Store your seed in damp peat (in the fridge) till March 1st, then use Trudi Davidoff's wintersown technique to germinate seed.
Set your wintersown jug or tote outdoors in the cold and wet. Treating shrub-tree-woodland plant seed like they are tomatoes will only disapoint.
Cut off most of your WS jug to allow seedlings to grow about May 1st.