Last night, I was "googling" a whole list of plants I have sprouting to get information on color/size/sun needs/etc and had the exact same experience - jaw dropping prices! Even when I ended up on seed sites, I was amazed to see 4.99 for 5 seeds when I'd gotten a package in trade with at least 30 for free. Makes you feel wealthy!!!!!!

Bout the only thing I am still buying in my second year of WSing is promix and bulbs/tubers. The daffadils I bought and planted from Van Eglan last fall are up and are fantastic. The paperwhites I bought from them for forcing as xmas gifts were also the best I've ever had. I highly recommend them for bulbs if any WSers are looking this coming fall.

I love that WSing has provided me with hundreds of free plants and then allows me to be generous with others in sharing plants from my current garden. This weekend I dug up tons of rudbeckia plants (black eyed susan) to make room for the new babies. I used now topless and empty milk jugs to hold bunches in tidy pacakages to give away to coworkers at a staff meeting today!

I hear you, Nicole (do you know all along I've been calling you Tiff - short for Tiffany??) ... LOL

Carrie

Yep, it's so fun to go to a nursery and see the high prices on a plant you've grown from seed!

I too like Van Engelen's bulbs. For smaller qty's you cvan get great deals from their consumer site, John Scheeper's. I'm already planning my purchases for the fall! I have around 400 bulbs I plan to buy...more allia, lots of tulips...the kind that spread ...and some other, less common bulbs.

Of course...I am broke...but that's what the charge card is for, right???

I was talking to the folks at our Garden Club this past week and they said that plants at garden centers are going to be more costly. The factors involving the higher prices are gas (of course!) to heat the hot houses and keep other equipment going and the fact that in the last few years some gardeners have developed an attitude that "I don't care what the price is, I want it."

There is no doubt that we winter sowers are ahead of the game. :O)

Carrie,

I don't mind being called Tiff or Tiffy or Tiffany. It's an honour actually. The name comes from from a Black Lab which I lost just a few weeks before I joined GW. She had been my companion for 18 years.

Nan and Zengeos,

I finally started buying Daffs and Alliums last fall for the gardens and they are up. Since we can plant really late here I try to wait for the 'sales'. Right now I have some Fritillarias which will be blooming soon. They were planted as deer deterrents and are starting to stink already :O)

I totally agree on the cost of plants. About 5 years ago I WSed some ivy geraniuums (my favorites) and I still have them, I winter over a ton of plants under shop lights in my garage. I am now seeing Euphorbia diamond frost for $4 or $5 a pot, have 8 in the garage ready to go in my pots and baskets. Anyway I also have many plants I have winter sown in the the past making my gardens full and lush. Right now my Amsonias, $.95 for seed, are about to open, have hardy Mexican Hats, Sunny Border Blue Veronica, Rudbeckia, white Veronica, the list goes on. WSing is the best! Can't wait until it is warm enough to put out the tomatoes I have WSown. I'm even going to try a couple of hanging basket types this year. Fun to try new things, no? And saving $$$ is a real plus.
Tina