintersowing in containers for those. Lynda

This is turning into a very weird weather year for many of us. Because of that, it's hard to give you an absolute answer. Be aware that no matter what any of us tell you, it's nature that has the final answer in when those seeds will sprout. My best guess is that it's probably fine for perennials hardy to your area, and hardy annuals too. I'd definitely wait for anything tender. And if perennials and hardy annuals would sprout early, they have a much better chance of survival in their containers. And keeping them in a shady spot is definitely a good idea until spring is in the air. This is probably our coldest part of winter most years, and it's when I sow my hardy annuals and perennials. I sowed my first jugs a few days ago. I'd go for it if I were you. The chance that they'll sprout in shade is minimal I think, and winter might just stay mild this year. Karen

Hi! My name is Karen and I've posted some questions on the geranium forum and got some good advice, but noone is terribly chatty over there so I was wondering if this is a good forum for me to join. Are you taking new members?? I'm in IL and we started over 700 (agh!)pelargoniums, or whatever they are called. We call them geraniums. Anyway, I was told to pinch and went to town and I hope I did it right because I have some sad plants. And it's about time to start hardening off...and I haven't a clue what I'm doing! We have two portable greenhouses outside with heaters in them and we put the impatiens and pansies, I think, in there. But the geraniums are inside under grow lights and in sunny windows (as sunny as it gets during the long awaited IL 'Spring' if that's what you call it!) Can anyone help me keep them alive?

Think about your own garden, and your neighbors' gardens too. Do you find plants that have volunteered each spring and shown up as seedlings that you didn't sow? These are very good choices. (let's say that your orange marigolds have returned in Spring as volunteer seedlings.......you can then be pretty well assured that gold, or lemon, or African or French varieties will also reseed for you too, when it comes down to it a marigold is a marigold is a marigold). Go to your local Botanical Garden and ask the gardeners which plants reseed there. Any plants they mention would be a good choice for Winter Sowing as your local Botanical Garden more than likely has the same climate as you do. Take a walk at a Nature Preserve near you and observe the wildflowers, the young seedling trees, bushes, vines, etc. All of these plants have germinated and thrive outdoors with only Mother Nature to assist them. All of these plants are excellent choices for Winter Sowing.