Starting my WS now...Will soaking seeds help me?

I am just starting my winter sowing this weekend on March 17/18. Since I have lost the benefit of the freezing and thawing for my seeds for 2 months or so, esp the ones with the hard coats, will soaking them help me with more successful germination? Am I too late in the game? I think this WS looks great, but I have only learned about it a week ago. Any thoughts from the seasoned WS DG'ers? Also, going forward, if I can get more containers in the next few days, can I still plant more or are some seed best not done with WS?

I have my containers on the east side on a bench. Today it was cold with a lot of sun. Is this an optimal location?

The wintersowing technique works just fine in spring for most seeds!

Seeds that say they need cold stratification may still need to be stratified... you can put them in the fridge, in a baggie between layers of moist paper towel. Some seeds need scarification, which can be accomplished by freezing & thawing in WS containers but which can also be done by chipping or filing their hard coats. Some folks use toenail clippers on big ones, and somebody (I'd give cleverness credit if I remembered who, sorry) recently posted about lining a little jar with a cylinder of sandpaper, then putting in the seeds and shaking them around to scuff them up. Soaking is probably a good idea for bigger seeds with hard coats, like you said. I think beans, morning glories, and 4 o'clocks are all supposed to benefit from soaking.

As for location, I think you're fine... afternoon shade will help keep your containers from cooking if you misjudge whether or not to open them during the day.

I don't know where Akron is, but I wouldn't be surprised if we still have enough cold left for some seeds to get what they need for cold. I guess it depends on the plant.

An Eastern location is very good because the morning sun will heat up your containers, but not "cook" those tender sprouts.

Clay, you're right for seeds that need cold stratification, but other seeds may do just fine... especially if you nick and soak any with hard coats. If you don't have room to start them inside under lights, you don't have much to lose by trying some "spring sowing" with your seeds.

If y'all were to wintersow daylily seeds now, would you soak them, too? Milk jugs okay, or do you have a more favorite container? If you had some reallyreally special daylily seeds, would you feel safer stratifying them in a frigerator in stead of wintersowing them?

Thanks for your help so far. I have a grow light, but your winter sowing method seems so much easier. I was trying to give the light one year off! Keep your thougts and experiences coming...I am watching and listening...

bluespiral, I'm pretty sure DL seeds require cold stratification, so they have to go into the fridge (unless the person who sent them to you put them in cold storage for a few weeks first). If I had some really really special DL seeds I'd send them to my friend Jill who would sprout them and put them under lights for me.... LOL.... I've got 2 flats of DLs down on the basement seedling shelves already! (Truly, I'd be happy to start them for you.)

Jill, that is extremely generous of you, but being the "fusspot" I am, part of the fun of gardening is being there at the very moment the seedling first "hatches" from the seed. I germinated many different kinds of daylilies back in the 80s by stratifying them in our refrigerator, and have been doing some of my own crosses from them - nothing as fancy as modern ones, but very satisfying to me in my quest for large, fragrant, pale daylilies for moonlight (among other colors & qualities).

My question wasn't whether to stratify, but which method for stratification may have been observed to obtain the largest percentage of seedlings from a batch of seed. I'm thinking the refrigerator might be gentler. But I love being able to germinate everything outside.

Well, I do have some special seeds from LaLambchop, also - they'll definitely go into the frig and in about 6 weeks, we should be just past the last spring frost, so they can go directly outside when they "hatch".

I am really bowled over that my friend Jill would come to the rescue - the thought is much appreciated.

This is only my second year, but last year I neither nicked nor soaked any seeds and had excellent results.I had 80 containers. I had a bajillion 4 o'clocks and and a few moon vine, no special treatment for anything. I just wintersowed them like anything else, even into spring.

Karen

But, is March too late to WS? Do you all think that March Pennsylvania temperature swings from 40-50 degrees down to 20-30 degrees will be enough cold to still germinate with success? I saw on the WS site that many of seeds that they grew were on a chart to start in Jan and Feb. I am still doing some to try, but I hate to waste my good seeds. I will still do my grow lights for some, but after learning about WS, it feels like more work now than it did before. Thanks to you all for your experiences and help with this. See you have me hooked on WS now!

RatherB, I have read that as long as night temperatures are in the 40s, you can still winter sow.

bluespiral, I love daylilies, even the common ditch ones, and did a little test last summer. My neighbor let me pick her daylily seeds and a week or two after I picked them, I decided to sow some just to see what would happen. That was June. July? I forget which, but the seeds germinated and I planted them in the ground in October. I sowed them in pop bottles. I have not WS the rest of the seeds and won't bother now. I'm just going to sow them after the frenzy of WSing and planting out is over.

Like Karen, this is my second year. Last year I nicked nothing. Too much trouble, too much time. I just sowed ... pear seeds, magnolia seeds, peach pits, 4 o'clocks ... winter and spring. I treated them all alike. I did soak some morning glory seeds because of instructions on the packet. Then I realized those instructions don't apply to WSing, so when I sowed other hard seeds such as okra and another round of MGs, into the soil they went strainght from the packet. I had no problems with germination.

blue: If you are fearful of losing some of your very, very extra special Daylily seeds, I would experiment sowing half in the fridge and the other half via the wintersowing method. If that makes you feel better then go right ahead. Your seeds won't care which ever method you choose.

kqcrna: I agree. I don't nick or soak my seeds either prior to planting them in containers. The fluctuation in temperatures breaks open the seed coat and lets them germinate all on their own. That's the beauty of wintersowing!

RatherB: No, it's NOT to late for wintersowing. If you still need to wear a light jacket outdoors in the evenings, your seeds will be able to take advantage of the fluctuation in temperatures. Yes, your swing in temperatures will be cold enough to still germinate with success.

Everyone hates to waste good seeds, but don't forget that some seeds need 2 complete seasons before they germinate. Some seeds need to be sown during the Summer months to have a period of warmth before cold temps. Also, Fall sowing works very well too.

bjoan: YES, Yes, yes....most definitely! Soaking & nicking is to much trouble & takes too much time! Those things happen naturally for you with the fluctuation in temperatures. Make it easy on yourself and leave it to Mother Nature!

RatherB: I think you would probably have time in Pa for a cold strat for most things. If in doubt it's best to google it and see what the germination requirements are for that particular seed. T&M gives that information on their website and Tom Clothier's site is an excellent source for this information.

You definitely have plenty of time for summer annuals, though. Most of those don't need cold strat to germinate.

Karen

Thank you to all. You have taught me so much about a concept that is new to me.

I have some more containers, so I will be busy in the next few days. I really appreciate all your help.