Well for me, direct sowing like that would mean planting into much worse soil, birds eating the seed, spring rains washing the seeds out, and then trying to weed out tons of seedling trees and leave behind my tiny plants.

Letting the seedlings germinate in really good soil and getting some size before transplanting will help me a lot. So will being able to do a thorough weeding of the garden beds after spring tree seed fall and before transplanting.

Lynda

If you have a lot of seeds to spare, go for it.

Some considerations.
Birds and other critters eat and/or move the seeds.
Some seeds are washed away by rain and melting snow.
Containers like milk jugs act like mini greenhouses, the temp rising to higher temps than garden soil in early spring. As a result, many plants will sprout sooner in jugs.
Last but not least, and most crucial for me: Can you identify those seedlings coming up in beds? differentiate one type from another? Tell flowers from weeds? I'm not so hot at that.

That said, I might direct sow a few things for which I have a lot of saved seed. Not a big gamble there, and no cost to me.

Karen

so it should work? it just might not be the best way?
i'll have to give it a go then!

It should work, but it's not fool proof due to the reasons stated above.

Many people use wintersowing because it allows them to have larger plants sooner. For example, those with a much shorter growing season.

I'm doing it this year because I have over 200 types of seeds that I plan to grow for next year and I want to be able to identify them. This helps with seed collection and seed trading. Many people don't want a mix of seeds and would prefer a single variety in trade.

It really depends on what a persons goals are.

Jenangelcat,

First I would like to welcome a fellow Canadian. I am from Nova Scotia and have been a winter sower for 6 years and will definitely be doing it for a seventh year.

A lot of reasons for winter sowing have already been stated. I do let some plants self-sow in the gardens, but sometimes they don't come up in the best places, so transplant them where I want them.

But if I am buying a pack of seeds or obtaining seeds from a fellow gardener whether it be a neighbour or through the exchange forums here, I look at it as an investment in my gardens and I will use this wonderful method to give my seeds a great chance at survival.

Your question is most certainly a good one - they all are. :O) I urge you to try winter sowing, even just a few containers, and see if you like it and what the results are. If you wish, I can send you matching packets of the same kinds of seeds later in the season. Take one and sow over the snow and then take the matching one and sow a la winter sowing. Consider it my investment in your garden.

I am a former direct sower that will never go back! Self sowing is one thing,I cant stop them and what will be,will definitely be! :)
As for the winter sowing,this was my first year,and I have so much to show for it! I also had plenty to share with family and friends,and it was so nice to be able to pop them out of a container and place them or pot them up,than it was digging them up,disturbing beds to transplant or share plants!
Another issue is the critters,I had a real problem with Pill Bugs eating my seedlings before,every day they would disappear until there was nothing left. The jugs protect them and I actually had no losses to pill bugs this year!
I was able to plant my babies out when they were too big for the little creeps to mess with!
I hope you decide to give it a try,you will not be disappointed,there are many reasons this a good idea! ;)

We don't get much snow in winter but we get lots and lotsa rain. Whatever I threw out would be in my neighbors yard by spring, I'm sure.