Here is what I am having to do because of the cold this year. I am wintersowing in the kitchen, which isn't ideal, but beats freezing to death. I fill up enough containers to fill the kitchen sinks. I then soak them down and let them drain for several hours. Then I move them onto old bath towels to soak up any remaining water. I then repeat. While the third batch is draining in the sink I sow the first batch, move the third batch to towels and fill the sink up again. I have found that this "assembly line" process works well for me and seems to go much faster as I am only working on one task at a time. I have large cardboard boxes that I fill with sown jugs and when full I take them outside.

Are you folks wetting the soil before you fill? That's what I do. I mix it in a sort of large plastic dishpan type container, mix well to get it evenly moist. Then I fill and sow jugs, lightly mist the surface with a spray bottle, then drain. They don't usually need much time to drain because, while evenly moist, they're not sopping, dripping wet, just evenly moist.

Karen

I mix my own and I mix big batches at a time in my Gator's dump bed. I mixed up a batch about a month or so ago on a warm day so I was outside and could wet the soil a little while it was still in the dump bed but not wet-wet because I have to scoop it out into trashcans and didn't won't strain my back doing it. With the lid on the can the mix stays moist and is easy to handle. I scoop out a potful,wet it down good with the hose before sewing if I'm outside. Inside I set the pots in a water tight tray an wet with watering can.

I'm almost out of mix but we're suppose to have mid-50's and 60 degrees for this week so I can get out there and mix up some more.

Peggy

I also mix my pro-mix up with water in a big tub (the kind they sell with the rope handles)and do it all in the warmth of the kitchen. I lay old towels down on the counter tops and table to try to contain the water dripping issues. I load in 3-4 inches of moist mix, then sprinkle seeds, press down a bit on them, plop a label in, cover, tape.

It is a bit messy "playing with the dirt" inside and that is why when DH asked if it would be OK for him to go visit a friend out of town next weekend, I said.."YEAH!!!" I find that I really like to do all this when no one is around to COMMENT on how messy it is!

I prefer to do my ws in the kitchen (its warm, there's water,music and beer).I lay large sheets or drop clothes all over the floor. I fill a bunch of jugs w/ soil then place them in a really lg. under bed type storage bin up on counter. I run the sprayer over all until water seeps out bottom. Maybe wait 20 minutes or so then take jugs out and into other sink and onto old towels or rags to plant.
After I plant the seeds I will squirt top w/ hand held water spritzer for good measure I'm sure it's not necessary but I do it any way.
Then grab any kid walking by and have them help move jugs outside.
Last year I tried wetting soil first in a bin but found it tiring bending down to mix and fill also very messy. I love playing in the dirt outside where I can hose down a bit or jump in pool but, inside I don't like the mud around. I can be rather messy.

Annette

I do about 30 a day when I am in the mood - I put them in the kitchen sink fill them, water and drain, all the while attending to other matters around the house - seed them, tag, top and tape - then put the in a pail to get them into the garage into the bread racks. When the rack is full I take it our to the patio. A quick wash and scrub of the sink and no one knows what I have been doing. I enjoy the process more when I take it all in time - inbetween I put them into my spread sheet and plot them in my garden and buy more seeds!

Vicious cycle.....

I'll admit that I don't even water most of my jugs -- my z6 means it'll warm at some point, and wet itself, and get cold again enough to do its thing. Only the difficult "really needs some serious cold-stratification to germinate" things (like super-hard-shelled seeds/things I know to be ornery) get watered here before setting out.

All to avoid mess, and be able to wintersow TONS of things fast.

Worked fine for me last year (nearly 300 containers) and the year before too (maybe 100). Plan to go the same route this round too -- especially since I have not started yet, and have to make up lost time.

--Tina

I use a stainless steel mixing bowl and a bakery spatula in the sink to wet the soil. I work on it as I go. If there's a little left over I cap the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the plant room.

I do mine in the basement where I have my jugs pre filled with dry mix. Set in water pans and tubs to presoak, drain into plastic tubs and plantseeds actually just scatter seeds on top, sprinkle a light coat of sand on top of seeds just to cover, sprey with water bottle and out the basement window they go until my shelf outside is full then it is time to carry out a trey full and set on mini deck and start process over again.
jim

I fill my containers with soil mix right out of the bag, then water them to check drainage, then as soon as they stop dripping I sow them. Then right out to the cold frame they go!

I sit on the living room floor filling containers, then when I have several filled, I move them to the kitchen sink and use the sprayer on them to check drainage and I sow them. Just be carefull not to get your seed packets wet! Yeah... my favorite ones too!

I do water my containers first. But looking at Tina's response, I think I could probably get away without doing it too. I do like seeing the evidence of transpiration in there before I put them out though (I dunno why. Just a personal thing).

I also do my WSing in the kitchen. It's warm and its easier. I like the sprayer at the sink.

Linda

I also sow in the basement on my laundry counter. I use recycled cake tops as tubs for my containers. I fill the container with soil, water it with a gallon jug, let it sit and move it to another cake top that has ridges in it for better drainage, sow seeds, sprinkle on a little soil for larger seeds or none for tiny then mist with a spray bottle. I then put them into milk crates or other tubs to carry out when 8-10 are complete. I keep the bag of soil next to the counter and scoop it right out of the bag. This has worked best for me and keeps hubby happier since the kitchen isn't a mess.

Don't give up, there is always a way to find a process that works for you. You could have an older child or teenager (grandchild or friend) come over, teach them the process so they can continue it on and have them help you with the hard parts, like poking holes and cutting containers. Just a thought. :-)

I'm so glad I saved containers in large garbage bags this past year. It has saved a lot of work and sped up my sowing process.

:-) Pam

I posted my ws routine on the re:drainage thread. I used to just moisten the soil and mist after sowing. Last year I added bottom watering because I found that I didn't have to water later as soon if the soil was completely saturated at the beginning.

Here is a link that might be useful: Re: drainage

i posted mine also on the Re-drainage thread.
Carol

Take your bag of soil inside and put onto plastic sheet or inside of big bucket/tub just in case things start getting sloppy. Take very hot water and pour it inside of the bag, pour a little let it soak up, then again... again until mix become moist. Place your containers next to it and fill to your heart content. If the soil still fills dryish, add additional portion of water- much easier to do as mix is already premoistened. You can prepare several containers and take them outside, leave them until you have a nice day- sprinkle your seeds, stick your label and wait for green babies to grow... it is ok if the soil is frozen when you sprinkle your seeds there... does not hurt...
Wet bag of soiless mix has to be used within several days though or taken outside to be frozen and then defrozen again which is harder. I have done prefilled containers before and have found no difference in germination.