OK, you all convinced me to give this a shot!

I hope mid-March isn't too late to start wintersowing in zone 5a, because after lurking and reading here for a few weeks (somewhat obsessively, I may add), I decided to give it a shot with a bunch of seeds. Some I tried both wintersowing and starting indoors, so I can compare, and others I just tried wintersowing and crossed my fingers!

Of course, I am not doing quite the scale most of you are (WOW, am I impressed!), but I'll try to post a picture of my hodge-podge of containers when I figure out how. I've actually kept up on dropping off my recycling this year, and now I regret it! I have a friend saving me milk jugs, though. Her boys go through 8 gallons a week! We have milk allergies in the house, so we usually buy in the returnable glass half-gallons, not so good for wintersowing. I just starting buying the plastic jugs again, and am trying to get my non-allergic son to drink lots! LOL In the meantime, I have lots of half-gallon cartons from soy milk, and nice rectangular Ocean Spray juice bottles, and scads of water bottles and margarine tubs!

Anyway, I tried wintersowing:
marigolds, agastache, lupines, poppies, heliopsis, nigelia, bronze fennel, swamp milkweed, and anise.

I also have ordered a bunch of zinnias and dianthus seeds, so will try some of them when they come in.

I need to figure out the WS database. Seems like I could learn a lot about what you can and cannot wintersow there! I got a bunch of seeds from DG member critterologist, and she kindly marked which were good for wintersowing, so at least I know I'm on the right track there!

So glad I found this forum (thanks, critterologist!). This sounds like such a practical way to start seeds, I just may get addicted and forget about all my little seed flats with individual cells.

Booker

Enjoy! I don't really have a "winter" climate like most do on this forum, but I must say I've really enjoyed even the small scale I've done. I only had about 10-12 containers, and find the items I chose to plant have come around much happier (if they have feelings!!) than my plantings inside in flats. My flat planting always produces leggy seedlings, no matter how close I get the light source to them. But the WS containers have produced nice stuff!! Welcome to the forum!

Sanna

Bookerc1-welcome to WSing. You may alos want to check out the recycling centers or the local dumps to see if you can collect back some plastic containers. The other day I was dumping off my trash at the local dump and the plastic bin was chock full of old discarded plastics of all shapes. My mind was in WSing wonderland at the thought of possibilities. hehe... lol

rebecca30

Welcome, Bookerc.

Any plants which reseeds itself is generally a good candidate for wintersowing. You can sow things perennial in your area, and hardy annuals, in winter. In a cooler zone like yours, it is better, in my opinion, to start the tender seeds like zinnias and cosmos a little later. I do mine around late March or early April.

Seems like you found us just in time.

Karen

Thanks for all the ideas! I will hold off a few weeks on the zinnias, if they are a little more sensitive.

I have a feeling that next year, my picnic table is going to be covered in recycled containers of every possible shape and size! LOL

Makes me glad I saved all the little round 4" pots that my herbs, tomatoes, peppers etc. came in last year. Gives me something to "pot up" into once everything takes off.

Last night I dreamed about little green seedlings stretching up, so I ran out and checked all the flats I started indoors about 4 days ago. Nope, just dreaming. Sigh. I really am obsessed.

Bookerc: I don't "pot up" anything. Everything goes right from milk jug to a flower bed, by hos. Often, when very small, at one or two true leaf stage. At this point some seedlings are only an inch or two tall.

http://wintersown.org/wseo1/Hunk-o-Seedlings.html

Karen

Yes, that's one of the big benefits of WSing. Not much 'potting up' unless you 'insist'. And 'hardening off' is basically a breeze.

We don't drink much milk either, so I resorted to buying some 'rubbermaid' type (cheap version) clear plastic containers and I fill them with recycled plastic nursery pots, peat pots, or zip loc bags with potting mix. (I put venting and drain slits in the containers and in the plastic bags with a little drill) I think it will work OK.

kqcrna--you already have seedlings?? I don't have anything popping up yet. I thought maybe by the end of this week I'd have a little something... I'm not really in a rush, though....

Good luck and post some pics when you have time! t.

LOL I'm going to have to start making subcategories of subcategories in my bookmark folder. I think I've bookmarked about a hundred sites since I joined DG less than a month ago! Thanks for the info on HOS--I think I've seen that acronym and wondered what it meant! Can you also do this for seeds started in individual water bottles? Only put a few in each, figuring they'd get too crowded quickly, but this is all new to me! I think I like the idea of filling a flat pan and sprinkling over the surface, as opposed to all these little cells that I used indoors.

So, to add an image, you just click on the "browse" button below where you type your post, and find it on your computer? I took some pics of my containers, both indoors and out (also of my front porch, which is so full of plants in the winter that my kids complain there is no room left to play!), and also of my little crocus that just started blooming. Just haven't figured out how to post them yet.

t. Just 2 days ago I found 2 jugs with a few sprouts. Rose campion and alyssum won the race this year. I thought it would be the BBs, they're generally the first for me.

This weather of ours is ridiculous. A foot of snow last weekend, very rare here. Then days of rain this week. Now rain tonight and continuing for 2 more days. We're already 3 inches above normal precipitation for the year. Quite a change after last year's drought.

My WSown jugs never get a chance to dry out. Even with big drain holes they stay pretty wet with constant precipitation. Next I'll get fungus gnats.

Karen

Yes, Bookerc, that's basically how you post pics. If I can do it, anyone can. But I always check the 'preview' to make sure I posted the right pic--sometimes it can be embarrassingly wrong!

If you need a good editing program for your photos, 'Picasa' is a free download from Google and a lot of DGers use it to 'help along' their photography talent.

kqcrna, I haven't even planted out my alyssum yet! I'd better get going on that! I need to do those Batchelor Buttons too. Won't do Rose Campion this year. Maybe next.

And no, my containers don't really dry out either. Probably the opposite--I'll have some seed rot problems because I was experimenting with the Watersorb crystals this season and may have over done it. We'll see...

Anyway, I am having lots of fun with my seed sowing this spring. With luck I'll have lots of plants to trade around in a couple of months!

Happy gardening! t.

If I don't soon get off this 'puter I'm never going to get seeds sown as I had planned for today.

Karen

This was my first year to winter sow, and I spent the whole time just knowing it wasn't going to work. I can't believe how well it worked. I have plants 8 inches tall, some even have blooms. Anyway, it worked out great!!

Booker -- 'nother zone 5'er here

and i'm barely half way thru what i want to WS this year. If i dont get to it all... then it will just get direct sown.

Welcome to Winter Sowing...

OK, going to try a picture. This is my measly collection of containers. Looks pretty puny compared to some of the rows and rows I've seen, but I guess I have to start SOMEWHERE. My mom has promised me some seeds, and I still have more coming from Jungs, so I will be adding to this soon. I already have a pile of containers on top of the dog crate. . .

tcs, where is Itasca? Not familiar with that one. I'm kind of in the Peoria area. . .

So glad to know I'm not too late! I was afraid I'd start them during a warm phase, they'd sprout, and then we'd get another spell of wretched cold and I'd lose them all. I guess they are like kids. . .you have to learn not to baby them, and they end up pretty strong!

Booker

Booker ... I'm jsut west of O'Hare.

If you've ever heard of Woodfield Mall [it's one of the biggest]
I'm 10 min south of there.

and your collection is fine. I'll get a snap shot of mine as soon as i find the camera.
we all have to start from somewhere.... believe me, if you hang out on Daves long enough, by next growing season, you will have more seeds than you know what to do with.

last year i had maybe 30, this year i have over 200.

Terese

Book, that's what so great about ws. I was the same way, cause we live in Texas, and the weather changes from 0 to 60 in about 30 minutes, so some of mine did start sprouting. I kept asking and everyone kept saying. LEAVE THEM ALONE!!! I finally l istened and I can't believe all the things that are up

I learned that if it freezes, just stay away from them.!!

many call it the "leap of faith"

sow'em and put them out side and let Mom Nature do her thing.

here's my lil group of WS containters.

Ok, quit being mean to me with your bottles all lined up and neat. Mine look like a ghetto. 10 different kinds of containers, and I think they multiply. Everytime I get two out to harden off or plant, two more show up. Somebody is out in the woods bringing up more plants just to make me crazy.

Is it any of you?

Lorraine... i had a 'ghetto' last year. with all the 'babying' i did with my containers last year.... [i know i know, leave'em alone] I found it's easier to have them in boxes or something. and also, last year i had a hodge-podge or various containers... this year i'm doing mostly jugs.

I bet in your zone, you are planting out already.... i've got a good 6 weeks to go.

**edited

OH forgot to add... another reason for the boxes... if i just left the jugs out there... the pooch would think they were his toys... and they'd all be toast.

This message was edited Mar 19, 2008 1:09 PM

We've had so much rain this week, I had to take the containers out of the trays, because they had 2 inches of water standing in the trays, and a good half inch standing inside the containers.

Anyone else getting drenched?

Booker

we've been dry up here... lil bit of rain one night while we were sleeping... obviously most of the lower midwest has just been hammered.

it's sunny here now ... we were supposed to get rain, which i wanted for my containers... but oh well.

gotta get back to sowing... 9 more to go for today.

I learned about the dogs dragging them off really quick. The first ones I put out ended all over the yard, so I knew then I best come up with a new idea, so I've been using boxes and laundry basksets.

I'm going to start saving milk jugs early. I don't drink too much so I 'll hav to start having people save them early!!

Lorraine... we only go thru about a gallon every 6 days. my oldest works for Starbucks, so when he remembers he brings some home for me... some days i get 2, one day i got 14.

he said he'd remember tonight... we'll see.

My daughter says that too. They probably go through a gallon every 2 days, sometimes she remembers, sometimes not. We use the same trash can, so I have been known to have to grab them out of there. Oh gosh, the things we do to grow a seed

Yes, we're getting drenched for sure! Rain rain go away!! The OH River near us is very high and all the little creeks are filled and rushing along. At least our sump pump is working. (Knock on wood!)

My rubbermaid bins seem to be doing OK though. I drilled many little holes in the bottoms and the are setting on the decking so they should be OK if the seeds don't rot.

I noticed the rain hasn't bothered our daffodils and they are almost ready to bloom! I'll be ready for them after this gray spell!

Thank God that rain is gone. Another chance of rain tomorrow, though. :-(
According to today's newspaper, we are already 7 inches above normal precipitation for the year. The Little Miami and Great Miami Rivers flooded, as well as many streams and creaks, and a lot of local people had to evacuate their homes locally. It was awful.

And this after drought last year with 14 inch precipitation DEFICIT.

I just checked my jugs and all look OK. Wet, but I'd expect that. I do make a lot of drainage holes. I have germination in 2- alyssum and rose campion. I also have radicle emergence on one rudbeckia.

Karen

Ugh, snow again. We did take some cool pictures yesterday of the kids hunting Easter eggs in the midst of big, fluffy white flakes of falling snow.

I should look on the bright side--maybe another freeze & thaw will help those WS seeds that have yet to split open so they can grow.

Booker

Still no signs of life in my WS containers. I have crocus & daffodils blooming, tulips & other bulbs sprouting all over. Does it usually have to be consistently pretty warm before they germinate? Ranging all over from 30's-60's here. I have to keep reminding myself that it's been less than a month since I planted them, to be patient. The stuff on my "sun porch" that has had cooler temperatures than in the house have been slower to germinate or grow, too (except for the ornamental grass. I'm getting the idea I shouldn't have started that one so early. . .)

I did finally, FINALLY get my seed order from Jungs. Turns out my DH had been carrying a "package slip" around in his bag all week, and forgot to tell me. We don't have home delivery, so rely on the slips to tell us when to go to the PO desk to check for a package. So now I need to decide how soon to WS these zinnias and sweet williams. They also sent me several sample packs free, including another zinnia, a cucumber, and a tomato. Heck, may as well WS those, too, eh? No more room on my fridgetop, kitchen counter, or sun porch for more containers! LOL

Booker

OK, I think WS is not for those of us who are extremely impatient. LOL Every day I go peek into all my containers, and NADA! The neighbors are probably getting creeped out, wondering what kind of spooky experiment I have going (or wondering if this is our new method of refrigeration). I know we are still getting some cold temperatures, and even frost at night sometimes, so those little seeds probably know what they are doing, but I guess I want to see something green and alive in there! Then again, I would probably spend every evening checking the weather, worrying about whether my little sprouts were going to freeze to death, so maybe it's just as well. . .

So, kqcrna (sorry haven't figured out everyone's "real" names), you can go ahead and get them in the ground when they only have one or two sets of leaves? Do you still have to cover them or anything at night?

I have a flat and a half of alyssum inside, some lupines, celosia, nigelia, nemesia, amaranthus, rudbeckia, Easter egg plant, snapdragons, ornamental grass (I think I shouldn't have started this inside! LOL), blue poppies, heliotrope, lots and lots of basil, two kinds of dill, and tons of tomatoes inside, and I just bought a bunch more potting mix tonight to start even more. I don't know where to put all of these, and only the tomatoes have their first true leaves. Everything else is still pretty much in it's infancy! Too soon to move it outside. I can't wait to see all of this in place and blooming!

I still have dianthus, zinnias, a bee & butterfly mix, some gaillardia, achillea, and butterfly weed to plant. Need more room. . .

Booker

Bookerc: Yes, for hardy wintersown plants you can, but not with seedlings started indoors. The indoor ones need to be hardened off.

Wintersown hardy annuals and perennials hardy to your area can be planted out early, even at one or two leaf stage. Even half hardy ones, like snapdragons or allysum will do OK with a fair amount of frost. Tender annuals, like zinnias, will not tolerate late frosts. I haven't even sown my tender ones yet. Normally I would, but our weather has been unusually cold, cloudy, and wet. As soon as I see better weather times, I will sow the very tender ones- zinnias, marigolds, cosmos, etc

But for those things you are starting inside, I don't think these things apply. You need to follow conventional rules with those, paying more attention to your last frost date, hardening off, etc.

Karen

I was walking in the yard yesterday (between downpours). I happened to look down and there was a petunia, getting ready to bud. It was a compact, very healthy looking plant. It was from petunias that my papa had 4 or 5 years ago. He's been dead 3, so I know it's at least that long. What an endorsement for winter sowing. Nature at it's best!
I'll start sending images when I get my camera back that my son "borrowed" from me. lol

Bookerc, please don't be too obsessed by your Wintersowing seed sprouting (although I know it's hard not to be). It's still early for yours to be germinating, I think. It's a bit colder where you are, and mine just popped last week.

As soon as all this rain goes away (will it ever, though?!) we will have loads of green in our WS containers.

I did set my (inside germinated) alyssum outside the first day it popped and it seems to be doing fine. And my mixed lettuces. This was on recommendation of Illoquin, but she cautioned that you had to set these particularly hardy seedlings outside the second the germinated--no delay--or they will go into shock.

You can still do your butterfly weed (asclepias tuberosa) outside using the WS method, I think. It generally needs cold to germinate anyway and is slow to emerge in the summer anyway. Someone who knows better can correct me on this if needed. (-:

If you look up some of Illoquin's recent posts she has given a lot of tips on how to manage 'inside germinated' seed flats with regard to setting outside when and how long, etc. Very useful. If I find the posts, I will tag them.

Wintersowing is so much more carefree (if you can manage the obsessive compulsive aspects of seed starting!)