I wondered many of those same questions.

For myself, I think I reported my numbers more accurately this year. Last year I sowed small amounts of many different seeds in many different containers and counted each as a container. This year I sowed multiple containers of the same seeds, so every time I had, for example, 24 plastic cups of nasturtiums in one flat under one lid, I counted that as one container. Even so, I ended up with a similar number of containers as last year! Meaning I actually sowed more seeds!

Hi Brent
If you look at the zone map , Zones 5-6-7 cover most of the country.
As for the decline, there are probably many reasons some that you mentioned.
This year I sowed less than 40 simply because of space.
Keep in mind that there are thousands if not tens of thousands that sow and do not report mainly of Trudi's efforts in WSEO.
Ron

I wonder if GardenWeb is as large and active now, as they were in 2005? I have the impression that other forums with less advertizing have grown considerably the last couple of years...

I lost all patience with keeping careful count after a while... usually I'm so organized, but after about 250 recorded pots I threw aside my notebook and just started sowing seeds with abandon! I don't know how many I did after my 250. Maybe another hundred? I'm guessing. Turns out I have a whole lot of garden to fill up this year... I don't have nearly the amount of extra I expected to.

Newskye,
I'm getting awful close to that sentiment...
If I weren't logging info on size and requirements of plants, I might not bother to record mine either.

Brent,
I think as people sow from year to year, the beds get full, and there is less need to sow some things-- needing only to replenish short-lived perennials and do those "must have annuals". I think this year I'm coming up just under 200 containers (maybe 170-180). I did approximately 400 my first year, around 300 last year. My personal goal is to have enough perennials and reseeding annuals in m yard so that any WSing I do goes mostly to other people.

Linda

As a newbie who reported my (relatively small)numbers of new containers often and with great pride (smile), I wonder if the drop in overall numbers is just a result of people who have become "expert" in the technigue moving on, not using the forum as much because they don't need the help anymore and therefore not reporting their numbers because they are checking in at the forum less or not at all. If that is true, and it just makes sense, then there are not less wintersowers, there are just less people taking the time to report their activity.

Nan,
I don't think that those of who have been WS for several years are going elsewhere or not reporting our container numbers, but rather, we are doing fewer containers as years go by.

I know for myself personally, I've done about 500 fewer containers this year than in the past 3 years. I'm more selective in the seeds that I'm sowing, more annuals than perennials this year, larger containers than in previous years and all of those result in fewer numbers of containers.

Many of us have so many perennials now, that we are doing annuals to fill in.

Lots of variables to consider but not WS people using the forums less and less or not posting their numbers. At least I don't believe that.

Fran

I just got sooo busy those last few days in April to add my latest WS additions to the count.
So there is really 60 more for zone 5 and I haven't finished yet :)

I probably missed out on about 100 containers personally- at the end things got busy and I was not counting.
Next year is going to be mostly annuals for me since I run out of space and have tough time now placing my seedlings.

Personally, I've sown ALOT less. I went nuts in 2005, sowing 263 containers. Now, ALOT didn't germinate, but whatever did provided me with still too many plants. I scaled back ALOT, to 78 in 2006, and the same in 2007. I was shooting for 100, but just didn't have the time :(