Canadian Winter sowing???

Are any Canadians doing winter sowing yet?
I have started only 7 jugs so far!
Going to do some of the NARGS seeds as a winter sow also.

Caroline
I am doing some Echinacea at the end of Feb but not before. Just a little early for me.
What have you started?
Ann

Martagon lilies (been warm for 6 weeks, now out in cold)

Hardy Perennials from 99 cent packages, so I do not expect a lot.
Anchusa Blue Showers
Astilbe Arendsii "Showstar"
Astilbe Garden Mix
Bergenia "Red Start"
Dianthus Allwoodie Alpinus mix
Delphinium zalil

Warm for now and out later:
Yellow peony seeds
Yellow or cream Aconitum

Wow I'll look forward to hearing how well it goes.
Ann

I'll keep you posted later.

Going to do the NARGS seeds next.

Caroline

Caroline,do you have a photo of your outdoor operation,I just dont understand why it doesnt all freeze. i would love to give it a whirl! Joelle

Yes, they do freeze-----unless there is deep snow.
It stays warm under there.

Mine are not out where snow covers,but up against the south wall of the house.
The spring sun, on the concrete there, warms them up, later.

Today, everything is under snow as we have a new snow fall last night.

I'll take a photo---later.

Caroline

OK,thanks!

There is a winter sowing forum on DG.

But it is not Canadian Wintersowing.
Okay we'll buzz off to GW.

so, so results last year. I'm not gonna bother this year.

No, CLScott do not "buzz off to GW". You have every right to post here in the Canadian Gardening forum about your winter sowing adventures despite the fact that there is a designated Winter Sowing forum. DG has become so fragmented since the advent of a so many forums and while true, "something for everyone" is at play here, I don't believe in having to scurry over to another forum just to have a discussion about something you enjoy. There used to be a better sense of comraderie in this forum.

Now, as to what I'm winter sowing.....I'm working on edibles today because I don't have the space inside :o)
So far I've decided on a few varieties of lettuce.....how's that for adventurous, lol!!

Cheers and happy gardening,
Erynne

oK everyone..... I took that as information that there was a site.........not a buzz. I know that I'm a bit slow on the Winter sowing so give me a month and I will join Caroline.
Erynne.. , lettus I know its a cool weather crop.... I didn't even think of doing veggies. good idea!

Cheers
Ann

I want to do more than the lettuce but I need more containers! Gosh, this is always my problem because I buy so little in plastic containers. A few years ago I did up a bunch of basil and it came up lovely. I'll have to add that to my list for this year.
Thursday is recycle day around here....I might just nonchalantly drive up to my neighbours blue boxes and see what containers I can score, lol.

:o)
Erynne

Erynne - try windshield washer solution containers.

Oh Ann, you are a smart one! Always have those kicking around!
But maybe I shouldn't use those for edibles though....just in case the chemical leached into the plastic??
I do have some annual/perennial ornamentals that I'd like to start so those containers would be ideal.

Tks,
Erynne

Erynne put out a call to all your neighbors,especially those with children, for 4 litre milk jugs!

Carol, those 4 litre jugs are becoming difficult to find in these parts! Our stores don't sell them but maybe some of those chain-type convenience stores in the bigger urban/suburban areas do. I'll let my neighbours know that I'm looking for them at the neighbourhood potluck this weekend.

:o)

I think the main chemical in wws is alcohol and it should be OK. Most of it will evaporate out in time and it's water soluble too. I just scrubbed mine out really well. The National Arts Centre parking garage has stakes where people can drop off their empty bottles. I just raided them last year. But we had so little snow, they were getting pretty dusty.

This message was edited Feb 16, 2011 3:39 PM

Just rinse the containers. Cardboard milk containers work inside a clear plastic bag.
You can do both the plastic and the cardboard milk containers on their sides, also, for more plants.
Dollar Giant (now $1.25 in Calgary) has lots of $1.25 food containers and other gardening trinkets.
Some people just use the zip lock bags with soil or vermiculite. (cut drainage holes)

I am doing peonies today from seeds from my garden.
They will need to sit through two cold periods after initial warmth for a month.
So I need to remember not to throw them out when no sprouts. (That is what I did last year.)
I am placing peony and other long germination jugs (Aconitum and Martagons )
into plastic waste baskets to remind me that they are long germinators.

Wow that takes patience Caroline!

Or just plain foolishness!

great ideas!

Ok...I've never heard of this before. Can I start anything in the winter and just put it out to winter and sprout in the spring?

You need to go to Trudi Davidoff's web site which is devoted to winter sowing.
Or google, yahoo at winter sowing

Somehow there are 37 jugs out there and two boxes of peat pots.
And I still have seeds?
Yesterday I did 4 jugs of poppies and 2 of Pyrethrum.

lol you are crazy! Kidding thanks for the site. I really want to wrap my mind around this, understand it,and execute. No time like the present. Are temps are lower then norm. here in Sask. but the 2 week forcast shows about -2 to -5 average. I want to be part of the winter sowing clique! WSC!

Try it with perennials or hardy annuals early and then the less hardy stuff.
Some just does not work because it takes too long.
Tomatoes are late and so are tall snapdragons.
Or go to Trudi's lists and choose from there to start.

Sometimes the WS is just better ---for example cosmos could be a direct sow,
but the birds get the seeds, so I try to do WS.

The beauty is the plants are already hardened off!

I have four planters outside for veg. They are 8 feet long, 4 feet wide and 2 feet deep. Built with wood frames. I was thinking of going out,clean the snow off, sprinkle the seeds and cover with a bunch of old storm windows. What do you think?

I envy you those planters!
The cold seeders should do okay.
You actually have giant sized cold frames if you have glass or something over them.

OK,thanks for the advice, I will give it a whirl!

This is my set up for this year.

Jugs inside some boxes

Peat pots in some boxes.

The two winter germinators.
I'll move to the back (north) of house when snow melts back there.

Great set up! You are going to have a fantastic year. Thank you for sharing everything. Joelle

I hope so and I hope you have great gardening with those large raised beds.
We will post pictures later in the season.

Sounds good!