Okay...moving on

New question....new thread! LOL I have now decided what to wintersow (I have picked out at least 30 different types of seed out of my seed box) and gotten the containers ready and tomorrow I will be putting the seeds in. I figure I will have to cut it down to about 20 different varieties of seeds. But there are several that I can direct sow and I have the places to do that. I think I want to put my containers on a deck that is in full sun, but my question is am I really supposed to put the containers on the ground? I have several reasons for wanting to put them on the deck, but I also have several reasons not to. Oh dear, I feel the paralysis coming on again...

ROFL! Carol I am certainly not the one to answer your questions, but girl I"ve got to tell you that you do put a smile of my face. :-)

yardqueen, I thought this older thread on whether to put wintersown containers on the ground or not was helpful: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/675875/

If I get the gist of it right, then basically, it doesn't matter as long as you have sufficient drainage holes - the thread explains that better than I am. The main consideration seems to be that if they're elevated on a table, then it's harder for little kids and dogs to disturb them. Also, it's easier on the back if they're elevated.

The thread shows how some have anchored their wintersowings from the wind. I'm putting mine in deep turkey tins that hold at least 4 contraptions made of booty bags, water bottles and zip lock bags ( http://www.wintersown.org/wseo1/Loot_Bag_Tents.html ). Between the weight of the soil and chicken-wire over each arrangement, I'm hoping not to have problems from high winds in winter & spring.

I have found your posts very helpful - I'm still in the "to sow or not to sow" mode, too, lol

Hee hee, Carol, you're speaking for quite a few of us - so keep sharing - better to think before than after.

Morning sun with afternoon shade is ideal - Eastern location if possible.

If the containers are in full day sun, you will definitely need to check them more often to make sure that they don't dry out to quickly & water as needed. However, once the seeds germinate move them to a shadier location or they will fry.


You don't have to put them directly on the ground if you don't want to, kids may run into them & dogs may carry the containers around the yard like trophies, so I keep mine on my deck. Do whatever works best for you.

Good to see you posting here again Blue Spiral!

Claypa,

I don't know who wrote the article above. There was a link to it somewhere on DG but I don't even remember what forum. I will try to find out when I have time.

bluespiral and shirley1md,

Well I don't know why I have been in a rush to decide what to plant and where to put my containers...LOL It has taken me two days just to prepare my containers (drain holes and V-slitson tops) and fill them with wet soil! I had to quit again today after I filled my last one. So the seeds are still mocking me...they are laughing! I start a new job tomorrow so now I can't get to them till the week-end.

yardqueen1948:

You've got all the work done! Now comes the fun part...planting the seeds. The seeds aren't mocking you. Your seeds and containers will be waiting patiently for you......whenever the time works best for you.

Remember to relax and enjoy the whole wintersowing process. It really helps to lower my blood pressure after a busy day. I hope you will find it very relaxing and enjoyable too!

Best of luck with starting your new job tomorrow! I wish you much success. I think you were stressing about starting a new job....everyone does! That's totally normal.

The whole problem is I am afraid that the cold weather will be about gone before I can get my seeds out. But then if I had them out already I would be afraid they would sprout too soon and then we would have another frost. I just wish our weather wasn't so unpredictable! And after what I have done the last two days especially, I am sore all over and my back is killing me, and my knees and ankles are swollen. That is why I can't just say "Que sera` sera`." I am older, overweight and have arthritis so it is all very hard for me, but I want to grow my plants.

Thank you for your wishes for me tomorrow!

I finally have my soil DH got it for me last night. I put my containers on my stone patio. They are sheltered from the wind, get good drainage and get sun from the East and South until the mid afternoon and then are in shade. I like to have them low because it is easy to peek in the top that way. This is from last year. Right now the containers are in the basement waiting to be cut.

DH has gotten into the winter sowing as well so he cuts the containers I put the soil and seeds in. I haven't counted how many different kinds of seeds I have yet. I would guess I am going to be looking for more containers.

How many seeds are you planting per milk jug?

I usually put about 10 on each side of a gal milk jug. If they're really small, I put more than one in a furrow. I water my dirt after filling the containers, then pat it down a little after it soaks in. Then I put little furrows with my fingers. I put the seeds in then cover the furrows with the surrounding soil, and pat them a little.........all done :)

Yardqueen, you are way ahead of some of us - while you were preparing your containers, I was preparing my database grrrr and I'm still preparing it.

I love all the details everyone is sharing here - this will be my first wintersowing, and I must say that the period of time between deciding to do it and actually doing it is rather disorienting. So, all these concrete examples of how-to-do-it and encouragement and laughter thanks to Yardqueen are most welcome.

I am hung up on researching germination information on the seed I received from the North American Rock Garden Society (NARGS) - not all of they seed everyone exchanges there has difficult requirements. But, I ordered according to what I most wanted to grow - not according to how easy to germinate. I guess, for me, a major part of working with the difficult ones will be the fascination of learning about the germination process - amazing how many tricks Mother Nature has up her sleeve to see that seeds wait to germinate until conditions are right.

I think the odds are with me that something may germinate and I'll think of it as a miracle. If not, well, I really went crazy with poppies this year - have y'all seen those smoky pastels in gray mist and plum that occur in the varieties of Papaver rhoeas called:

'Cedric Morris' - [HYPERLINK@seeds.thompson-morgan.com] - they sent a print catalog with $10 off and no minimum order, so that was affordable

'Mother of Pearl' - [HYPERLINK@www.fragrantpathseeds.com] (TFP)

'Fairy Wings' from Mr_Crocosmia (Mark) - don't know who is selling it this year - it's supposed to be much shorter

Other poppies I hope to see in the mail soon:

P. paeoniflorum 'Black Peony Flowered (TFP)
P. paeoniflorum 'Swan Lake (Mr_Crocosmia)

P. alpinum from TFP - dwarf around 6", pastel mix

P. atlanticum from NARGS small-ish double orange

P. nudicaule 'Meadow Pastels' from Weezingreens

So, I am expecting snafuus. And when they happen, I will at least have one of the most beautiful flowers ever: poppies.

Famous last words, right?

lol - karen