Just needing some reassurance...

I am worrying about seedlings that have already sprouted in their containers. They have sprouted really quickly and we have had cold and warm weather, back and forth. They are doing great. But it will be down to 31* tonight and again on Thurs night. 31* is the predicted low anyway. I know that the seeds are supposed to be exposed to cold/ freezing... but what about brand new seedlings?
We did an awful lot of hard work on these to lose them. I am thinkling it is supposed to be ok, because the seeds are supposed to "know" when to sprout, but I wonder if I confused them by sowing them after it started to warm up a little. In Texas it doesn't stay warm when it "warms up" in winter. And it doesn't stay "cold" when we have a cold front. It goes back and forth until our 15 minute spring! LOL

This pic was taken when we had done about half of them

the holes in the top are about the same size as two liter tops, but they are not as big or as tall

...

yardqueen, don't worry about 31F, your seedlings should not even blink. This is my second year and just like with children, the second time around you know more and worry less. Last year, I took mine in when it got several degrees colder than that, like maybe in the mid-20's. Everything survived (except later on when I did not plant them out).

If you are still worried, you can throw a blanket or a couple of sheets over the containers.

we just did put sheets over them! I feel better now.

Thank you

Great, good luck, report back how it went, ok?

i will!

Yardqueen, this made me laugh and remember how I would lovingly tuck an old blanket over my assorted WS jugs last year when a freeze was predicted in late Spring--it was MY first year of WS, too! I don't know if it made much difference to the seedlings, but it made ME feel better!
Clementine, I'm looking forward to being just a tech less anxious this year!

Yardqueen -

I agree with Clementine -- your seedlings should be just fine.

I'm very 'tough love' with my WinterSown sprouts -- if the top is off, it's off. I think the only thing I've ever lost were some Marigolds, but that's when I discovered that Zenith Marigolds were very tough and survived when others (Disco, I think) didn't.

I think the sheet is an excellent compromise -- let us know the results!

Liane

They did just fine! I think it will get down to 31* again tomorrow night so we will do it again. There was SNOW on the sheets this morning!

You did good, yardqueen. Isn't it funny, but I wish we could have a few more days with your kind of temperatures - I guess we will since it is only the beginning of March, our last frost date is around April 15-23.

I HAD wanted to cold to last a little while also only because I thought I was late wintersowing and some of the seeds required stratification... But now that they are coming up I don't really want any more cold! I am not sure when our last frst date is but we always get one before Easter.

Remember, Easter is extremely early this year, so you may get some cold temps after Easter still.

I know... I really wish I knew what our last frost date is supposed t be

Last Frost Date Calculator:

http://www.victoryseeds.com/frost/

or google for 'last frost date' and you can find out other sources...

Good luck with your seedlings! They look fabulous!

I feel better after reading this post.. It's my first year for winter sowing..

first, I am so glad to see all those containers.. I have about 70 gallon milk jugs lined up.. I was thinking I was getting a little obsessed. but like some of you.. I had lots of old seed, limited greenhouse space, etc.. It's an inexpensive way to go...

but second, after all the time i have put in on them.. Thinking of them out in the weather seems so crazy.. but after reading all the, "that's the way it's done." postings.. I haven't covered them, or anything else.

I'm sure I will have some failures, but a fun experiment..

Kathy Jo, seeing all those containers made ME feel better too because I am definitely getting a little obsessed--LITTLE, ha (over 100 containers!). But at least on this forum I have company! Last year was my first year to WS, and I am trying to remind myself that it did all work out eventually--in fact, very nicely--and I should just CHILL OUT (LOL).

Wow ! 100! Why that means I am normal... :)

CapeCodGardener, What kind of containers do you have?

I have quite a few containers planted out too. I'm thinking I have about 75 or 100, from small to large, depending on how you count them.

And I haven't started my annuals like zinnias and sunflowers and marigolds yet.

I am also starting seeds indoors under lights and they are doing well, too, but, boy, do they take a lot of fussing!

It's fun to see if you can start the seeds and learn a bit about them, even if you don't grow them out to the finish.

And don't forget to take photos of all your seedlings for the Plant files and our threads here!

KathyJo, how nice of you to ask, because I am RATHER proud of just how many recycled containers for WS one household of two people can accumulate in about seven months (if you never throw any out). . . milk and juice jugs, water and soda bottles, peanut butter and mayo and mustard containers and. . . on and on. . . The only problem was storing them; they tended to fall off my basement shelves in a cascade of plastic as I attempted to cram just one more jug into the bevy.
Sounds like you should be just as proud if you have 70 milk jugs lined up!
I've been away traveling for two weeks, and will be setting out out the rest of my jugs during the next six weeks or so. (For the zinnias and marigolds and sunflowers that tabasco mentions.)

I had lots of people saving them for me. and with the "green" movement they were all more than happy to accomodate me. I finally had to almost beg my best friend to STOP saving them for me... She kept asking if I was SURE, I didn't need just a couple more.

Wow, where did you get all those cups? Tell me you didn't eat all those milkshakes yourself. . .

This forum is really inspiring. I've never done WS before, and hope it's not too late to start!

Booker

Our Starbucks let me buy a box