I'm in zone 5 too and have successfully wintersown lettuce, spinach, kale, chard, peas, and tomatoes (no really long season varieties of tomatoes). Beans, squash, melons, carrots, and radishes I just direct sow when the weather warms up, but they can be sown in jugs. Peas can be direct sown too, but I had more success with wintersowing in spring because they like to grow in the cool weather, but don't germinate as well when the soil is really cold and damp. The extra warmth of the containers helps with that, plus it keeps the birds from pulling up the young pea sprouts. Peppers I started indoors because I wanted a long season to try and get some red ripe ones.

If you want any more seeds I have a ton of extras I can donate. It is mostly perennials and annuals, but I do have some veggies and herbs as well.

Hi, molanic,

Thank you for sharing your winter sowing veggies experience with me. This is so helpful. I do have some early tomatoes I got as a freebie in a Jung's order last year. I might include these.

Thank you for your generous offer of seeds. I feel as if I will be set right now, and I am grateful for your offer. I appreciate it very much. :) Your list of items helps so much, and I have a little budget to use, which will cover some seeds, and I have quite a few of these seeds in my "stash," too.

cheers,
Norabelle