I start peppers in mid feb. Our last frost date is mid march so 6 to 8 weeks before the frost date is the time to sow.

mikeandbarb thanks for the info, I have marked my calander.
I am a newbie to the GF and looking to improve my flower beds this year.

I ws-ed a bunch of seeds last January and had very good results. The whole premise of wintersowing is that the seeds will come up when they're supposed to, either early spring for the cool-weather-lovers, like dianthus, pansies, etc, and later for the hot-weather-lovers like tomatoes, peppers, zinnias, etc.

The trouble is, our crazy weather caused heat-lovers to come up too early, then they were zapped by a freeze. This year, I'm going to start my cool ones in Jan, and warm ones in Feb/March.

I had forgotten how much fun seedstarting is. I tried some new-to-me varieties, and had lots of plants to fill in around my roses. Like Love in a Mist, Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate, Cleome, plus the usual cosmos, zinnias, sunflowers and marigolds.

Carol

Rigo, check out the Wintersowing and Seed Exchange forums for free seeds for newbies. I received a wonderful variety from them last year.

Carol

I forgot to tell you I use seed starter soil from home depot cost is about 6 or 7 bucks but well worth it.
You can use any type of containers to start them in , cups, some make them from toilet paper rolls, some make them from news paper or you can buy the little starter pots.

Thanks everyone for all the wonderful input you have provided me with. This will be very helpful with my success in WS this year.
:0)Rigo

I am in Tyler. This will be my 4th or 5th year to winter sow. It is just amazing. My first year, I really didn't expect it to work but did it ever! And I've had good results every time.

One more input which I forgot to mention. When winter sowing inside you will have to harden off the plant by setting it outside for one hour then bring it back inside.
If it is very windy do not place them outside. It does take time to get them use to the outdoors so I hopr your ready or have the time to move the plants in and out everyday for a few weeks.
If you don't have the time you can go ahead and plant some seeds outside now or wait till after the frost date is over.

I only do peppers to get a jump start, where flowering plant I direct sow.