I did Phlox drummondii ' Cherry Caramel' today. Also climbers - Morning Glory 'Black Knight'. Thunbergia alata and cobeans scandens in both purple and white. I also sowed some spendy poppies - p,nudicaule 'Colibri and antirrhinum 'chantilly something'...with less than stellar results Plus a couple of nasturtiums - Milkmaid and Black Velvet, phacelia campanularis,, Tagetes 'Red Gem; (last week).

I have tomatoes to sow - Irish Gardeners Delight, Chadwick Cherry, Harbinger

I've got my herbs started, rosemary, oregano, basil, etc. I grow all as annuals, although occasionally I can overwinter the rosemary indoors - it's worth it because I have a good crop in the fall to dry.

I've got my meconopsis (blue poppy) stratifying and am hoping the little seedlings from last year have survived.

I sowed a lot of seeds this winter/spring

Cornflower (bachelor’s button)

california poppy (direct sow)

lavender poppy

Cockscomb Indian Giant

stock

gomphrena

hollyhock

Tithonia

marigold

mallow

Snapdragon

I would love to try lupines next year. Saw them blooming in Iceland and what a scene!

I've got Rudbeckia triloba and Scabiosa "Fama Blue" started and some annual vinca. It's too early for most of the other stuff, the full-on sowing starts in about two more weeks.

I've already sowed impatiens, dahlias, parsley, and poblano and serrano peppers. It's still a little early for me in z5.

Hugely thrilled at the appearance of the first calllirhoe bushii after seeds sitting in a pot for over 2 years (got seeds from Danny on here (Dbarron). Now they have gone through various warm and cold stratifications, I am hopeful for more germinations.

I really struggle to keep seeds going for longer than a whole season (usually, the labels will vanish or become illegible and space is always short). I can hang onto plants for multi-years before planting out but it does seem like an act of faith, holding on to ancient pots of soil (which invariably look somewhat greenish and crusty with our hard water (I never manage to store and use rainwater for seedlings)

I am running way behind, but I plan to start Dahlia seeds this weekend.

I absolutely LOVE sowing seeds. Here's what I sowed in mid-Feb:

- Delphinium

- Milkweed (white)

- Strawflowers

- Cornflowers

- Poppies

- Silene

- Rudbeckia

- Penstemon

- Lavender

- Digitalis (foxglove)

- Sweet peas

- Scabiosa

- Salvia

- Forget me nots

- Jupiter's beard - the white variety - was a bust!

- Agastache, golden (awesome) and apricot (bust!) - :(

- Rose mallow

- Lupine

- Shasta daisies

- Mondarda lambada

- Mondarda, wild

- Alyssum - a couple different varieties

- Cantebury bells, mixed

- Dianthus

- Ladies mantle

- Lions tail

- Annual vines, i.e. morning glory, scarlet runner beans, hyacinthin beans, moonflower and one lonely snail vine - only 1 germinated out of 7 seeds...

I tried 3 different methods: 1. wintersowing (did really well); 2. sowing under indoor grow lights (did really well) and 3. sowing in an unheated greenhouse (seeds did not do so well).

here's my theory on why method 3. sowing in an unheated greenhouse didn't go well for me. When I watered, the water would freeze and the containers would get water logged. This method did work for hard to germinate seeds, i..e penstemon, delphiniums and lavender.

methods 1. and 2. were great and pretty easy to do. I was able to regulate the water and remove it easily so that the containers would stay dry, and not waterlogged.

my biggest success was with delphinums! I tried 3 methods:

Method 1: I started them in a tray that I covered with a black plastic (think garbage bag). Place the tray in a cool spot away from direct sun. They germinated in two weeks and I placed them under my grow lights. Big success! Method 2: They also germinated using the unheated greenhouse method and Method 3: take a papertowel, place the seeds, fold the paper and wet it. Place it in sandwich bag in the refrigerator bottom drawer for 2-3 weeks. Take it out and place it under a grow light. The seeds will root and you can sow them in a seed tray.

In a few weeks, I'll sow my frost sensitive annuals, i.e. zinnias, cosmos and sunflowers.

Hope this helps!

Dee I was woefully behind too. I finally did some yesterday (Sunday). I should have enough cold weather left for them to be successful.

Mazerolm I miss my Catananche c. and should grow them again.

Asclepias tuberosa

Amsonia hubrichtii

Arisaema triphyllum

Linum perenne

Papaver orientale

Centaurea macrocephala

Clematis integrifolia

Polemonium caeruleum

I will do a few more today. Actaea rubra, Aquilegia canadensis and some others that I can't think of right now because it is stupid early.

YES, let's see here ...

Dianthus ... 'Amazon Duo', 'Dynasty Rose Lace' (everyone should grow these!) and zillions of seedlings of 'Mad Magenta'.

Snapdragon 'Tweeny' (these are the nicest things ever!), 'Snaptina' and a new one this year 'Doubleshot' with its 'Madame Butterfly like blooms on 16 inch plants.

Verbena bonariensis 'Finesse'

About 150 rose seedlings from my cross pollination work.

A few large flowered clematis cuttings and seedlings on the go.

Cuttings of my found shrubby potentilla mutation, this one is truly glorious!

Today shall sow Marigold 'Xochi Orange' (these are awesome!) as well be trying 'Coco Gold'

Need to transplant the 'BullsEye Salmon' geranium cuttings, a fantastic variety with excellent dark foliage and blooms that last and last without shattering!

Tomatoes, peppers, onions ...

Have cuttings on the go of Linum Compactum, such cheerful things with a bit of an extended bloom time.

Where do you all get your seed?

A few plants that I wanted to start early.

Bottom tray Asclepias variegata, Redring Milkweed.

Top right. Asclepias syriaca x Asclepias amplexicaulis. A hybrid that will be interesting to grow. It has unusually large, long leaves. I hope they inherit some of the amplexicaulis undulation.

One of my lifers, and the 1st real flower Ive ever seen of Buffalo Clover, Trifolium reflexum. They grew faster than I anticipated.

Salvia azurea.

Pentas lanceolata. Gerden centers only sell dwarf Pentas, which can get lost underneath taller neighbors. I decided to grow the tall type. A great hummingbird and butterfly plant.

Dwarf Globe Mallow, Sphaeralcea parviflora. There's about 6 seedlings, which is all I have room for anyway. Im not sure if it will survive the winter here.

Pineapple Weed. Matricaria discoidea. It's our native Chamomile, but the flowers lack ray petals. It's very aromatic. It can be used in salads and teas. The vast majority of my seeds have been stratifying outside.

Jellito (ships to US) and J.L.Hudson for perennials

Real Seed for vegetables

Small Plants (Czech Rep.) alpines

but mostly, I collect and save my own from various sources

I do collect seed from my own garden and have sown Hosta, Kieringshoma, Clematis and Actea. I purchased seed off of etsy 2 years ago, Athens Yellow and codonopsis lancealota, but neither has sprouted.

@Jay 6a Chicago What do you use for seed starting mix?

Well, Jay, I've learned something. I thought Pineapple Mayweed was native here, it's so common. But I find it's not. Apparently it's an incredibly fast spreading naturalised plant.

Floral, I was surprised to discover Pineapple Weed was native here also. It grew in my neighbor's yard when I was a young kid. I have never noticed it in the wild.

Senior Balloon, Im using a potting soil called Sunshine mix. I mix 10 parts Sunshine mix to 1 part vermiculite. The bag says it contains a wetting agent, but Im still adding a small amount of vermiculite anyway. I was using Pro-mix in the past, and it would dry out quickly. I sometimes sprinkle vermiculite over the tops of the pots. For tiny seeds I top off the pot with vermiculite and then sprinkle the seeds over it.

Senior Balloon, I get my seeds from multiple sources:

- Geo Seeds

- Baker Creek Nursery

- Johnny's Select Seeds

- Johnny Scheeper's Kitchen & Garden seeds

- Select Seeds

- Swallowtail seeds

- Diane's seeds

- Rebecca's garden seeds

- Botanical Interests

- Prairie Moon nursery

- Wildseed Farms

- Walmart, Home Depot, and other local stores sell Burpees, Livingston seeds, and others

- Rohrer seeds

- West Coast seeds

- Summerhill seeds

- Sunflower Steve

- One stop poppy shoppe

- Plant world seeds

- Plants of distinction - Great website. I haven't ordered from them in awhile though..

- Seeds from our local botanic garden and plant societies, i.e. delphinium, lilies.

- Floret - she's not selling seeds this year. Bummer!

I'm sure I'm missing a few!

@Jay 6a Chicago Thanks for posting that Sunshine Mix picture! I just went out and bought some.

I've already started my tomato seeds, but will repot/give away extra seedlings and I needed a mix to use for those give-aways. My local Menards had this on clearance - 2 cu ft for $10.67 (after rebate). It's not compressed like the bigger bags Lowes and others sell, so I'm not sure if it's a great deal or not,, but it's less than half the cost of the MG seed starting mix I used.

Thank you everyone for posting! It’s so interesting to see what others are doing!