Let The Celebration Begin!

Hooray!! The Winter Solstice has finally arrived!!!

Which seeds are you sowing for ????

1. Remembrance
2. Fruiting or nectar for birds & butterflies
3. Trees
4. 'Leap of Faith' - one zone warmer

Echinacea
Bronze Fennel
Holly
Canna

As of a few minutes ago, the Earth is as far from the sun as it gets, now it starts getting closer!

Thanks, very interesting fact!

Here's a brief synopsis of the winter soltice. The mid December solstice marks the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs on December 21, 2006 at 7:22 PM. EST; The winter solstice brings the shortest day - and the longest night! - of the year.

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/wintersolstice1.html

Decisions, decisions.......

1. Remembrance - Aquilegia 'Grandmother's Garden'
2. Nectar for birds & butterflies - Asclepia curassavica
3. Trees - Cypress
4. 'Leap of Faith' - Canna

1. Remembrance - Hollyhock 'Peaches & Dreams'
2. Nectar for birds & butterflies - Passiflora incarnata (Maypop)
3. Trees - Vitex agnus-castus (Chaste tree)
4. 'Leap of Faith' - Purple shamrock

Shirley, what's the significance of these 4 things? gram

gram: It's from Trudi's website. Scroll down about mid-way through the page. http://www.wintersown.org/wseo1/Solstice_Celebration.html

Are the rest of you waiting until after the holidays? I know, too much shopping & wrapping...not enough time! Don't worry........you've got ALL winter! Let's keep the thread going for the first 4 seeds that you wintersow, okay?

Here is Trudi's response to the first 4 seeds that she sows. I get goosebumps each time I read this. It's toward the bottom of the page. http://www.wintersown.org/wseo1/Solstice_Celebration.html

" I was asked how I chose the four sets of seeds--honestly, I started to type and out it all came in a few moments. There was no second guessing, no editing, no purging or retyping. It was typed once and it was done. I recalled stories from Winter Sowers that have been inspriring. Some stories are heart-breaking and tell of emotional recovery, some speak of reclaiming a garden or tell of creating a new one when there was no money to be spent. Some of these letters provided elements to the four sets of seeds:

Sowing seeds that reminded one of a gardening neighbor from childhood, long gone but still inspiring and cherished in memory.

Returning life to a wilderness that was now silent, its life stolen by a controlled burn that had escaped containment.

Trees for a barren city lot where the sun scorches the soil and there is no shade for anyone and no money to buy trees.

Faith that Mother Nature can perform the miracle of allowing life to be born in a harsh climate and thrive.

The Winter Solstice, its initials the same as Winter Sowing, is a celestial and natural event that ages past became entwined with religous ceremonies all over the world. The Winter holidays allow us to express love and concern through tradition, illumination, shared memories, food and gifts. Sowing the four sets of seeds is a gift to both the planet and ourselves. We give back to the land and its creatures and by doing so we give to ourselves an emotional caress; we have faith in Mother Nature and faith in ourselves."

Oh, wow. I got goosebumps, too. I've been on Trudi's site lots of times, but never read this. Thanks for sharing. It's absolutely wonderful. The essence of why we garden!

I hadn't read it before either.
I am waiting until after the holidays when I can go about it in an organized manner. I am too busy right now.

I already sowed a couple weeks ago:

Alstroemerias
Lobelia

I just put the seeds in soil in gal. or qt size pots, water the pots, placed the pots in my baby plastic greenhouses, and just play the "wait and see" game.

Need to do more seeds after the holidays.
Carol

I honestly don't know if this beautifully written piece about the first four seeds is new. The website is constantly being updated, that's why you need to refer back to it periodically.

You're so right Gram, it is "the essence of why we garden".

Zenpotter: The holidays are a very busy time for everyone. You've got all winter!

daisyruffles: Terrific news that you've sown Alstroemeria & Lobelia! If you don't mind me asking, where did you find Alstroemeria seed? I've never tried wintersowing those before & I love Alstroemeria. Please keep us updated on their progress. The 'wait and see' game gets very exciting!

I found alstroemeria at Swallowtail Garden Seeds http://www.swallowtailgardenseeds.com/perennials/alstroemeria.html. Beautiful flowers!

Joanne

Trudi made me think of the first person to inspire me to gardening, an old lady next door with a postage stamp size front yard in Tonawanda, NY. Every inch was planted with lilies of the valley, vinca,beautiful violets, roses, a blue tip spruce and others I can't remember now. We would go outside and inspect all of them regularly. Inspired by her, I planted a mixed pack of annuals in a flower box under our front window. They grew, and then we went on a two week vacation. When I returned, my first flowers (zinnias, cleome, tall marigolds) were overwhelming the front window. She started me on a lifetime of plants and flowers.

netwiz: Thanks for reminding me to look at Swallowtail Garden Seeds. I'll just have to try their Alstroemeria seeds. Now, who's enabling whom? :~) Plus, I forgot that I purchased their Primula seed last year and they bloomed the very 1st season! http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/125995/index.html

gloriag: What a beautiful rememberance & tribute to a wonderful person who inspired you to garden. She indeed gave you a lifetime gift!

gloria, I live, like, next door to Tonawanda, NY. when did you live here? I love to hear stories like that. people have no idea how much influence they can have on someone's life

Grampapa,
I lived on the road purpendicular to Niagra Falls Boulevard; I don't remember its name. Our house was not on the creekside. At that time the creek was covered with duckweed in the summer and very polluted.
This would have been 1950-52 or 1949. Ah such a lovely place, we were bordered behind our long back yard with a busy railroad switching place and across the street by the lovely, imperceptably moving stagnant, polluted creek! But with Mrs Andrako there, life was joyous; she was the dearest friend I ever had. She introduced a little Southern girl to things like anise, garlic, wine, the stunning mystery to the Catholic Church, and things like that.

Gloria, my family moved here from Utica, NY in 1949 just after I was born. How wonderful that you had such a friend...and wonderful for her, too. She must have loved sharing her garden with you.

Y'all are just making me cry, remembering special people from days gone by...but resting deep in my memories. Thanks for the spark.

Deborah♥

Shirley1md - "Now, who's enabling whom? :~)"
I figured I owed you one, lol.

Joanne

P.S. does anyone know how to make a block quote in this forum?

I'd like to know how to quote too.

I'm afraid that I'm too young to be nostalgic, but I look forward to it.
How cold can Alstroemeria seeds tolerate? I didn't put them in my WS on the solstice, assuming they wouldn't take it that cold.
There is a half page of things wintersown, but I'll list the ones I remember:

1. Future: Many species of Oak
2. Patience: Cyclamen coum
3. Heritage: Hamamelis virginiana
4. Humour: Dracunculus vulgaris
5. Colour: Liquidambar styracaflua (these are rare here)
6. Royalty: Tree Peonies
7. Pesticides: Tobacco
8. Luck: Helleborus argutifolius

The next things I will WS are Red Pansies and Alstroemeria.

For the record, NetWiz, my official Wintersowing adventure is entirely the fault of Shirley1md.
Kenton J.

Yeah, Kenton....so happy to finally see you in the Wintersowing Forum! The seeds you've chosen to sow are wonderful. I especially like the ones for 'patience' (good choice...Clematis seeds take forever too), 'humor' (plant it away from your house, especially when in bloom) and 'luck' (they'll sprout...eventually)! Thanks for finally migrating over from the Bulb and Clematis Forums to solve those 'wintertime blues!

Alstroemeria seeds: "Alstroemeria aurantiaca, hookerii, ligtu, and pulchella , Sow at Max. 5ºC (41ºF), germ. irregular, often several mos." http://tomclothier.hort.net/page02.html .

Thanks Claypa for posting about how to quote.

netwiz: I didn't know that there was a difference on quoting either from one's home page and in the forums. Just goes to show, you learn something new every day!

Happy Holidays to everyone!

Shirley,
I got the alstroe. seeds from Ursula here on DG plus from a neighbor who gave me some pink ones.

Have any of you guys wintersowed cat nip? Not cat mint but the real cat nip?

I got some seeds from a friend and want to grow it for my puddy cats.
The seed heads were in a paper bag from this fall which I got from a friend and my cats went crazy. They rubbed and rolled all over that paper bag. They were drooling like nuts on the bag.
So............. I figure I might as well grow it for them in a special place.
Carol

Thanks Carol for your update on Alstroemeria seeds.

Sorry I can't help you with your question on cat nip, but perhaps someone who has a puddy cat will be able to assist you.

Carol, I'm planning to ws catnip. I have a large space between my house foundation and huge boxwoods that my inside cat loves on the few occasions she gets to venture outside. She likes to stay hid there where only weeds grow which I pull out from time to time. Perfect spot for catnip.
Deborah♥

Deborah, great. I think I will just try it. I have plenty of seed (I hope, haven't cleaned the seed pods) so what do I have to lose? Love a challenge then! That sounds like a great place to plant the cat nip then.
Carol

Think about protecting it from the neighbors cats, they love it too and will mow it right down for you. I have heard of people putting a wire cage around it and the cats can only get to it when a branch grows out the holes of the cage.

Pauline

What a good idea, Pauline.

Catnip self-sows so is a good candidate for winter sowing. My cats get real high & then fall asleep right in the middle of the clump!

Thanks for the tip that it selfsows. I will have to be careful on where I put it then.
LOL on them falling asleep in their heaven, LOL

Speaking of fun, I'm going to play with the quotes one more time. Here's two words you don't see together too often:

My wintersowing formula:

1/4 of the fun is sowing seeds during the long cold days of winter

1/4 of the fun is watching the seeds germinate

1/4 of the fun is planting wintersown seedlings in your garden

1/4 of the fun is sharing your wintersown plants with others

I'm going to steal Shirley's and add one at the beginning:

1/5 of the fun is deciding what to plant and buying the seeds

1/5 of the fun is sowing seeds during the long cold days of winter

1/5 of the fun is watching the seeds germinate

1/5 of the fun is planting wintersown seedlings in your garden

1/5 of the fun is sharing your wintersown plants with others

gram: Oooh, I like how you amended the wintersowing formula. You earned an A+!