Which containers work best?

This is new to me and I'm excited to give it a try. When folks have discussed containers, some recommend containers which can accommodate 6 inches of soil, others say Chinese food tins. That is quite a difference in depth. Can I use regular old seed flats? This would be a great use for my old flats that have begun leaking at the corners.

I am using gallon milk/water jugs. I've also tried fresh pasta container - similar to the larger plastic salad containers at salad bars. This is my first year too, so I am curious to see what works. I do know that many have had success with the gallon containers. If you peruse the threads in this forum, some people have even posted pictures of their containers

Two years ago, I started 3 or 4 flats of "jumbo" sized six-packs (I've got a ton of them) @ 36 cells per flat.

I also have the "mesh-type" flats that hold six jumbo flats each. For each six cellpacks I used two flats - one under the cell packs, then one flipped over on top to keep out birds and critters while still letting in plenty of sun, rain and snow (what little we get here) in.

I really need to go through my seeds and get started. (Our weather has been so warm, it hasn't seemed feasible to try winter sowing this year, but maybe we'll get some colder temps in February.....)

Deeper is always better, but if your container can hold at least 3" of soil, it'll be okay. The soil will compact down a bit, so you really don't want to start out with too much less than 3". I've used the seed flats, with each cell filled to the top, and last year I used the "jumbo" sized six-packs that Terry mentions; they work fine, but when they start to germinate and the weather starts to warm up, you will have to be more mindful of watering.

I use mostly 4" transplant pots, or any of those small pots that you buy plants in. One thing I can tell you from experience - with winter sown plants, the root systems will amaze you! So give 'em room.


PV

I tend to use mostly 2 liters and gallon jugs. Mostly because it looks a little neater in my back yard. The first year, I used whatever I could get my hands on and it did look a bit like I had trash alll over my yard. :) Also, they had the depth I was looking for. I thought about using all my leftover cells and pots, but when I pulled them out from behind my garage, they disentegrated as soon as I touched them.....of course, if I hadn't left them out there for 2 years, maybe that wouldn't have happened. Go figure! :) Pvick is right, though....come spring, those babies are going to need a lot of room to grow those fantasitc root systems. And they will dry out faster.

Thank you all. Sounds like the depth of soda or milk bottles is preferable to the gain I would get with the width of my flats. They are standard flats. I would guess about 2 inces deep. Maybe I'll start tomorrow. Thanks to everyone on this topic for the education!
Dave

Hey PVick! Good to see you here!

I agree on the 3" depth - I don't think you really need 6". It wouldn't hurt, certainly, but I think it's kind of hard to find containers that deep.

I use gallon milk/water jugs. These have enough depth, and enough height, as well as a handy-dandy handle! And merryma brings up a good point about them looking neater - or I guess having a lot of one kind of anything would look neater than lots of differentd kinds of containers.

Dave, if you do want to use your seed flats, remember that they will dry out more quickly, so watch the moisture content.

Good luck!
:)
Dee

I did WS a couple of years ago and planted about 25 different seeds. Most things came up fine. I just transplanted the clumps into the garden.

This year I've planted 36 different perennials in gallon milk jugs. I have an unheated greenhouse. So I haven't taped the jugs but just pushed the top part back into the bottom. Since I left a "hinge" under the handle, they're all a little slanted. But I've set them all together in the same orientation so they wouldn't look too messy. They're on the floor where it's coldest and may need more watering because, of course, they won't get rain or snow inside. I'm hoping to transplant into individual pots as they come up. Want lots of inexpensive perennials for a neighborhood entrance garden that I maintain.

Thanks Judy! Thanks Dee, nice to run into someone else from CT here.
I guess I have our zone wrong. You are the second CT shoreline person I encountered here and you both have it listed as 6b not 6a. Live & learn.

Well, to be honest, Dave, when I joined DG, I just typed in "zone 6" - I didn't even notice till you mentioned it just now that it does indeed say "6b" in my profile thingy. Hmmm. I was never absolutely certain, but I did think that I was in 6a. Very interesting...

:)
Dee

Dee, You mean you've been zone switched? 'Cause if thats possible I'll go for a zone 9 about now.
Otherwise,its a first for New Haven County to get ranked higher than Fairfield County!

Dave

Last year, I did nearly all my winter sowing in salad containers. I used the same soil depth (about an inch and a half) that I use for my indoor seed starting trays... some things didn't germinate; others did very well... everything got transplanted to cell packs when it got a couple sets of true leaves, so I don't think they were limited by the depth of the potting mix.

I'm going to use some salad containers this year, and I may also try some varieties in clear plastic pint containers. I punch a few holes in both bottom & top for drainage & ventillation.

Critter, salad and deli containers are excellent to use in wsing! It's important to remember that the depth of the soil that you sow your seeds should be about 3" to prevent them from drying out. I learned this the hard way one year! Adding hydro crystals to the soil in shallow containers would definitely be a plus!

Thanks Shirley. Its funny but I just spent 10 minutes trying to figure out what a critter container could be! Asked my wife too!
"Critter, salad and deli containers are excellent to use in wsing"

I'll try some more shallow containers (3 inch).

And thank you too Critterologist!
Dave

ROTFL!!

I did have hydro crystals in my soil mix, so maybe that's why my shallow containers worked OK. After cooking the plants in one container, I also moved my WS containers under the bench on my deck... They still get plenty of sun there, but it's not as fierce.

ROTFLMBO!!!!

If that's the worst mistake you ever make, you're doing good!

hey critter - can they get water being under the bench?

Hey, can I have some critter salad and deli containers too??!! LOL ~ Suzi :)

critter containers are plastic container in the shape of critters...I thought everyone knew that....

Just kiddin'

I wintersowed last year for the first time, with amazing results.Mostly used milk jugs but did use a few takeout containers.In one such container I sowed seed I ordered and had really high hopes for.(most seed were given to me and cost nothing)After these seed germinated and had begun to really put on growth I went outside to check on things and picked up this salad container with one hand.It completely broke apart and seed and soil fell on the ground.The container had become very brittle.I tried to salvage things but to no avail.I will not use those type containers again this year.

I have a turtle shaped kiddie sand box... would that count as a critter container?

The bench that's built into the landing on my deck is made of cedar slats, so, yes, water gets through. Last year, I put my containers into two large, shallow cardboard box halves (really large -- I got 10 of those 3-part takeout containers into each half), and that worked out really well. I was able to spray the containers with the hose every couple of days (we didn't get *that* much rain, LOL), and the boxes would hold the water for maybe 15 minutes so that the containers were essentially watered from the bottom also... but since we're talking cardboard, the water eventually drained away so that the containers were not sitting in a puddle. The boxes also helped to corral the containers and keep them from blowing away in the wind.

Oh, and that was only one of many gardening mistakes -- but I did learn quickly about winter sown flats getting cooked by too much sun! I figure maybe that's one mistake I can avoid this year. :-)

I put my first winter sowing effort outside yesterday but I'm afraid it will be a big flop. I had virtually microscopic Irish Moss seeds I planned to sprinkle in a Dollar Store roasting pan inside a turkey roasting bag. As I oh so gently began to sprinkle the tiny things over the starting mix they disappeared! No idea where they landed. I tried gently raking the soil with a fork hoping to spread them around and set them outdoors anyway. I suspect all 500 seeds are in a 3 inch square area.

That is too funny, Dave 47! I'll have to rib her about her "critter containers" the next time I see her!

Yes, containers can dry out to quickly if placed in to much sun. Thankfully, we just had an abundant amount of rainfall last night, so my containers will be okay for a few more days.

KatyMac: Some seeds are microscopic like Irish Moss. They basically are almost like dust! I'm sure that some of those seeds that you sprinkled on your potting soil will germinate. It's just very difficult to see them.

I've read that if you combine your microscopic seeds with some colored sprinkles/glitter onto a sheet of white paper, carefully transfer them into a salt shaker and then sprinkle them onto your potting soil, at least you will see them better. It's worth a try at least!

Oh! I'm home!! I just found this forum and I am just tickeled pink! I was really worried about how in the world I was going to start so many seeds.. Now I know and I resumed looking at my seed catalogs this morning. I am so excitied about doing this!!

Critter containers! FUNNY!!

I am going to use the largest black pots that a local nursery throws out. I am going to cut them down to half size and use the clear plastic to cover them. I'm going to try to harvest some locally grown bamboo for supports for the pots as well as for my Pole bean TP. Very exciting. I'm going to read the entire forum, so excuse me if this is already posted, but i found this web site this morning:
http://www.wintersown.org/wseo1/index.html

looking forward to posting my pictures and dairy of WS :)

Susan

Critter, I have one of those turtle shaped critter containers too! Now if I can just find a translucent top.
Hey, wouldn't your house qualify as a critter container?
Dave

I had much better success with deeper containers. As DiggerDee mentioned above, the shallow containers may put you at risk of drying out and decreasing germination. Deeper containers are a lot less work to keep watered when things start popping in the spring.

Here's a pic of what I've sown so far...

I used zip lock baggies. Out of 25 planted 4 are already starting to sprout.

Betty

I have a few sprouting too. Has anyone ever grown poppies? My California poppies are sprouting and I was wondering when I should transplant them since they are so 'tempermental'.

That is cool Anita.

I know this may be a weird question... But has anyone every germingated their seed first and then put them in containers to wintersow?? Like if you were starting late or needed a headstart-- like for hollyhocks??

Susan

I would think that that might be too stressful for the seedlings - the ones that are sprouting now did so based on the weather outside. You would have to created certain conditions for the seeds to germinate and then put them out into the real world - I think that would prove deadly to them.

Any other thoughts?

i think your right.. i knew it wasn't right for some good reason :)

Susan

Oh, I like the idea of our house as a "critter container!" We don't have lots of critters here presently -- just DH & me, one cat, and an assortment of fish. I have toyed with the idea of using that sandbox as a cold frame, with a piece of plexi over it....

Anita, I wonder if you could transplant a few of those poppy sprouts right over to where you want them to grow.... I've heard direct sowing in winter works well for poppies, too... People say to broadcast seed right on top of the snow!

That would be fine if we had some snow - but alas... I did wintersow them the first weekend of January and they have sprouted. I am wondering when I should actually put them in the garden - wait until they are bit bigger or put them in now?

Anita, have your Poppies gotten their 1st set of "true" leaves yet? If you want to experiment on a couple of them, plant a few out in your garden & hold the rest until a later time. Let us know what happens!

no - they are still just sprouts..

Are you s'posed to wait for the true leaves in ws like you do when sowing under lights?

Hmmm, getting interesting now!

I found this on the HGTV site...

>>Transplanting poppies is a little different. Choose seedlings that have their first set of true leaves but are still quite small. Gently lift the seedlings apart, being careful not to damage the roots. Then poke a hole about the size of a root ball in the soil. Gently place the seedling in the hole, holding the leaves above the soil surface. Make sure the stem is completely covered up to the first set of leaves, to anchor the seedling and maximize contact with the soil.

If it's nice this weekend I think I'll give it a shot and put some out.

Anita,

Are you "pricking out" the Poppy seedlings that are the largest/most developed to transplant into your garden? My Poppies haven't set their 1st set of "true" leaves either.