Anyone started winter sowing yet?

Texas,
That is what I try to do as much a spossible. I just put the seeds on the ground where I want them to come up next year. The rain and the cold do their thing with scarification and getting them in the ground.
If it is windy weather, I do water where I sprinkled the seeds so they don't blow away immediately.
But I do break my own rules too as I have 2 flats of seeds right now. But.... they are outside and at the mercy of nature-LOL!

I have several containers of seeds outside, but they are on their own! If I get zero germination from something I just won't winter sow it again. I normally let my stuff reseed on it's own then end up transplanting seedlings that sprout where I don't want them. Problem is I normally have to see it bloom b/f I even know what it is! Ha! But some things are distintive and I just know- like my foxglove. But those bad boys sprout all over the yard... lots of tiny, tiny seeds and I am not a dilagent dead-header. :)

Now that I think about it, I do sow peas every year in March, and I just stick them in the ground and ignore them. they have always done fine.
It may be vegetables like tomatoes I'm thinking of that need bottom heat, because it is not their natural growing area, and people want to get them as early as possible.
What you are saying makes perfect sense, just like letting the leaves decompose and feed the roots of the trees... Nature knows what she's doing.
I can't wait to try this!

texas, good luck with the naked ladies. I misunderstood and thought they were old established clumps. Sorry.
Thanks for the heads up about NHGC. I'll keep that in mind... :}

Ok Berrygirl- found my magazine. A nice bite taken out of the top by my dog, but it's still readable. :)

From their 2005 list I got the Dolce Flambe petunias (have it w/ 2 other kinds from Park Seed so I got that) and I ordered Calendula "Radio" from Select Seeds. If you can't tell, I have a thing for yellow/orange/pink combos. If you look at the Caribean Crush Verbascum you will get an idea of how my planting scheme ends up. I also ordered 3 kinds of elephant ears from Parks and I thought those were in this magazine but they were not. I just ordered them b/c I liked them. I also got Meadow Brite coneflower which looks like the Sunset kind they featured in the magazine. Again with my color scheme! I almost ordered the Arab Queen Dahlia but figured I had gotten enough on the co-op. Ha! I have ordered a few other things, but that's it from the magazine. I must show some restraint! Ok, ok, it's b/c I don't have any more room! I thought that, then though OH, CONTAINERS! So I ordered a little bit more. Stop already! :)

Texas,
WOW!!!
You must post pix when the garden comes into it's glory.
I absolutely LOVED the pix of the Flambe 'tunia.

Me too! I really hope they do well here with the heat. So far the only petunias that really thrive here in the middle of summer are the Wave petunias. And I still have to water them everyday- sometimes twice! So here's to hoping!

Texas,
You ever grown any of the heirloom petunias? They do fantastic for me here in hot GA! My Granny grew these and I started growing them a few years ago. In fact, these are the majority of the petunias I now grow. Even though the new ones are gorgeous, I HAVE to have a sweet-smelling petunia- though the Flambe might tempt me to try it just b/c of its incredible color!

Hey, Berrygirl! Just wondered if you had intended to post a pic of those heirloom petunias. :-)

Jamie,
My address is in the Exchange. Thanks!

Yeah, post a picture if you have one. I have never tried them.

Terrie- I will get your address from the exchange.

Trunnels,
I am probably the ONLY DG'er who doesn't have a digicam.
My BIL has one and I think I'm gonna borrow his this summer to take pix of my garden and show them here.

There is an old photo somewhere here at DG of my Blaze rose from a couple of years ago.

Hah! I just got a digital for Christmas! But I learned how to scan my film pictures and download them on the computer this past summer. I'll probably be driving ya'll crazy with pictures this next growing season. (grins)

You lucky thing you. I'm green with envy- LOL!!

I have been wanting a digital since I joined DG. Can't tell you how many times and ways I hinted for it. LOL Finally, right before Christmas, I told my DH that I was going to buy myself a digital camera with the money I saved from not smoking when I had actually saved the amount (in February). That was about as bold as I could get without coming out and TELLING him what to get me! Anyway, he thought he was soooo smart figuring out what I would like for Christmas. :-)

I don't think the digital camera industry knows effect DG has on their sales, LOL.

(But probably we are a mere drop in the bucket,)

Not to brag, it's just a funny story, but we have TWO digital cameras!!!!!! My husband's family (parents mainly) are freaks about Christmas. They always buy too much stuff and have a rule that you can't tell anyone what you buy. Not just for them, but for ANYONE! I told them this was kinda dumb b/c we could be getting someone a duplicate gift. So Christmas 2002 DH got me a digital camera. Of course he couldn't tell his parents what he was getting me b/c of their stupid little rule, so they had no clue. That same Christmas, they got HIM a digital camera. He says mine is better, so we don't even use his. I can't tell the difference, I assume he just says it b/c it's the one he picked out :). He does take his with him on his National Guard weekends, but it's mainly mine that we use. And mainly for taking pics of my gardens or pets. Ha! Needless to say that rule went by the wayside. This past Christmas, My SIL told me what to get my BIL (her husband) and then told my in-laws (his parents) that she had told me that. Boy they were on the phone ASAP to tell me that they had already gotten the same thing for him. So, I got something else instead. See how that works? Geez people! Just kidding- I do love 'em to death!

terrie,
congrats on your new Digial camera! I can't wait to see your pics, your scanned oned were great this year. And good for you for quitting smoking! Now that $ can go to more plants!

I think I missed the pic of the flambe petunia- Or i saw it but can't find it again...LOL

berrygirl, it's really cool that you grow your grandma's petunias.
They must smell like heaven.
I like that you don't have to deadhead a lot of the newer ones, but I love old fashioned flowers. (like single hollyhocks.)
I have my grandmother's iris (TB, dark purple) and my Nana's iris (Siberian.) I want to pass these down to my daughters.

Oceangirl-

The dolce flambe petunias were in the NHGC magazine that berrygirl and I get. She had asked me what I ordered from their 2005 new varieties in this issue and that was one of the things! The link below will take you to the Park Seed website (where I ordered mine). It should go right to the page they are on.

http://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10101&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&mainPage=prod2working&ItemId=1399&PrevMainPage=textsearchresults&OfferCode=R1H

Along those same lines, can you collect seeds from these? I never know with the hybrids or "newer" plants. I don't even know how to collect the seeds from old fashioned petunias though.

I agree- I like the old fashioned plants. Foxglove, canturberry bells, delphinum, hollyhocks, etc. All my favorites! An old fashioned cottage garden would describe my "ideal."

Texas,
I believe most hybrids do not come true from seed, but you can collect them.
All petunias make fat little green seed pods where a bloom was. They are easy to see and when the seeds are ready, the pod will dry up and turn brown. Try to get them before they open and the MICROSCOPIC- but plentiful- seeds go everywhere.

Oceangirl,
Yes the petunias smell heavenly!!
I think it is a very precious thing to hand down plants from one generation to the next.

Thanks berry. I will collect them and just see what happens. But I won't offer them for trade/SASE until I know one way or the other what they will do!

Thank you for posting the link, Texas,
Those petunias are gorgeous! I'll have to order some!

Berrygirl, I think we need to invent a digital camera that can pic up fragrance so we can post scratch and sniff photos! LOL

Jamie,
Thanks for posting that link! I definitely want these petunias but would rather buy them in the spring. Do you think the nurseries will have them this year?
Darius, I agree with your about the digital camera industry! LOL I bet there are lots of DG members who never thought about a digital until they joined and saw what they could do with one.
BTW, from my grandmothers' gardens I have phlox and an umbrella plant.

I started some f my winter sowing this past weekend. I'm trying something new.....well new for me anyway. I have two 7X5 ft rasied beds I use for veggies....so this year I sowed my seeds in 2 and 4 inch pots, and burried them half way in the soil and covered the whole thing with old storm windows
Viola! mini greenhouses.........
I do have a few flats (old take out food containers) also on the patio, just in case the others don't do well.

Marc

Sounds like a great idea, Marc! Be sure and let us know if it works.

Terrie- love that picture! Your garden is so pretty! I'm not sure if those petunias will be in nuseries. I wouldn't count on Lowes or HD for them, but maybe a "real" nursery will have them.

And yes Marc, let us know how that works- great idea!

I'm thinking Calloways, Jackson's Pottery or that nursery up in Frisco that people drive for miles to get to. Will have to check it out. (I might order some seeds anyway, just to see if I can get some started.)

I don't venture north of 635 if I don't have to, but there are a few good nurseries on Lovers right off the Tollway. I will check there as well. But If any of those "up north" nurseries are popular b/c they are cheap, I'm there!

Can I sow foxgloves now?
I hope so, causeI did yesterday, LOL!
What seeds shouldnt you sow this time of year?

I want to try my hand at this too. I tried starting seeds indoors last year in a small greenhouse but I didn't have much success. Things do so much better outside on their own.

I saved a plastic sandwich meat container this week just for this. Do I put the lid on it?

Konk, I planted some lily seeds and cattail seeds in plastic coke bottles... I covered them- taking the top off every few days to let them breathe. They are starting to sprout. I guess it depends on what kind of seeds they are?

Crimson,
This is a good time for your foxgloves, IMO. But you prob. won't get blooms til next yr regardless- unless it's an annual strain like foxy.

konkrete,
Yes, so long as you just check them often for moisture, etc... when the plants start growing you have to be careful not to cook them- LOL!

Thank you Berry. :-)
I know at least one kind are biennials- then I have miniature FG. Hmm. We shall see! :-D

So far I've sown 75 containers. I've sown a variety of perennials and some annuals that self-sow in zone 5. I still have 30 or so more containers that I want to sow. I just need some time.

I just moved into a new house that had a few long-neglected flower beds. I've added several beds and renovated the others. I can't wait to have a ton of new plants to use in my new beds: )

I have about 50 4inch pots sown so far. I few annuals, but mostly perrenials. I still have more to do, but will wait till a bit later, as the ones I still have will germinate quickly (marigolds, zinnia, petunia, lobelia, and pansy)
I checked the flats yesterday and was shocked to see many of them had already sprouted.
Most of my salvias, hollyhocks, bee balm, and assorted other things as well. Sure hope we don't plunge back into cold weather now.......................

katie--good to know you are trying wintersowing for your new gardens. I put some ws seeds in just for the same reason, but also because I hope to have something to trade at the ohio river valley RU come april to round out my plant varieties.

since you're just up the road in Indy, hope you'll come down for the RU--a good place to get some new plants/seeds and meet some great gardeners, I think. I will add you to the RU email list if you might be interested...Others too, if you are in the area--dg subscribers are all welcome.

Glad to find out others do winter sowing. they say it's lots of fun and generally gets great results and it sounds like from the above it's all true!-- t.

Tabasco:

I would love to come to the RU. Just let me know when it is. My bother lives in Cincinnati, so it will be a great excuse to go see him.

thanks for letting me know

katie--FYI here's a link for the Ohio River Valley RU-- http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/461620/

we will have a webpage to post very soon. t.

It's been over a month now and I had to check my progress! Here is my winter sow project- first timer here.

So far, the 4:00s are doing the best- lots of them have germinated now.

and the Touch Me Nots are starting up...

And my dianthus tray has 2 little seedlings! Well, that's all for now... I am surprised at how much has come up- I wasn't expecting to see ANY green in those containers yet!!!