How to find out how early I can plant seeds...

It's seed planting time again!

Every year I put the seeds I'm going to start in drawers according to how early I can start them: 8 weeks early, 10 weeks early, 16 weeks early. You get the point. Early meaning that many weeks before my expected last frost date. Many commercial packages tell you how many weeks early to start them indoors. But when we trade seeds with others, that info is not there. Many commercial seeds don't tell you either. Maybe they think you're just going to sow them outdoors. I have had extremely successful results starting seeds indoors, but this part is so time consuming. I still have a LOT to learn, but it is so much fun.

Is there anywhere to find out the info I need? It takes so long to figure it out. I have used Tom Clothiers web site, which is very nice for germination info.
Is there any kind of vague rules? Like if it takes 1-4 weeks to germinate, would you start them say, 12 weeks early, giving you 8 weeks of indoor growing. Maybe that's too long, but you get the idea.

I would like to start them earlier than I did last year by at least a couple of weeks. I have an extreme variety of seeds to start, so maybe I am just wishful thinking.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!
Pam

Have you ever tried wintersowing? There's a whole forum on here about it, I don't know too much about it but I do know it lets people start seeds directly outside sometime during the winter. If you're starting things inside, I don't see why you couldn't start a week or two early as long as you don't transplant them outside until after the last possible frost date. Just don't plant them too early, otherwise you'll have to transplant them into bigger pots before you're able to put them outside and that's probably too much work.

Yes, I winter sowed a few years ago. I didn't have much success. It wasn't worth it to me. Too unpredictable. I got 2 or 3 plants out of hundreds that I sowed.

I really enjoy doing them inside where I can watch them. I do pot them up. I end up with them everywhere! They are sooo cute. I have plenty of light systems set up (flourescent lights on PVC racks).

I tried to cut down this year, but that's not happening. LOL I figured I have over 3000 seeds to start, which is what I have been doing the last couple of years. Oh well. It is a lot of work, but it's fun work. : )

I would just like to find somewhere it told you how many weeks early to start them indoors. I always figure it out, I just thought there should be a table or something that had that info, so it didn't take so long to figure it out.

Thanks for the thought though. I appreciate that. Maybe I have something I can try wintersowing. I'll look and see. I'm not opposed to it, but I can't watch them then.

Pam

Pam, under another thread in this forum, I listed a germination schedule that I use to grow commercial annuals. Here it is http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/688071/ I think it is about halfway down. You are in a different zone than I am, but I think I addressed that too. Take a look and see if is what you are looking for. If there are some annuals that you are growing and aren't on the list-let me know and I can go thru my records.
Actually, keeping records is a good idea for everyone-I keep records of when I start each type, how many seeds, what the germ rate is, how fast they grow ( ie-were they too big or small by the date that I wanted them ready for) and that way I can adjust when I start them the following year.

Thank you Tigerlily! That will help, especially since I want them ready about the 1st or 2nd week in May.
I appreciate your offer to help with ones I can't find info on.
Pam