When is too late to start?

Last year the trees weren't bald until mid January. Is waiting to start until the trees have lost all their leaves a hard and fast rule? If that happens again this year, is mid January too late to start my sowing? Do larger and/or older trees take longer to deleaf? Thank you. Robyn

Robyn -- i've never heard the saying about the leaves....

I've always heard about "winter solstice" -- but figuring that week of the holidays is pretty busy for most everyone... we dont start that week of Dec.

The majority of us start in early January ... it also depends on your zone. some of us in the frigid north, can even wait as far as late Feb to get started -- which is when i will do the majority of my sowing this year.

for me, every year is different.

BUT -- you'd be safe starting around the new year.

Thank you so much. That sounds like a good idea, This time of year one more thing could be one too many. I'm also still collecting bottles so a little more time is very helpful. Robyn

I would like to hear about y'alls WS this year. I am not doing any after my total failures last year.Usually I will try again & again with gardening, but this was too much of a hassle, collecting & prepping gallon milk jugs, labeling, etc.,etc. I will just go back to my indoor sowing with heating pads & lights. Good thing I had them as backups last year or I would have been up the creek with no seedlings!

With two babies in the house indoor sowing would be impossible. Being a newbee, I'm hoping for anything to grow. I'm hoping my zone will give me a helping hand. What does everyone do with the containers when they are done? Throw them away or box them for the next winter?

i just toss mine in the recycle bin... dont even clean them.
then in the fall i start collecting again.

That's what I was thinking unless I get really lucky and have amazing success which of coarse will lead to having to at least double the next years sowing. Isn't newbee hope devine? I'm so new I still believe that every seed I plant will sprout. In my mind I know that's not true but my heart refuses to get with it. LOL

I find getting germination, any germination in every container is a HUGE success... I think i get about 70-80% ... some germinate then die - hot spring, and forget to water...

some seeds germinate and they grow like weeds -- like chia pets, some you will get 1 or 2.

But i do find any seed that germinates a success.

How do you get them germinated? Can't the bees get in through the vent holes? This is something that I would have never thought of on my own. Can you buy some kind of powder or something? My mind is now whirling.

you are confusing germination with pollination.

a seed germinates with soil, warmth and water.

bees pollinate the blooms.

and do be aware, that not all perennials will bloom it's first year... many are second or even third year bloomers.

Your right, I got confussed. I've tried to keep track of what seeds I have that tend to go the first year without blooms. Just growing works for me.