Hey what part of NH are you from?

I'm in Wisconsin, and I put my perennials out at the beginning of January last year. It worked well although I should have watered more once I saw sprouts. I did the annuals later and the ones I did in the spring actually did the best as a bunch of my other annuals got killed by the late frost.

I sow all my perennials starting in Jan-Feb but I wait to sow my Annuals until around the beginning of March. It's not the sitting around frozen that hurts the seeds the problem is if you have a warm spell and the annuals sprout then when it gets really cold again you might lose some. So your zone is colder than mine so Perennials, Shrubs, trees can be sown really early but I would wait a bit on the Annuals. Just my 2 cents worth! If the perennials sprout early they can usually take the cold but the Annuals can't.
Joann

I am in Maine in a weird zone 5. Last winter was my first wsing expeience. I put my perennial seeds out starting in February and was still planting and putting containers out in May. I didn't lose any to the cold even though we had a very early wery warm spell and then frigid cold again. Thisw as a great experience and I can't wait to do it again.
Bonny

thanks all -- going by your experiences (and your zones) I guess I'll put the perennials out in mid February or March and the annuals maybe in mid March or April. It's still kind of late to call winter sowing I guess, but hey, it's better than waiting till June!

Msalex28a, I'm in Grafton county in the White Mountains area (Littleton). Where are you?

Manchester