Sounds like a good idea, Froggy.
GardenRN - I look at is as a way to sow lots of things that I don't want to start inside also. Works for self-seeding annuals (some that don't even need to be stratified), some veggies (depending on zone), perennials of all types and more.
The BIGGEST reason I do it is probably to beat the winter blahs. Gives me something to so and something to look forward to. Also, with 2 kids and only one fridge, I don't want to store seeds inside to stratify them.
It is a 'natural' way to stratify those seeds that need it. The thaw freeze/thaw freeze that some seeds need are just easier (for me anyway) to do outdoors. It's like a "set it and forget it" type of thing. Only thing you need to watch is that they don't get dry. For me...all I do is throw some snow on top of the containers if moisture is a problem.
Although...with the 5" of snow we've gotten today, I'm not having that trouble. Can barely see my containers!
It's a successful method for me. Might not work for others, but I enjoy it. I get over 80% germination on my seeds and this year I'm going all out. 118 containers of seeds sown so far and I'm only about 1/2 done.
