Can I winter sow annuals

Please tell me a little about what I can winter sow. Do they need to be perennials , what about marigolds.
I've started some, but whenever I start to take them outside, I chicken out or I put them out and worry!!!
Just a general rule of thumb maybe

LorraineR - This is my first year to WS, so I was thinking of keeping it simple. I had sat down to make a list of seeds that I'd like to try, and within 5 minutes, I was up to over 20! Over the course of the past 3 weeks, my son and I have planted 21 types of seeds, and I do think most - if not all - are annuals. Here are the seeds that have sprouted so far:
mexican sunflower, shamrock, striped marvel marigold, simba marigold, la bamba marigold or spearmint (there's only one sprout so far in that container, so don't know which is which!), bluebonnet, cornflower, virginia stock, and a JMG. They've been outside since we did them - the last batch was just last week.

I'm winter sowing all the hardy annuals that I have in my seed box. I would think any that would normally self-sow are just fine to winter sow.

I can't really answer well due to the extreme difference in our zone 8- zone 6 weather difference. Annuals certainly can be wintersown, you just might want to wait to plant out into beds until close to your last frost date. For me, last frost date is around May 15 and I start to plant out tender annuals, like zinnias, in early May. I don't even sow those until late March or early April. Hardy annuals, like poppies and bachelor buttons, will take a good bit of frost with no problem. I plant those out around 2 sets of true leaves, maybe around early April. Hardy perennials/ biennials will take about anything that's thrown at them.

We have had rather warm weather so far this winter, but there have been a few nights in the single digits and teens. Nonetheless, I have some plants out there, like mature and tiny self-sown digitalis, larkspur, columbine, and rudbeckia that are still green and healthy. Basically, it's best to research a plant (google) and find out if they'll tolerate cold weather.

Karen

Karen, your advice and explaination is excellent and informative. Thanks!

Thanks, you all were a big help. Maybe I can be brave and ws my marigold.
Can't believe yiour last frost is in May kqcrna. Around here it is in March, if that late. So, I guess I could start everything I have!!!

Lorraine now you got me wanting to winter sow. I have alot of seed that I have recieved in trades.

Jump in Dean. The water's fine.

Karen

LOL!!! I just didn't want to jump to soon.

This is what I sowed last year. http://www.lakehousecreations.com/wintersown_2007.htm I'll be starting this weekend for 2008.

Anita,

That's quite a list!

And a nice website Anita.

Now that you're a seasoned veteran, isn't it interesting to look back and see what germinated well for you, and what didn't? Like why some ruds but not others? Makes me wonder about the seeds.

And a little hint which I posted on another thread. I have found that cleome, though an annual, does better when sown early. According to Clothier it needs fluctuating temps. I got much better germination on ones I sowed in winter than in spring.

Karen

Ok, like Kqcrna said, the water's fine, Dean. Just don't go checking on them every 2 minutes to make sure they are ok

Ok, I'll have to dig through my seeds and see which ones I want to sow. I'll try not to check on them to often. LOL

that's the spirit!! Sow them and forget them!

I did peak yesterday. The zinnias that had come up in our warm spell are now gone, but the bachelor buttons seem to be fine, still green. I found seed packs at the hardware store yesterday for 25c, so I bought more zinnias. I love the dwarf variety.

Anitabryk2

Were the blanks in the germination column because the seed did not sprout?. The reason I ask is that some are some that I want to WS. This is my first year and I am off to a slow start compared to all of you but I'm off lol
Veraonica

I apologize. I've updated the list from last year for you. I hadn't realized that I didn't update the online version. Here you go http://www.lakehousecreations.com/wintersown_2007.htm . The blanks mean it didn't germinate.


This message was edited Jan 20, 2008 10:41 PM

*bumping up* because I put an article on the schedule today about using the winter sowing method for annuals, http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/959/

I know I only scratched the surface with the examples I gave for hardy, half-hardy, and tender annuals... Actually, I was surprised at how many disagreements there were between various sources as to where some should be categorized, but I went with what seemed to be successful and easy according to my experience and/or posts on this forum.

Who's still using their "winter sowing" containers to start seeds this spring? What are you sowing in them?

Excellent article Jill on winter sowing annuals. I'm starting to spring sow some annuals this weekend.

Hi Jill,

I enjoyed your article! I have just commenced spring sowing. -These are the first to go out and listen to the robins singing.

Cineraria, 'Jester Scarlet'
Bellis Tasso, 'Strawberries and Cream' English Daisy
Tropaeolum pereginum, 'Canary Bird Vine'
Runner Bean, 'Sunset'
Impatiens auricoma, 'Jungle Gold'
Fenugreek
Nasturtium, 'Alaska Gold'

Looks like I'm in good company! I need to do a little more sowing this weekend also, both inside and outside. :-)

I sow my tenders and any annuals I didn't get to.

Hi!
i've never posted here, because i haven't winter sowed, but Jill's article encouraged me to try the spring version - i've discovered i really just don't have room to start stuff indoors.

So far this week i sowed:
cosmos "Summer Dreams"
strawflowers
pennyblacks
portulaca
viscaria

i have seeds for more of all those, plus:
blue pimpernel
"Vanilla Ice" sunflowers
"Victoriana Mix" dahlias
"Watermelon Heaven" poppies
cupid's dart
sweet basil
mammoth dill
"Limelight" Four o'Clocks
"Disco Mix" marigolds
shasta daisies
"Grandpa Otts" MGs
"Rainbow Heirloom Mix" tomatoes
gilia tricolor

and soon will have
"Silver Lace" dusty miller
gazania
zinnia

The problem is i don't have any more containers yet!
Any suggestions to which, out of the above, i might do best with via the spring/winter sowing vs direct sowing in late May?

thanks!

amy
*

I've direct sown zinnias, sunflowers, marigolds, and morning glories... but I think you'd get earlier blooms by starting them now in WS containers.

I don't think you'll see much production from the tomatoes, depending on what's in the mix, so that might be one to save for starting under lights next year. I know shasta daisies do well with regular winter sowing, so you might want to save at least part of your seeds to winter sow next year too.

Keep us posted! :-)

That was a quick response! Thanks!
i've never done anything but direct sow - all this pre-season stuff is new to me.
The tomatoes i have almost a dozen little seedlings in one of the indoor 12 cell mini-greenhouses i did plant in. i also have bigger dahlia seedlings in there. Nothing yet with the anagallis or cupid's dart, but it has only been a week... And i have another 36 cell peat pellet greenhouse i haven't started anything in yet.

^_^

amy
*

Actually, most of my tomatoes have already sprouted! http://www.lakehousecreations.com/wintersown_2008.htm

Didn't mean to be a naysayer on the tomatoes, but I can't imagine getting much production on late season varieties by winter sowing them... maybe somebody else has tried it, though. I did winter sow cupid's dart (in early March, I think), and I believe that might be one that's started to show a little green already.

Critter: Don't be too certain about the tomatoes. Although I've wintersown for the past 2 years, I've never done tomatoes because, like you, I didn't think they'd bear ripe fruit until the season was over. I live in zone 6a, right on the cusp of 5b.

Last year my friend tried WSing for the first time, and she did a bunch of tomatoes. She offered me some seedlings, all were about 4 or 5 inches tall in early May. I took one each of 4 types (Snow White, a yellow cherry type, Cherokee purple, Chocolate, and AnneMarie's peace). My husband had already bought 4 nursery plants, much bigger, about 12 to 15 inches tall. All went into the ground on the same day. The wintersown ones took off like jets, grew like Jack's beanstalk, and soon caught up to the purchased plants. And I should mention that we were in the midst of the worst drought I've ever seen in my 55 years.

Only the Early Girl (store bought) was determinate, stayed kind of small, and bore fruit about 2 weeks before all others. The other 7 plants all bore ripe fruit at the same time, all within a week of one another. I thought the Snow White was the most delicious tomato I've ever tasted, and it bore tomatoes like nothing I've ever seen. I became a believer and I'm WSing tomatoes this year!

I'm growing some Early Girl, Snow White, and a beefsteak type called Believe it or Not. I put just a few cups, 2 of each type I think, out there a couple of weeks ago and I have 2 seedlings as of yesterday. I just hope they don't freeze in the next couple of weeks.

Karen

I learn new things all the time! That's pretty cool.

Anita: Have you WSown tomatoes in the past? What was your experience in getting ripe fruit? The same or later than store bought seedlings?

Karen

kqcrna If you are saving any seed this year from any of those esp the Snow White and have any to share I will be interested. I am trying to get into growing something other than the standard nursery (hybrid) tomatoes.

You know, I loved those Snow White last year, but even then I didn't save seeds. Don't ask me why, lazy I guess. And by then my first floor was covered with drying seeds, I guess I was just sick of seeds! My friend bought some for me this year from tomatogrowers.com

http://tomatogrowers.com/whites.htm

Karen

Before we go completely into tomato land... Does anyone have any suggestions on which of my seed list i should use my very limited w/s resources on?

thanks!

amy
*

Has anyone had any luck ws vinca? Mine haven't sprouted yet, but then neither has the portulaca. Guess I'm just nervous, I am a ws virgin. Pam

I would use the WS containers rather than direct sowing on the tomatoes, to give them a bit of a head start. You can do the same with any annual flowers for earlier bloom. Poppies I'm pretty sure need cold stratification, so either wait until this fall/winter to direct sow or winter sow them or maybe you could try stratifying them in the fridge (in a baggie of barely damp sand or perlite I think is what I've heard... I'd be tempted to just store the seeds in the fridge for next year unless you're desperate for them now).

I'm not sure about the timing on the dahlias, they may need a longer head start then they'll get by sowing them now.

Thanks!
The "Watermelon Heaven" poppies are annuals that say "direct sow after danger of heavy frost", so maybe they are a different kind? i've never grown any kind of poppies - these were total impulse-buy seeds...
Maybe i'll try some of the dahlias and tomatoes if i have room - i have some of each doing ok so far indoors in peat pellets. But it sounds like the marigolds and MGs are a good bet. i had no success growing 4 o'clocks last year - partly because the landlords kept weedwhacking them, but also because very few came up at all (i direct sowed them several times).

Somebody else had better advise you on the poppies... I've tried direct sowing, winter sowing... I get germination, but then they fizzle. I think it's just too hot and humid in my yard (mostly full sun).

Amy I think those Watermelon poppies are a kind of California poppy - I think. I winter sowed those (not that cultivar) last year in the pot I wanted them to grow in. You can use ANYTHING that will hold 3-4" of dirt and a vented saran wrap lid to WS annuals, now. I am. . . OJ cartons.... water bottles, even small ones ... plastic soda bottles ... go for it. x, C

I've wintersown tomatoes for three years now. I won't do them any other way. The same goes for the California poppy. They now reseed themselves. you should see the little sprouts growing from last year. I try w/s'ing everything at least once. Another guideline...if it volunteers, it can be w/s