Sometimes it's just the weather that can bring you down - cold, dreary, etc.

See how you feel the next time it is sunny and a bit warmer... that may make you feel more motivated.

Remember, though, if you DON'T sow anything as the weather gets warmer, you won't feel the excitement of new sprouts, seedlings and that wonderful feeling you get seeing your sown flowers blooming. Remember? Wish you well.

Carrie

You got plenty of time! You can still do up to March or April and even May,

:)
Ive hardly done a dozen containers so far, I decided only to do the perennials that REALLY NEEDEd the cold, the others Illw ait....

Maria:

Don't get too overwhelmed, start on a small scale - what are some perennials that you'd like to try? Start with those and see where the mood takes you.

I love seeing the little green sprouts in early spring!
Ann

I didn't do any last winter, too depressed and lethargic. So now I've done way too many, seem to have a way of setting myself up for failure.

Maria, you and I are in the same boat. I haven't done one seed yet. I bought the soil and I have the containers, but I can't seem to get started. Depressed and lethargic, about right.

What would be better to cure depression than sowing and nurturing some seeds???? I am giving you a swift kick in the butt to help you get going. So, get up, get up, get up! Grab your jugs, your soil, play some music, give those babies a nice little dirt nap, and put them to sleep outside! Then every day you see your jugs out there, remember they could use some friends so that they are not lonely, and do some more. Once you see that green in a month or so it will cause you to smile.

Why are you still sitting here reading this??????????

GO GRAB YOUR JUGS!!!!!!

Don't make me put you on restriction!

I'm totally with gardenluv -- ain't no better cure for SAAD (or whatever that sunlight deprivation depression disorder thingie is) than planting something, whether WSing, or starting something indoors. Works for me!

Winter Sowing? Nah, there's so many other really FUN things to do in the cold winter like:
- do your taxes
- watch the same bad movie for the sixth time
- paint the inside of your house
- wait by the front window for the excitement of the mailman --

Now, doesn't winter sowing sound fun????
Susan

I agree - just do a few and then you get that serotonin going and you'll be a seed/plant enabler just like we are!

I felt the exact same way, but FORCED myself to get started and I feel so much better now! The longer days don't hurt either :)

Maybe just jumping in will get you out of the slump.

I have visions of delphiniums dancing in my head... LOL

"What would be better to cure depression than sowing and nurturing some seeds????"

Vitamin D? I bought some cod liver oil, am waiting to see if it's too much with my calcium + D and regular vitamin w/D, but it's a natural source. I hadn't been taking my vitamins because the doses for the calcium plus the vitamin, 3 horse pills I have to cut in half to get down.

Plus I had a problem taken care of that I'd been putting off for over a year, the mother of all toothaches drove me to do something about that.

I just am in a better mood, don't know how long it will last.

Maria,

Maybe you should just jump in. Once you start you will probably feel better. My dad died right before Thanksgiving, and to tell you the truth WS is the thing that is keeping me going. I planted some memorial seeds on the solstice, and have been going strong ever since. I have once again began to obsess over plants, and obsess a little less about my loss. It's amazing what a little seed can do to your outlook, and give you hope for the future.(of beautiful Spring plants)

Amy

I right there with you all who can't get the lead out of our jugs. I have so much space in the house filled with juice jugs (that have yet to be prepared - they are hard to cut) and boxes of seed from both last year and some I bought from Value Seed back when they were still open. Then there's the ones I bought for a nickel at the Dollar Store's summer close out.

My soil is frozen outside though and we keep having storms that keep us inside and off the road. I could just stomp out and try and carry one bag to the backporch once the snow melts so I can find it.

It's already Feb 1. I keep making excuses that started before the Dec 21 (like the Holidays) then we got all this bad weather and it really must have depressed me because here I sit. At least I am thinking seriously about sitting in my bed cutting jugs up.

Just sow one or two containers. Maybe that will get you going. I did not start last year until feb so you will be just fine.

Just get a few done. Also, I second the Vitamin D. I have tried it and it helps a lot.

Try to take care of yourself and get out and sow something.

I third the vitamin D! I got tested and I was really, really, REALLY low, even though I was taking vitamins. I'm taking drops in larger quantities now, under a doc's care. You can overdose, though, so careful! But it does help. I already feel a little better...

Remember, these "glum" days come and go. When spring comes and you're back to your old chipper self again, you'll kick yourself for not planting a seed or two. Yes, you will.

.

You don't get up and get going because you feel better, You feel better because you got up and got going.
I know that sounded stupid, but it's true.
Best wishes
:)Laura

Sending you some good winter sowing vibes, Maria, and letting you know I feel your winter blahness. I find it hard to get motivated much in January or early February in the frozen tundra of zone 5. I do enjoy organizing my seeds--by color, by height, by texture, by bloom time . . . yeah, crazy, but it has encouraged me to get moving.

I have been doing just a couple jugs in the past few days. When I was filling some jugs today, my 4 yr old said, "It smells like dirt! It smells like a garden in here! Smell it Mama!" Well, shoot, if smelling that pro-mix didn't make me feel just a little better and spring seem just a little closer.

take care!

cheers,
Norabelle

I've gotten a late start this year...life just keeps getting in the way, and it frustrates me to no end. I'm about to lose my job in a few weeks, which may actually prove to be a blessing in disguise (very stressful position with a lousy company, ugh).

On the topic of "glumness", though, I've made an interesting observation since discovering my passion for gardening (through WS).

I liken gardeners to artists, in a way...and it has been my experience that people who are "creative" also tend to be much more sensitive emotionally (in a good way). Because of that, I think we are more susceptible to a downswing when we can't be outdoors with our hands in the dirt...at least that's how I feel.

When the first cool breezes of late autumn arrive, my heart starts to feel a pang of sadness, because I know the days of being out in my garden are about to end. The shorter days, the gray skies, etc. all have such a negative effect on my spirit...and I'm sure I'm not alone in that regard.

It has been particularly difficult to "get going" this winter, but I'm determined to pick up the pace so I can have lots of new "babies" to care for once spring is here.

For all of us who are having trouble staying motivated, here's a big hug and warm wishes for a short February (((hugs)))

"I third the vitamin D! I got tested and I was really, really, REALLY low, even though I was taking vitamins. I'm taking drops in larger quantities now, under a doc's care. You can overdose, though, so careful!"

That's why I hesitated mentioning it. It's one thing to experiment on yourself but another altogether to do it with your family and recommend things on message boards.

Hey guys........THANKS SO MUCH for helping me not feel like the "only pregnant girl in school." I'm a newbie and thought it was due to that reason that I'd been procrastinating. Guess it's just part of the deal for some of us. Not to say I haven't been preparing mentally. Dear auntyara sent me zillions of seeds, I got on the net and printed out all kinds of info about them, am organizing them into annuals and perennials, germination time, etc., have dirt in the house, already thawed.

But not enough containers and the ones I do have, like tasebell said, too hard to cut (Arizona Tea jugs, YUCK). I like karendee's suggestion -- just sow one or two and get in the mood. I had the "all or nothing" attitude, which is overwhelming. Just start and you might catch the bug. That's what I'm gonna do after reading all these threads.

Tks a bunch guys for all the motivation !!!

bonnie aka brit5467

This thread is awesome -- you all are awesome. THANKS for all the encouragement and sharing.

Anyway -- GOOD NEWS! I actually ws'd 4 containers yesterday.
Two kinds of tomatoes (everlast & some kinda hybrid), gaultheria, and lemon cuke. Except for the gaultheria, these were seeds I went to lowes to get.
I would have done more but my potting soil was frozen!
I have another bag of frozen soil I put in my car trunk and hope that driving around in it will defrost it. LOL.

Can anyone suggest a flower to get excited about?

(Big snow coming tonight...)

Maria,

Just bring your bag of dirt inside and put a towel underneath it. It should be thawed and room temp with-in a day. I have to do this when I'm ready to WS as I leave my soil bags in the un-heated garage over the winter.

Melissa1977

Early germinating annual flowers: bachelor buttons, baby's breath, alyssum, snapdragons, and (yes!) sunflowers. Or pick something bright red, or yellow.

Sometimes, when I can't get into wintersowing, it helps to "set the stage" - I clear out a spot for just me & my plant stuff (e.g., all the end of the the year income tax papers go into a file folder in another room), put on a pot of whatever tea I'm most in the mood for, maybe add a scented candle and some music to the surroundings, and winter sowing becomes the pleasant activity it's supposed to be, and not just one more chore.

A little snow doesn't hurt, either! :)

AJPA,

Congrats on getting those containers done! You have loads of support here on the WS boards, just do what you can each day and see where that takes you. That's kind of the recipe for life, isn't it? Do what you can and just keep trying. Go girl, go!

Ann

Thanks again!
Guess what, I forgot to mention. When I was at lowes yesterday looking at seeds, this nice older lady was looking at the seed-starting kits and I asked her if she had tried planting seeds in milk jugs. She got interested and I told her how ... I think I got a new convert. :)

Another WS enabler is born! Good job! See we knew you'd be OK if you just started. Keep it up!

Good Job ajpa! I can see you smiling already! I second the alyssum and snapdragon suggestion and would like to throw in dianthus. Those are my three favorite early sprouters! I'm proud of you! Keep on sowing!

Oh. I forgot -- I started taking fish oil (because I read about a study where it helped depression). I will try vit D also, since hubby is already taking it.

YEAH!! We got you sowing!!!

I too have some hard to cut bottles. I used my hubby's hacksaw on a harder plastic juice bottle. it worked well.

Glad to hear you're back, baby, you're back to winter sowing! :)

To your flower list I would add "Sooty" Sweet William, delphiniums, and Jupiter's Beard.

cheers,
Joanna

Hi Ajpa....my doctor asked about sun exposure last summer and I thought I was going to get a scolding about no sun screen and being too tanned, but she tested and I was really surprised to find myself low! And after years of being an outdoor with no protection (wrinkling) gal...So Vit D per her instructions got added.

I do the seasonal slump thing too, our long gray/wet winters here have that effect on lots of us. If you have the chance with your weather, try to get outside for a few minutes earliest in the day as is possible. Look up towards the direction you would find the sun if the sun were shining. Even if you can't get outside, aim for several minutes of some kind of exercise (you don't have to go into Olympic training mode here) about 5 x a week, stationary bike, mall walking, anything to move. 20 minutes is better than none. Skip junk food and watch your nutrition. Go to bed at a regular hour.

This sounds dumb, but try to find something to say Thank you for during each day, even if just to yourself. A baby grins at you in the grocery store - a mental thank you for a bright spot in a day, then smile. I looked out the back door into the rain one day this week just as a resident hummingbird (we have some that winter here) visited a sweet box shrub on my deck...another thank you and remembered to smile :)

If you feel truly ill and not functioning, there are the options of light boxes and medications, both should be approved by your doctor....but if you are borderline winter depressed, take a few small steps yourself and hang in there! Days are beginning to become noticebly longer and we've passed the half-way winter mark.

morz8, thanks! Those sound like simple things I can do ...

Maria,
I am in the same boat as you. Last year I sowed lots of stuff
now this year, I am not even in the mood. I was thinking
about all the stuff I still want in my garden , yet have
done nothing about finding seeds etc.

I haven't even visited GW til the past couple of days!
Maybe I just need to look at some other peoples
projects to get me
in the mood.

Let me know if you get motivated. I need a kick start
myself :-D

Mary

I wish we could get together. I think if friends could visit at one another's house and carry our soil and seed we might get these jugs ready!

I'm right here with ya. I had a devastating gardening season last year. :( Everyone is safe and healthy here but I tore a major calf muscle in my leg in April and was sidelined for most of the season.

But this past week, I sorted through my seeds and I've collected containers all year. Just need to get some dirt and poke some holes and I'm ready to go!

Good for you, Ajpa! It sounds like you're on the upswing.

Some of my favorite flowers to winter sow are dwarf hollyhocks (malva sylvestris 'Zebrina') - so easy, and so pretty. California poppies are also amazingly easy too - both the orange and white ones.

I wish you joy today!

Laurel

I haven't done my jugs yet. I have the soil, the jugs the tape = haven't drilled the drainage holes yet. Have another bag of milk jugs to wash and prepare and all these seeds . . . and yet?

It isn't getting done. It's so cold here. So snowy and icy. I don't know if doing them and getting them out now is going to be beneficial. I read that it will be okay but I have this tie to the seeds. I need a life, huh?

I need to do something with all these jugs, let's just leave it at that. Either put them out or get them out.

FILL THEM WITH SOIL, SOW THE SEEDS, WATER, TAPE, AND PUT THEM OUT!!!!!!! If you are worried, then just do your perennials. Just tuck them in to their little dirt beds, sing them a lullaby, and let them sleep!

Yes, I hope you can make yourself do it. Maybe you needed getting yelled at lol. Don't like to use the imperative mode with people, but you might try to make yourself do two or three, no more at first unless you get on a roll, and set goals that don't seem unattainable at first. I've been treated for depression, and one prescription is just to do some work, often helps to pull you up out of the worst of it. Often feel terrible but FORCE myself to do a little something anyway.

Sometimes if you have a physical debility, that's a little different, but it's amazing what people overcome or learn to compensate.

I did soak my filthy ones from last year in a large storage container in the bathtub, took a brush to them, wasn't too fussy. Then it was so heavy, I used a bucket to empty it and dump it in the toilet. The other ones someone assured me a little milk residue wouldn't hurt outside. I always swish mine when I've used up the milk a couple times until the water looks clear but it still leaves some residue. I do run some containers through bleach solution, but none of my jugs or 2 liters for outside.

Make it as easy on yourself as possible. You might find that your enthusiasm builds as you can see a jug or two out there. I had to force myself to start this winter, should have taken the advice here last. Once I got started, a few a day, skip some days, I can't believe how much I've got set out now.

Maybe this is a dumb thing to say but wouldn't be the first time. I use quite a bit of milk for an older person living alone plus it keeps longer now usually. I cook most of my cereal now and use it for that and cooking, seldom drink it but love cheese. One thing that takes a lot of milk is a creamy rice pudding recipe I clipped out of the paper. It takes almost a gallon for a double batch because it slow cooks down. My mother used to make the same kind, but this is a little creamier.

I started with a huge the next size up from 9 X 11 glass baking dish, why just cook a little if you're going to bother at all? I'm used to cooking for 3 hungry kids and more, hard to change so I freeze extra, etc. Dump one cup of medium grain (very important) rice in the bottom. Dump one cup of sugar on that. Add about 1/4 tsp salt. Pour in 2% milk (sometimes I use some whole and usually add one lg can of evaporated milk). Get the milk all the way to the top. Place the oven rack on center, place the mixture (very carefully or start it there) close to the door so you can reach in later and stir easily. Stir it all up. Set oven to 275. Stir every half hour with a fork, go do your thing, doesn't have to be exact. Then in a couple hours, when you can see the rice starting to show at the top, add 1 cup or less of raisins rinsed but not pre-soaked, stir in a few sprinkles of nutmeg. Or cinnamon if you prefer. Or both. Sprinkle more nutmeg on the top. Don't stir any more and finish baking until you can tell when the center is almost set. Remove from oven and cool or serve warm (wait til it has a chance to settle and thicken a little more). The milk will have cooked down pretty far (I always have to remember not to have a pot on the burner where the oven vents).

My daughter loves it, and over subsequent days, I can eat a whole double batch, sometimes crave it, keeps well for several days covered. I've since adjusted the amounts slightly and started doing it in a large ceramic casserole dish w/lid (DON'T COVER IN OVEN but after to store) because it's easier to store in the fridge than that huge baking dish. You can skip the evaporated milk as that may be less healthy. Don't use skim though. Starting with cold milk makes it take longer, but if I'm going to be around the house or in the evening, it's so easy, set the oven timer first for 40 minutes, then down to every 30 minutes, sometimes have to give it an extra 20 minutes. Sometimes I time cooking exactly but usually don't any more.

For all of you folks having a hard time getting started.

Surely there must be one seed packet in your seed box that is appealing enough that you can manage sowing one jug - even if you have to concentrate very hard the whole time on how rewarding that particular plant will be for you when it blooms.

Now if you don't have one seed packet that can capture your imagination long enough to slog through sowing one jug, maybe the problem isn't getting started. Maybe you just don't have a seed packet for a variety that is compelling enough to capture your dreams. If that's the case, just post a thread and ask if any of the resident enablers can help you out - with ideas, photos, and maybe a seed packet to go with them.

Lynda