I will always enjoy the thrill of planting seeds and watching them germinate and grow.

GREAT idea

Vic, thanks! I think it's fun to experiment and NOT follow instructions on the seed packets sometimes..... and just see what happens!

When a seed packet says "needs stratification", I usually find that 10-70% will germinate fine without it.

And when a seed packet does NOT say "needs stratification", but Internet searches show it probably IS needed, germination may be much faster or 2-5 times as complete with it.

I'm a big fan of starting from seed, it seems like magic that anyone can do.

And I'm usually too cheap to buy "store-boughten plants".

I so agree, Rick. Magic it is!
And really, the best way to get those big swaths of one-plant color in a bed or border.

Do you have suggestions on what types of seeds do well if planted now in a cold-winter zone (6a)? I know that our morning glories are dropping seed now, and so are some of the wildflowers (and weeds!), too.
I'm a newbie at direct seed sowing--always bought plants in spring.

I start a lot of my plants from seeds and seem to always forget about the ones that I direct seed. This year, my surprise was larkspur. I couldn't figure out where I got the dwarf delphinum that seem to bloom and bloom and bloom. In late summer, I had a garden visitor that asked about the godetia that I had direct seeded and that's when I remembered that I had seeded the larkspur. I may broadcast a bunch of poppy seeds that I didn't get around to sowing. I hadn't done it in the fall before, so it may be interesting to see if it is better than spring.

Hello, Renee!
Black-eyed Susans, Poppies, Larkspur, Columbine, Sweet William, Monarda, to name a few, should do well.
But I would actually plant almost anything, just to experiment with your particular growing conditions or 'micro-climate'.
How you sow is also an issue. Do not 'bury' the seed. I surface sow most of the time with fine textured seed.
Larger seed will be just barely covered with soil. Light aids germination.
Surface sowing just before a gentle rain is a near perfect time to sow.
It may be a very pleasant surprise what results you will achieve. Let us know!

Thanks, Janice!

You are most welcome, Renee.

Joanne, how great to find your Larkspur!

Let's revive this discussion for Fall 2013?

Caroline, what varieties will you sow this Fall?

Larkspur had self-sowed again for 2013. A very pretty indigo blue

I used a mix called "Tulip Toppers" which I got from American Meadows.
Those were sprinkled over the bulb plantings.
Also did for-get-me-nots, Siberian wallflower and iceland poppies.
Things are just beginning to sprout here,--- so I do not know what has been successful.