Trudi_D has some great resources on her WS site; from Zone databases to lists of annuals and perennials that can be successfully (mostly) wintersown. I figure lots of folks from here might be busy w/ football & all tomorrow and not take time on their computers. So check out the wintersown.org site.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wintersown lists

Thanks for the link. Looks like I will only be able to ws Datura, Lavatera and Calendula. Also, the lavatera seeds were labled 2007. Is it still going to germinate?

...another question

I ws'ed all my perennial seeds. Am I correct that most perennials will work?

I think that 'link' you are looking at is for native plants.
Check out the hardy annual list.

Good Morning Neil,

In regards to older seeds I sow them too because there's nothing to lose and everything to gain. Some of my seeds have been over 10 years old and have still germinated. We cleared out my DM's seed cupboard a couple of years back and sowed a bunch from there that she had been rat packing. :O)

On Your list I would sow the Bachelor Buttons, Lavatera, Amaranth, Asters, Marigold, Calendula, Lunaria, and Petunia. There may be others you can sow, but these are the ones I've winter sown and had good experiences with in sowing at this time of year.

Thanks for the selections tiffy! I'm so glad that I will be able to make more flats. Keeps me busy and alive! :D

Tiffy,

Marigold (Tagetes) or Pot Marigold (Calendula)? Tagetes is one that I have had early germination on and lost to cold temps in April. Normally I hold off until May.
Althea or Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) I would add to the list to get started.
Your Clarysua Salvia Blue is the species Salvia hormonium and has re-seeded here for me. Just love this Salvia for the colored bracts (modified leaves). Mine were a mix of white, blue and purple...just gorgeous! This is one I have started in February and had about 100% germination by April 15th (1 month before average last frost date). Proved to be quite frost tolerant. BTW pulled up a few pics of those seedlings in 2005 :)
April 15th S. hormonium. Seedlings already on 1st set of true-leaves; I didn't keep a database at this time, but I would say the germination started around 1st week of April.
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Here they were on May 10th
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yes, you can WS the texas star hibiscus too, just wait on that one til mid march or so. Its a perennial in my yard, it may not flower for you this year, but will come back next year (mulch it well over the winter) and you'll see the stalks coming up in LATE spring.

Alberta

Thanks folks, I really appreciate it! :)

What about impatiens. Here is an article saying that impatiens can be ws'ed. However, I'm not sure where the writer of the page is from, I mean what zone he/she is.

Winter Sowing

From what I've read before, impatiens are tender annuals.

I don't know what zone they are in. How ever I'm in zone 6. I did start some impatiens last year (ws). But I waited until the last weekend in March. I'm really quite glad I did because we ended up w/a cold wet spring. If i had started them any earlier the would have died for the cold. I was always worried about them.
So I might wait even a week longer this year. They really don't like the cold much. On the up side mine were still in bloom until the middle of october. I finally took them out to put in some mums for my holiday decoration : )
Bonnie

Hi Neil, I don't think you have to wait to sow Cleome. When I lived in Illinois (Zone 5a), mine always reseeded. As for impatiens, you might try doing some now and some after frost. I've had them reseed here in Indiana (Zone 5a).

Pat

v1rtu0s1ty,

I keep reading or hearing the same about Impatiens balsamina, however they and are notorious self-sowers according to some online gardeners as cold as zone 4 and I know they definitely are up here between zone 5-6 (all over Spokane and area).
Although these are such good self-sowers, maybe when they are under germinated under cover they sprout a wee bit too early and then die off during a hard frost or temperatures get colder than say 25F? Maybe when they self-sow in the garden they are just smart enough to wait for stable temps? I would say these are probably half-hardy, meaning they are able to stand a light frost only. Do a gardenweb search for Balsam Impatiens (or Balsam) and see if you don't find gardeners in the colder zones finding them a reliable self-sowing annual :)
Impatiens walleriana on the other hand are tender perennials to zone 10 and should be waited on.

Bachelor's button blue joy
Cosmos sensation radiance
Cosmos bright lights
Clarysua Salvia Blue
Lantana Landmark Blaze
Lavatera Trimestris Silver Cup
White Althea
Impatiens Balsamina Balsam
Hibiscus Texas Red Star
Vinca Red Shades
Centaurea Cyanus Bachelor Button
Aster Powderpuff
Lunaria Money Plant
Datura Inoxia
Cleome

those are IMHO you can WS now but not necessary, none of them really needs it as none require cold to germinate. I usually have so many seeds that I hold off on such seeds like above until mid-end March, beginning of April. When I start them later they will germinate fast within few days and give me pleasure of instant satisfaction ;)
Balsam impatines are quite hardy and WS well and reseed well but I like to start some indoor as they do not start blooming until August if I WS them.

That was awesome lindalana! Thank you so much! :)

oh, I would like to try indoor sowing. I remember seeing some pictures of their shelves. I would like to try it as well. What lights should I use? I want the cheapest solution and as much as possible, I want to use whatever I can find inside the house.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks. :)

The vinca red shades came from my garden. You should be able to wintersow them as they reseed heavily for me. The datura can be wintersown too for the same reason, but it will germinate late. If you want large plants, 4' wide, I'd start it indoors. It takes some serious heat to get going. I started one on Dec 23. It's got 4 leaves.

Tom,

Are the ones I see from our member's pics just regular flourescent lights? How far should the flourescent light be from the small plastic pot? Do I need something at the bottom? Where can we buy those heated mats?

When I see the word heated mats, it looks expensive to me. :)

Thanks!