When wetted the soil will condense a bit. I primarily use aluminum salad containers for flats, and have found that if I do NOT wet first, then the volume of soil decreases to an amount that is not as sufficient for expanded root growth in the spring. So with flats, I fill completely with soil, wet so it shrinks but does not necessarily come POURING out the bottom, apply seeds, then apply another handful or so of soil, cover and put aside. This year I have been able to sow outside, so I never cared about how much water came out the bottom. When sowing inside, I use a dishpan to collect the excess water and place the flat container on a raised slotted surface like strawberry baskets to allow for drainage without the bottom sitting in standing water after I get to the 10th or so container. I use the hose from the sink to do the watering. Excess water and soil that may have washed out into the dishpan can then be used to wet later containers, scooped with or poured into a cup or some other such thing.

In containers that are deeper, like 2 liters or gallons, I would just fill to about 4 inches (which condensed to about 3 later), sow and cover seeds as needed, then put aside. I never wetted them.

Th dishpan or some sort of wide flat tray (like a kitty litter pan used just for this purpose) makes a great carrying tool to bring the flats outside when done, and keeps the floor dry in the meantime.

Have fun teaching the class, and please let us know how it goes!!!
Beatrice

Ellen, to settle the soil and reduce air pockets as was said above, and to moisten the seed coat so that water will eventually reach the embryo. A chill that is dry is only storage - to stratify those seeds that require it, the chill must be under moist conditions.

Agree with what has been said.

I think brand of potting mix makes a difference too. I haven't used MG much, but when I did it was pretty easy to wet. ProMix, on the other hand, takes more effort. Water doesn't soak in well initially. I dump ProMix in a basin, spray with water, and stir. Add more water, stir again. I add water until it's nice and moist, but not wet, throughout. Then I fill the jug, sow, and spray with spray bottle or seedling sprinkling can to make sure seeds contact soil.

When finished, I set them aside to drain, but little water, if any, drips out. It's moist, but not that wet.

Karen

thanks all for clearing this up.
makes sense. :)

and good idea about using a kitty litter pan for basin.
We are doing this in a public place, where I don't want to drip water.

(unlike my kitchen, where I don't care!)

ellen

Seeds need to stratify in moist soil, not dry soil. Also, you have no way to predict your local weather--you may have a very dry winter and that won't provide stratification if the seeds are dry--in a way, seeds sown into cold dry soil is just cold dry storage.

Ellen, when I teach WS we don't use water but I do provide a handout on how to bottom soak containers that the class participants can do when they get home. This serves two purposes, first I don't get in trouble with the building owner for getting mud in their rooms and halls, and second, I am not the cause for mud-stains in the cars of the participants because they have to take those wet containers home. Do yourself a favor and dry sow in your class. It's keeps the building and cars much cleaner.

T

This is my 1st yr at winter sowing, So I'm just learning, asking questions and reading all the posts here. Buy I experimented some and heres what works for me the easiest..I got a fairly good size tote, I fill it with my soiless mix, I set it outside my garden shed, We have had plenty of rain so I just let it rain on the mix, (I did put in drainage holes 1st) then in a little while its drained, still moist, and ready for potting up. Then I just take 5 or so containers out and fill them, then take back inside the shed and sow. If it dont rain then I just hose it down. This works the best for me. so far I have sown 115 containers.

I mix my own soil for seed starting. 1/3 peat moss,1/3 perlite, 1/3 construction sand. Add some lime if you think it's too acidic. Once mixed in bulk, I pour 1-2 buckets of hot, steaming water into it. The hot water really is absorbed quickly. Stir and let sit overnight in the garage. The next day I re-stir it, pat it down gently in containers, sprinkle with seeds, cover with a little more soil or vermiculite, and spritz with water.

thanks Trudi,
a great idea.
Last week I had people scrounging for things to carry their containers home in, as I hadn't thot about drip!

When I bottom soak, I wait until the surface is moist, but not soaking.
Does that sound right?

ellen

I don't bother with wetting the soil. Here in the northwest my jugs a wet within hours of being set outside, and the soil in the bags is usually moist as well.

I wet a bucket full of soil at a time from the faucet, usually the night before I plan to sow containers. But even 20 minutes allows the soil to get pretty damp. That way I don't have bottom water or wet down individual conatiners.

As others have said, the seeds need moisture to begin germinating and most soil mixes are a little water repellent until they get a chance to absord water for a few minutes.

KimKa