Pippi, a seed outdoors is a perfect little time capsule, it's not going to germinate until conditions are right for it to open and sprout - light, moisture, temperature. Seeds that need warmer soils aren't going to germinate unless there's been a period of weather less winter-like no matter if sown in Dec,Jan, or Feb.

It's certainly possible to start them indoors too early - lots of us have (still do) done that :)

Let's forget those few containers that get confused by unexpected temporary weather changes, I'm just going to keep it simple since I'm on my first cup of coffee. And I'll leave out soils too wet rather than too cold to plant - since most don't have the saturated soils that can't be spaded quite as regularly as I find that in winter into spring...

In your zone, your seeds will sprout when the time is right.:)

Pippi, 2 things I am for sure going to plant on winter solstice!! I have been biting at the chomp to plant these seeds for at least a year and a half. They both need 3 months of a cold period, that is why also they are going down december 21st.

Vaccinium Deliciosum (Cascade Huckleberry)
Vaccinium myrtillus (European Blueberry Huckleberry)

A few things I already have planted. A few more things I need to keep warm inside then plant, ughh I am behind.

I am still deciding for sure what all I am going to plant but another good one would be Asimina triloba (pawpaw tree). That one also needs a long cold period.

I am debating on trying to start my Euonymus americanus (strawberry bush) Some say it needs 3 to 4 months cold. Then some say it needs 3 months warm then 2 months cold.

I tell ya what it is a shame the internet can not be consistent with advice given. Reading comes no where near the value of experience, ughh. I may just try it and see what happens. The fellow I got them from was extremely generous in our trade. I believe I can afford to try one each way.

Trial and error right??

I will definitely WS on the solstice, partly because it's the "official" start of winter sowing but mostly because I just can't wait to get my hands in dirt again.

Trudi is clear that it isn't up to US when the seeds sprout--just because you sow seeds on the solstice doesn't set the timer for those seeds. It's in their genetic code to germinate when conditions are right. As morz8 says, that includes temperature, moisture & light. All we're in charge of is the moisture--Mother Nature controls the temperature & light requirements.

I will WS:
Remembrance - Asclepias in memory of my mom & my neighbor Theresa
Mother Nature - pansy
Life - Echinacea/coneflower
Leap of Faith - Russian sage for me and heirloom apple & pear tree seeds for my neighbor

And yes, I will definitely dance nekkid (inside my clothes) while I winter sow! ;-p

Countrycarolyn, I gotta look up those two blueberries of yours!
I don't really sow anything for solstice especially, and I think usually I don't even plant that day. I'm usually baking up a storm and don't want to dirty the kitchen with soil!! :) I'm WS all I can right now (especially shrubs and wild fruiting trees, I just ordered more seed) because when we get cold, it's time to PLANT. I gotta take advantage of every cold or wildly erratic temperature to get some great germination happening here!

Gardenweed, I wouldn't even say I'm in control of the moisture here, all three very much in mother natures hands.

(singing) I can't stop the rain....

Ggg, one will not survive your zone, I forget which. Look on my want list there are 2 other huckleberries that are both native perennials, though both of those are highbush. The 2 above are low bush. I am sure there are more but I have only found 4 perennial huckleberries. Most are all annual!!

I won't be sowing on the 21st. That's my mother's 85 birthday and she lives with us. Also, I'm trying to do better at concentrating on my thing at a time, so I am going to enjoy Christmas and all that entails. Decorations usually come down right after the first of the year and then look out. Dirt and seeds, here I come.

I will be prepping my jugs so I can sow my Solstice seeds as soon as I get home from work on the 21st. Have not decided on anything except White Swan Echinacia for remembrance.

morz8 - I meant to say we're in charge of the moisture in the containers when we sow the seeds. After that, it's definitely in Mother Nature's capable but capricious hands.

(humming) let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

;-p

Is there specific flowers that are suppose to symbol to those categories(Rememberance, Mother Nature, Life, Leap of Faith)
Or does each person choose their own for special reasons?

Can somebody post some ideas?

You can choose what you would like, for those categories.

My remeberance will be for my grandmother. She loved sweets and she was a diabetic, though that woman could not resist chocolate or pecan pie. LOL, she was to cute sneaking and cut her a sliver of pie, then sneak off then come back around and get her another sliver. She did this so many times she might as well cut her a slice. Well she paid for that but who could say if I was in her shoes I wouldn't of done the same. So for her I am planting a chocolate flower, lol.

Mother nature, is a shrub (I think) well for that one is easy. I plan to plant Euonymus Americanus or strawberry bush some even call it bursting heart.

Life is a tree well for that one I plan to plant Asimina triloba or paw paw tree.

Leap of faith is technically suppose to be something that is not hardy in your area. So for your area you would plant something hardy to zone 8 and above. I am still figuring what I will plant on that one.