Here in my southern New England garden, early spring is late March/early April.

If you winter sow seeds, regardless of your USDA climate zone, they'll sprout when they're supposed to sprout (when their genetic code tells them it's time). The "Winter sowing" method has little to do with direct sowing into the soil and a whole lot to do with sowing seeds in recycled containers.

Check out the winter sowing forum here on Garden Web to get tips/ideas for growing perennials from seed.

FYI - my neighbor howled with laughter when I told him I was going to sow seeds in recycled containers. Later that same year, I found an envelope stuffed in my door with a note that read, "Please grow these for me." I winter sowed the 4 apple tree and 10 pear tree seeds he tucked into the envelope. The trees are now taller than me.

I don't want to scare you but winter sowing traditionally begins on the Winter Solstice, December 21.

I winter sowed 533 recycled gallon milk jugs my first year but I filled all my garden beds with healthy perennials that have since bloomed in subsequent years.

I did most of my wintersowing (first time) a little after Christmas. Ordered some jewelweed seeds a few weeks ago after getting poison ivy and figuring this would be a nice plant to have around. I didn't even do a tenth of what you did though...I have a lot of seeds that I want to put directly into my new "playground" once I figure out the proper planting time. The weather is just so crazy. It was 77 degrees yesterday. The lows have been what is supposed to be the highs for a while.

Iris, I don't know your weather patterns, but for me in central Arkansas, we have such heavy rain at times, that seed I have attempted to sow directly into the garden soil generally doesn't germinate well unless there are 100's to 1000's of them deposited by their mother plants the prior fall. A few to a large number of these seem to make it to the next spring (some Verbena bonariensis seed or Garlic Chives always survive and comes up the next spring)
For my deliberate plantings, I don't know if something eats the seed or new seedlings or if they are washed away but this method of planting seed doesn't work very well for me.

To try and answer your question, if I was going to plant your example packet directly into the garden, I'd plant the seed once the soil is dry enough to be worked. What seed survives the elements will germinate once mother nature tells them the weather conditions are right and since this appears to be a mixture, seed will most likely germinate at different times throughout the spring.

My suggestion is to try all methods of planting seed and you will discover what works well for you in your area.

... thank you for growing for the butterflies and have fun with your new garden area.:-)

Mary

I hope the seeds don't get washed out, but we are still in a drought. I didn't have a real downpour for a while. The new area is actually pretty big, once my husband got started he was having fun... I am going to put some plants that need dividing in that area, but sowing everything in pots first and planting later seems like an awful lot of work. Here is a picture of the area. It actually got a bit bigger then this.

Yikes, that's a big plot, Iris. :-) Far more planting area than I have in total. I don't think my entire back yard is that big! Have you looked into companies that provide seed for restoration? They sell by the pound and in several wildflower mixes, depending on location. Are you planning on creating winding walkways through the area or planting it more like a big field of flowers. However you plant it, I know it will be lovely and my oh my, won't it be a big draw for the little flying jewels.

Mary

I found two different seed mixes I liked, they should cover about 600 square feet. That took me a while, not all butterfly/ pollinator mixes are created equal... I hope my winter sowing works out and I also got a very generous Almost Eden gift certificate. There are a lot of plants in the other flower beds that should be divided or have seedlings coming up. I would like a path of some sort, at least until the plants are taking over. Just hope the deer and rabbits will behave.

Deer and rabbits DO NOT BEHAVE. They will use your garden as a dinner buffet. Put a 5 foot fence around that garden.

As for the seed packet directions...as soon as the outdoor temps are over 55, you can spread the seeds on the ground. Don't rake them in. They should be only 1/8th of an inch deep which means watering twice a day till they sprout.

If you want butterflies, plant some milkweed. They come in nice colors now. Lots of different butterflies will cover the flowers. Easy from seed. I did mine indoors under lights.

Have fun...get that fencing up. I'm warning ya! Lol

I really don't want to put up another fence. I have at least a dozen cages around little trees I planted. This area is right behind the dog fence. Probably doesn't help that the dogs are fast asleep in the bed at night.... I do have several kinds of milkweed in the front yard and tall green milkweed in my wintersowing containers. The common one is taking over the world, so I might transplant some over. I really hope this works out it's not that I don't like the wildlife- I was actually thrilled seeing two foxes a week ago, but there sure is a lot of damage.

So far I am liking what I am seeing from Select Seeds. Their butterfly mix seemed the most native of what I looked up. I did do winter sowing in containers for some stuff. Especially things like the tall green milkweed that need a period of cold. I also found a sycamore seedball on the road while I was walking my dogs. A lot of the things (including 10 sycamores) already sprouted. It was about 78 degrees yesterday. There is a freeze watch for tomorrow. I guess I will move the containers onto the porch, cross my fingers and hope for the best. I planted some man of the Earth seeds. These I kept inside since it says germination takes 2 month at 65 degrees. The majority of other seeds I will direct sow in the flower bed once the danger of frost is past

susanzone5 (NY) that does not work, the deer will happily jump over and eat all the plants you have.