Hi Mary,

You might want to ask your question on the Growing from Seed forum, since winter sowing's focus is on placing the seeds in the hands of Mother Nature re: temps/light/water. -Other methods, such as the Deno method, focus somewhat on manipulating temps to speed up germination. Growing from Seed

Best regards,
Susan

Mary, I have ws many of the varieties you have listed. Jacob's Ladder, viola, and hardy geranium germinated the first year. Some Japanese anemone and thalictrum (meadow rue) germinated the first year, others needed two winters to get the warm cold warm requirement.

I have also done the baggie method with some successes. What to do after the warm period depends on the seeds. If they have started to germinate putting them outside in the freezing weather would most likely kill the emerging seedling so I put them in the frig. Others that haven't started to germinate get sprinkled in a container and ws as usual.

Good luck.

You don't say which gentian, not all are warm/cold/warm germinators. If you've sown any of the jacobs ladder other than Polemonium carneum, I think you could just leave the containers outside without the warm period - those should germinate when the cold temps begin to warm up.

It probably would not hurt to bring the monkshood in for a couple of weeks then put it back out. You don't need to provide additional heat other than room temperature or light for the seeds. Truthfully though, I don't always have good luck with aconitum/monkshood unless sowing very fresh in early Fall, but that could be me :)

"Is moist vermiculite in a baggie a satisfactory method for warm stratifying?" Yes, I use just a teaspoon or two of either moist sterile sand or moist vermiculite, then sow the entire contents of the bag when I'm ready to winter sow and place outdoors. (this is not the same as the baggie method for germinating seeds, it just meets the requirements for those seeds that need warmth and moisture before the moist chill). Alternatively you can sow them, leave the pots indoors for the required warm period but that takes up more space. You can also sow, place outdoors in late summer/early Fall for Spring germination.

Some extra vermiculite, grit, or potting mix may be necessary to further cover the seeds once you've tipped them out of the ziplocks and sown them -

Thanks for all the tips. It's reassuring to know I can combine warm/cold/warm treatment with my wintersowing this late in the game, probably the only thing that makes me glad I'm not in zone 8. And I'll be bring in the monkshood today, this is my first attempt if it doesn't work I guess I'll aim for fresher seeds next year.

I have also ws actae racemosa (Cimicifuga racemosa/black cohosh and have had germination the second year.

Have ws Thalictrum (meadow rue) but don't remember if it took two years or not, don't think so.

All my ws violas germinated and bloomed the first year.