I am winter sowing next year, this is my first year sowing from seeds, so I have not tried it yet. Seems to solve all the problems you had. Lots of info here and all over the web. There is a forum here all about it. Good luck!

Hi there, this year I had my first garden too. I finally found myself in a place in life where I had a place with a small area to garden in. We live in southern Canada, and people here consider the nice weather precious. Frost comes around October, and by December it's -40*F. The cold lasts until April, and mid may is generally considered the "safe mark" to plant outside. I decided I was going to go gung-ho with my veggie plants, considering I only have a 16'X5' space to garden in.

First, my husband and I started from seed. Since people want the domestic farming lifestyle but have to rush to pull it off, nurseries make a killing for about 6 weeks here, and veggie plants are expensive. So I really did this to save some money, rather than it was just me being overambitious. Too many times even in the southern US where I'm from, had I seen my late father try to start plants in those little "seed starter kits"... you know, you shove a seed in a pellet of soil and put it by the window and pray enough sprout and live long enough to get them in the ground? Well I decided I could do better. So I literally built a small greenhouse in my living room with a hot glue gun, screws, an electric screwdriver, and this lightweight wood from slats under a decommissioned bed set. Then I did some googling and found a hydroponics store in town, and went and got some grow lights. I screwed eyelets in the wood and hung the lights over the plants, and then had a "seed planting party" with my husband. He was looking at me like O_o... very apprehensive. Little did either of us know, EVERY SEED would take off, and grow to where we only lost a few due to some unintended breakage during transplanting, kids tossed a ball in the greenhouse and broke a tomato plant in half, etc. lol

By the time mid may came, (we call the date may-long-weekend... it's actually "Victoria Day" so it's a long holiday and the generally agreed upon marker for planting outside) I was desperate to get the plants outside as they had outgrown the greenhouse. I planted them outside, and just like you, the next day I had lost TWO tomato babies! I was devastated! These plants were cared for and took up a precious piece of 2X3 real estate in my living room for almost two months, and now overnight they were gone! The next day, THREE tomato plants- Gone! And some of my zucchini leaves. That was IT! At this rate I'd lose them all in a week! I narrowed down the culprits by trying various types of deterrents. Luckily, since we started from seed, I had a few extras to replace the lost ones, but not many. First, I potted some of the new ones. That worked, so I thought maybe rabbits. The pots weren't big enough to house them all season, so I wrapped two in the ground in Chicken Wire. The next day, two were Gone... right inside the chicken wire! No chewed bits, nothing. So at that point, I said it's something small, and put out Big Rat sized Snap Traps and baited them with apple bits. I placed the traps around the perimeter of the garden.

That night, hubby and I heard a SNAP! Come out to see the biggest VOLE I'd ever seen! We caught 6 more in the following two weeks in the same way. No more plant problems! Now we're near harvest time. I know just how you feel - here are some pictures, and good luck next year!!

Bloomin_Onion, We seem to have the same start. Desperate for spring after a long winter, I decided to start a garden. I bought over a dozen packs of seeds, spent a week planning, bought one of those small plastic greenhouses with the shelves and planting I went. OOOooooo too many tomato plants (about 200) and peppers (about 100), and lots of herbs. Who knew everything would germinate. Two months later found them all homes :o) About 2 weeks of nervous nights (sleepless checking temps) while hardening off! Now starting to harvest some veggies. I am officially an addict. Next year 30'x8', more if I can sweet talk DH.

You are all inspiring to me :)
I got heavily into gardening again, plotting out a backyard project that entails pulling up grass and planting a wide variety of perennials. Ordered some SMALL items on line, but they will grow, and I am semi-patient, but I have also bought some plants and this year read about winter sowing. I am psyched and want to try it....I have tried planting seeds in the past, but they seem spindly and never seem to do well. I SHOULD say that my last attempt at perennial seeds was OK, tho, I did end up with a few columbine, euchenecia that have returned for the past 3 years. However it's a far cry from the amount of seeds I planted and what survived these past few years is mighty disappointing. This year I have renewed enthusiasm and am semi-retired so I have more time for gardening and planning and watering and keeping up with the garden! Would love to follow you all how you make out during this coming winter/seed season!

Bloomin onion I like what built, you wouldn't happened to draw a plan or drawings or measurements by chance.