WINTERSOWING Preparations for 20-15-2016 Season & DISCUSSION

I have not started WSing either. Our December broke records for the warmest in history. We had so many 50 degree days and some to 60-62 degrees. how crazy is that? I'm chomping at the bit in my brain to get started....This weekend I am preparing some new (from last year) containers anyway. It's supposed to be 48-50 this weekend, so will prep them and wait a little longer!

I can't believe this crazy weather. By January 4 of last year, we had had 9.9 inches of snow. Using the same timeframe this year, we have had .7 inches of snow. That's barely over 1/2 inch! They are saying that by Thursday of this next week, we will be in the mid 50s for at least one day. This is insane!

I did my winter sowing today using mik and vinegar jugs.The weather was so warm before so I though that today is great. I reused some old tags from plants that I purchased last year. Hope my garden buddies like my idea.lol

Cynthia, The tag idea is great if you can re use them!!

I have a water jug, a vinegar bottle and a juice bottle, all 1 gallon. And 2 closed pine cones from my beautiful eldarica pine. I have had pines germinate under the tree but not live, in ground, in pots or in greenhouse. I think now might be a good time? I also got sweetgum pods from a friend if anyone wants any

This message was edited Jan 17, 2016 6:50 PM

Hi Gypsi,
I never thought of doing pinecones. Wishing you luck!
I got my first three WS containers out this week, but battling a chest cold so that put a real crimp in my style this long weekend!
Gotta get a move on..it's mid January! But it's been such a mild winter off and on!

I just found my White Coneflower seeds so I use a Cranberry juice bottle to sow them in , and yesterday I added it to my others jugs of Winter Sowing .

I have a package of mixed coneflower seeds I want to plant , I have bunches of garden greens planted ,, Daylily , poppy ,, a few more

I think I am just going to try to winter sow the pine cones. I only have 2 jugs and we are going to be in the 60's tomorrow and again end of next week, 70's next weekend. That is NOT much winter. But I do so want to start some pines and maybe some sweet gum trees. Everything else is toss or plant in the ground, our winters vary greatly.
'

This message was edited Jan 23, 2016 1:53 PM

Hi Juhur! Long time no see!
Well, I got my WS'ing on today. I started last weekend and seemed to take me forever. Today I worked out a good routine, and got BUNCHES of roasting pans (which I perfer to the milk jugs personally) and some nursery pots for long taproot seeds like poppies and Red Hot Poker. Last week I thought I'd never get nearly all the seeds I wanted done...Today I feel very accomplished and in good shape. Hope to finish up my perennials tomorrow! It's snowing outside Boston and coming down at a fast clip, but we're only supposed to get 3". We'll see...

Have a great weekend everyone!

Today's So Far and Hi valal , sounds good , you can keep the snow , lol

This message was edited Jan 23, 2016 6:09 PM

Looking good! What's in the blue buckets? Is that wintersowing or other things you're overwintering? Just curious.
Thanks..we haven't had too much snow this winter, but that's what we said mid-Jan Last year and we got BOMBED every week with a foot or 2, sometimes 2 storms a week and broke all sorts of records. I'm going for a low-snow year this year...Let's hope Mother Nature is amenable!

Cytf, I've used a cranberry juice bottle before (last yr) and they worked fine! :)
Gotta have a few "spare containers" just in case of an emergency - ha ha

valal The Blue are actually coffee cans ,, so are the red , most of those are , Mustard , Coneflower , I think there is a Rudbeckia or two in those , Most of the plant seeds ,that grow rather ,, well anyplace here anyway ,, Couple of tree seeds , and few Kale in those also I believe ,,
I have a few bruise aches so as to how I feel , the old motivation and all , is how the rest of that will get done ,,
Couple of tomato and such to come yet

They look like great containers. I wasn't sure what they were :o)

I use them for lettuce or mustard usually , plants that easily overpowered by weeds
If I can keep them clean also ,,

Hi juhur7, I though your are suppose to remove the caps on the milk jugs so rain or snow can get in it let the seeds get moisture. Or have you always done it that way? I do not know if any one ever heard about sprinkling the poppy seeds on the snow and when the snow melts the seeds settle in on the soil and they germinate in spring. I tried it last year and I was very happy to see how many plants came up.I am going to do it again this year, since we got 30 inches on Staten Island .lol.For many years I planted Poppy plants and they did not do well for me , but I got the best results this way.

Hello cytf Water and air gets into the jugs around the folded edges . Weather the next few days could cause my green vegetables to germinate , 30 to 40 degrees yesterday today and tomorrow
Poppies as far as far I know I just get the seeds lightly into the surface , Some grew that way for me ,, ,
I am not the luckiest at winter sowing , Always try a few though ,I do ,

I usually tape my cut jugs , I guess you do your jugs different . Can you explain me how you fold the edges,it seems easier than taping.

I will be back with photo's .. I cut the Jugs the same as everyone , I just bend them in , Sometimes they pop open while I carry them , I tuck them back in , most would rather tape them

I am always playing with something , When I get the quick ,efficient , and easy , it makes it worth it ,

The jugs are crimped at the bottom of the handle , A little loose , but none have opened , so far ,, Wind , storms , whatever , saw a cat walk through them a few days ago , they still stayed closed

I hated dealing with the tape all the time when it warmed up and I had to open. It was messy. Last year I used some aluminum foil roaster pans and I REALLY liked using them. They were more roomy to sow, and easy to use/cover. The covers were kind of flimsy, but this year I'm using clear trash bags with holes in bottom for drainage, and holes in top for rain/snow to get in.

Valal , I liked those also ,, but they kept getting broken Best but not to good , Four or five bottles super glued to a cat litter pan (that type pan , not used ) lol
and big clear plastic bag over the top the whole thing actually ,,

A picture was worth 1000 words on the jugs, thank you

It's going to be a busy winter. It's my first time doing anything on this scale. Hope I survive!
This is pretty much the agenda:

From seed:
(24)Digitalis 'Camelot' (Lavender)
(24)Digitalis 'Camelot' (Rose)
(24)Digitalis 'Camelot' (White)
(24)Digitalis 'Camelot' (Cream)
(72)Asclepias curassavica 'Deep Silky Red'
(12)Begonia bolivensis 'Santa Cruz'
(48)Petunia 'Pirouette Red'
(30)Petunia 'Tidal Wave Red'
(100)Celosia 'Rainbow Sherbet'
(30)Ipomoea quamoclit Cardinalis
(5)Delphinium 'Magic Fountain Mix'
(50)Cleome 'Sparkler White'
(50)Cosmos 'Gazebo Mix' (direct sow)

Bare root:
(25)Dicentra spectabilis
(25)Heliopsis 'Tuscan Sun'
(25)Asclepias tuberosa
(100)Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm'
(25)Liatris 'Kobold'
(25)Phlox paniculata 'Glamour Girl'
(50)Crocosmia 'Lucifer'

Plugs:
(20)Brunnera 'Jack Frost'
(40)Matteuccia struthiopteris
(30)Tiarella 'Sugar & Spice'
(72)Lobelia 'Vulcan Red'
(20)Heuchera 'Ruffles 'n Truffles'
(20)Heucherella 'Sweet Tea'
(20)Cimicifuga 'Hillside Black Beauty'
(30)Coreopsis 'Enchanted Eve'
(30)Coreopsis 'Starlight'
(72)Echinacea 'Prairie Splendor'
(30)Gallardia "Mesa Bright Bicolor'
(40)Monarda 'Pardon My Purple'
(30)Leucanthemum 'Whoops-a-Daisy'

Thank you valal,forgot my manners . You gave me a compliments about my Tags and my Cranberry juice bottle,good brains think alike.lol. Hi juhur7 that's great how you do your jugs, I always tape . Next year I will try your method it seems simpler , we learn from each other.

Eggszactly that is organized!

Gypsi, only if it works. LOL

well I did all my winter-sowing in aquarium bags of wet perlite in my refrigerator on 2/20. Just moved the flowering mesquite into little pots, the rest except for borage I am sitting on my kitchen counter. The borage appears to be sprouting in the refrigerator. NO idea if I am doing this right

Gypsi, if it's sprouting just take it out and pot it up. Take care to not damage the radicle (embryonic root).

The others usually need 2+ weeks in the fridge. To test them, take them out and set them in a warm place for a week or two, checking every few days for germination. Some need to germinate in the dark but most need light.

Research the germination requirements for each seed and plan around those as general guidelines.

In my spare time do research Robin? These are my hail mary's that have failed and failed. They all had over 2 weeks in fridge. back of my kitchen counter is not super warm but not cold, has some light but not much. will try to do research later today, bids have got to go out!

ahayayaya. Thank you for the reply!

Reckon my borage is going OUTSIDE.
Growing Cultures

Borage is best planted outdoors sown directly in soil after danger of the last frost, as it does not transplant well. Borage can also be planted in containers indoors or outdoors.
Plant Height

Borage grows to a height between 2 and 3 feet tall (60cm – 90cm).
Plant Spacing

Borage should be planted 15 inches (38cm) apart.

http://herbgardening.com/growingborage.htm

it is in the ground in a slightly raised bed with garden soil/mushroom compost mix sprinkled on top.

Borage will grow in a wide pH range between 4.5 (very acidic) and 8.5 (very alkaline) with an ideal pH of around 6.5.
says it doesn't transplant well. The stevia gets the pots I guess.

This message was edited Mar 9, 2016 2:33 PM

Sorry for the suggestion for the extra work, I know how incredibly busy you are. Research is especially important for already failed attempts, perhaps just start there and do the bulk of it in your off-season Wonderwoman (you earned the title).

Generally when the info says it doesn't transplant well, it's because of a taproot. Those can be done in extra long pots/containers.

Actually, just list the ones you have in moist/cold stratification and I and/or others will help with the research. After all, you've got friends!

Borage is in worked ground, scattered in a small raised bed perlite and all and covered with garden soil/mushroom compost mix, going to pot the stevia, bringing baggies in the office for research help. Thank you Robin! All went in fridge in wet perlite on Feb 20th, came out last night:
Nigella Sativa
Burpee True Lavender
Perry Morse Flax
Geranium seed from my seed geranium
white angelonia seed from a plant
Aster - Sand Hill seeds

All have flunked in normal spring Texas garden planting, that is why they were in the fridge

Nigella Sativa - can be sown in place from spring to fall. Seeds germinate in 10 to 14 days at around 60°F. Cover seeds lightly and keep surface moist, not wet.
Burpee True Lavender - will germinate in about 2 weeks at 50°F. Sow these indoors on a heatmat and under lights about 6 weeks before the last frost. I prefer to give these a moist/cold stratification period (usually 3 weeks) before I sow them in cell packs.
Perry Morse Flax - is best sown directly in late fall but it sure looks to me that the clay dish method works pretty good...anytime...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui15nggHauI
Geranium seed from my seed geranium - sow these indoors on a heatmat and under lights about 6 weeks before the last frost. They germinate at about 75°F in as few as 3 days or up to 4 weeks.

If I'm sowing seeds into a cell pack, my medium of choice is vermiculite, it's quick draining with good wicking for bottom watering. Alternatively you can place the baggies with moist perlite/seeds directly onto a heatmat and check for germination every two or three days. Pot them up from there.

I'll look up the Angelonia and Aster later...

oh thank you Robin. I will tackle them in the morning. Had rather a mess with a volunteer event today and got side-tracked.

You're quite welcome Gypsy.
Angelonia - start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date. Press into the soil but do not cover. They germinate at 72-76°F in 4-5 days.
Aster - Moist/cold stratify in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 weeks. Seeds germinate usually in 2-3 weeks at 65-68°F. Cover very lightly.

so the aster need to go back in the refrigerator as it has only been 3 weeks. My angelonia seeds may be no good after the stratification.

I don't need a heat mat to get seed temps down to 50, going to have to think on this. I have refrigerator and 65 or higher. hmmmm Thank you again

I don't know what your outside temps are there, just try to germinate by bringing your bags out of the fridge and setting them in indirect light to see if they will germinate. Oxygen, light and moisture is what's critical for germination, you may still get germination at a lower rate with less than optimum temps.

Sometimes, the most important part is not giving up.

our highs right now are mid 60's, low mid 50's to 60 because of the rain. Normal highs are still mid 60's but without rain lows are in the 40's typically at this time of year (all of this about to jump up very fast)