winter sown biscotti containers and obsessions

Hi, This is my first year winter sowing and I am having fun so far. I've got several types of containers. A friend just gave me 6 biscotti containers. I love them! They have a large lid that makes it easy to water if needed and are clear and also a good size. I cute them apporximately in half leaving a small part conected, like is recommended for the milk jugs and burned holes with a soldering iron. Here our milk jugs are white so I don't think they would work. I do have one though that was a gallon water jug that is clear and I'm going to use that too. I also noticed that the parakeet seed container I have is similar to the biscotti container. I was thinking of pouring the seed out into a bag so I could use it. LOL I believe I'm developing an obsession. I also found myself looking in the trash can at work for discarded containers. Then I caught myself and walked away before someone thought I was crazy. I must get myself under control!

I'm glad you're having fun... wait until those sprouts start poking up! You'll be dancing all around!

Milk jugs here are sort of white, but translucent, not totally opaque. If you can see your hand through the material, then enough light can get through for the seedlings.

I'm not understanding the lid part, why is everyone concerned about putting lids on the containers, I have never done it and everything has turned out great.

The lids give extra protection, like a greenhouse. Skipping the lids makes it more like direct sowing -- and since that's what Mother Nature does when plants just drop their seeds, that can certainly work too. The extra protection of the containers tends to increase the number of seedlings you get from your pinch of seed. The more "tender" something is, the more you're going to need a lid to get germination on it. Lids are probably more necessary for good germination on half-hardy annuals, but I'm just guessing on that... did you sow any annuals in lidless containers?

The lids keep the air in the container humid and the soil surface will stay consistently moist (at least that is the hope), seeds won't dry out as easily.

If it works fine for you without lids that's great. You're really lucky! I 'm finding out that so much of seed germination and winter sowing methods and success has to do with the Micro-climates in everyone's yardens.

Some people have perfect seed sowing environments. Others of us have temperature swings, unpredictable weather patterns, curious animals, uneven rainfall, too much sun or not enough, and we require some of the extra protection that lidded and vented containers provide...

Maybe I should explain what I do. I put annuals and perennials out. First I sow what I want in the containers and leave them in the garage at leat a week or two before I put them outside. I do this so I can make sure I have them stuck, if you will, in the dirt. Then I put them on the east side of my house, more for protection than anything. They are all real close together too. The house does a lot of protecting with the way it is angle in the yard. Most winds come from the southwest or the North west here. So the wind goes around that end of the house and misses the containers.

Everything else I direct sow or keep in the fridge in baggies and taske out every so often for a change in temps.

I guess a lid for them would also work, I just never payed any attention about the amount of seedlings I get cause I usually only put a few in the containers anyway.

I do have a lot of leaves that gather around and inside the containers that I guess is acting like a lid most of the time.