Wahoo!! Congrats!! Doing the happy sprout dance for you! I'm going to watch my containers like a hawk in another few weeks. I have sprouts but not WS sprouts. I grew daylilies from seed last year and they're sending up new growth in my sunny, south-facing window. I can't believe how fast they're growing either--they're an inch tall after just pushing up through the potting mix a couple of days ago.
Let the green wave roll on from sea to shining sea!!

Shadysite...feel the love!
Amen.

I'll be a true believer if my results tally is favorable in Apr, May, Jun. I've really invested a lot in seeds, considerable for containers/supplies, lots free, potting soil, time and energy this year. I'm a little worried I may not have done something right and have to set my containers on the snow because I don't have enough boards and bricks to elevate them for as many as are out there. Actually there are one pallet and some 2X4's in the garage and quite a few bricks and glass blocks, so when it's easier to work out there, could rig something up for optimal drainage, hope it won't be too late.

I've tried to set containers on the sidewalk which hopefully drains better but being forced further out in the snow due to sheer volume. The other section of the sidewalk out to the garage would hold a lot, volume-wise, but almost full sun, don't want that yet and, for some plants, part/full shade all the way.

Surely I'll get something out of it, and if I only get a few of some, that's ok, too. But massive crop failures will be doing one sad dance! How does that one go and where does one sign up for lessons lol?

I'll try to think positive, but just because it seems to work so well for others doesn't mean it's going to work for me. But it's the only option for that many different kinds of seeds and all things considered the less fussing now and later as some can grow on if I water them if dry and plant when I can get to it.

Congrats!!,
It's like, WOW, This really does work!
I can't wait for the "green tide" to roll into my jugs!
I'm trying to be patient. lol
Go away winter, I want Spring!
:)Laura

Aliska, I set mine in the snow all the time, and have never had any problems so you should be okay as far as that goes.

Congrats shadysite on your babies!

There was an intervening post, must be a lag with their server.

Oh, gardenluv, thanks for the encouragement, will try not to worry. This is really my second year; first year think I had no more than 12-20 jugs.

More seeds coming, only a few perennials/biennials so that will be it for them. Oops, see items shipped today. Agastache, Mencopsis, Malva, Lupin Morello Cherry (looking forward to that, actually all of them), Foxglove Candy Mountain. The last one I only got a few by spring sowing in containers outside, but one was really spectacular.

That's the last of seeds unless I trade. Few offbeat ones I may sow rather than waste them. Then a break and not too many annuals.

It's weird. Today I sowed Lobelia cardinalis, teeny, tiny seeds, packet had a count, what? Somewhere 700-800+, so it said. Looked like maybe 1/2 a teaspoon full or less. I mixed with sugar in the salt shaker and sowed 18 plastic cups. That's a fairly tall plant if it works. Just too hard to handle half the pkt and save the rest once I'd already dumped them all into a taco sauce cup, seeds stick to everything, static charge or something.

How on earth do growers manage such tiny seeds, certainly not one or two per cell or area of a flat?

Aliska,
All my containers on sitting on solid ground, nothing under them,but snow and soil.Yous should be just fine,stop worrying,and concentrate on where you are going to plant all your beautiful babies.
cAROL

"going to plant all your beautiful babies"

Heh, thanks, Carol. Somebody needs to talk some sense into me. I have rather ahem gradiose plans for my terrace, don't know if I'll be able to pull it off, want tiers of stone, then can cram tons of perennials along there and not too hard to tend to if I can just keep the weeds in check and stones are set right. I do pay a fellow to mow the lawn, and apart from having to spread stuff now and then, I'm free from that.

If I just pay for the stone and fresh dirt and can get the kids and a couple grandkids & friends to set aside a day or weekend, maybe it would be feasible, I'd buy plenty of pizza but no beer (for good reason there, otherwise I would). My son has done it at least twice now, has a good sense of design, so he would know how to do it right if he only is willing to help, he's stretched pretty thin with his life.

Sometime I was going to post a picture of that terrace and a "what would you do with this?" Geared to what succeeds on my long list (at least not as long as somebody's I just read). I literally gasped! Won't start that thread right away.

Either that or I'm just plain going to have to move where I have a couple acres, and that's irrational thinking for a person my age. At least I still dare to dream, and something might just fall into place for me. You never know.

Thanks, everyone. Aliska, five of my jugs, including kale and perennials, are still under a foot of snow after the amazing dump we had in metro DC. However, many people have mentioned the insulating qualities of snow and that seeds will grow when the time is right. I had one jug that got hit by some ice, the duct tape fell off, and I stuck it in a plastic bag and put a rubber band around the top of it (leaving the hole open at the top) and...something is poking up a shoot! I find this awesome since my backyard is still deep in snow. My containers that are just beginning to sprout are on top of a piece of slate.....maybe they are getting that bottom warmth from the sun that usually comes from a seed mat???

Wow, I guess those little seeds must know. I shouldn't be such a worry wart, but right now I'm watching the most huge icicle I ever saw. The other day while I was sitting in the front burning holes, I heard a crash on the side of the house. One came down and broke into pieces, one a huge chunk, didn't damage anything. My son pulled one off, but I don't want to mess with this thing. It could seriously hurt someone or hapless whatever. Luckily my containers are blocking the steps right now, so it's unlikely anyone will come from that way until I move the containers when they start sprouting. If they start sprouting lol.

I didn't set my containers directly under where I knew there is trouble above, but not if but when that thing comes crashing down, my jugs are right on the sidewalk immediately to the left of it in the photo, and I'm afraid they might suffer some collateral damage. But it's too cold to attempt to move them; they're not likely to experience the first blow, and will just hope when it hits the ground and breaks up, it will land the other way. I took a photo of it yesterday or the day before. It's a wide angle lens, so the perspective looks odd. I can correct for it but why bother?

Maybe I should go out with something long on a pole and try to whack it to try to get it to fall to the right? I think I'll wait for some expert advice about that. I'm afraid it might pull the gutter off if I do that.

Now I've got some dishes soaking and will try to get those out of the way, my only accomplishment regarding winter sowing today was to break free and drag a heavy bag of frozen potting soil around and up the front steps, into the front hall, set on and upsidedown storage container lid to thaw. Also have pork chops thawing ha ha.

{{gwi:359788}}

Aliska,

There's some stuff that you should be able to buy at the store which you throw on your roof to melt such problems. It is OK for the gardens and such. Not sure what the name is but we bought some this year because we had a similar problem. You just throw it up there. It's kind-of-like salt for sidewalks and driveways, but much friendlier.

Don't knock that icicle off. You might take some of the gutter and corner of the roof with it.

Another solution is to pour lukewarm water over the area if the temps outside are OK and you can get to it from a ladder.

Other than that, just leave it be. Hope you do get th bugger off. That's a lot of weight!

tiffy, that is good to know, and I'll try to get some of that. Thank you, never would have thought of it! I only have a stepladder though, don't know if I should try to climb a regular one or not but kinda wish I had one. Bet I could throw far enough with the stepladder, and it has a handle I can hold onto.

Well, I called my son and asked if I emailed him a picture, if he would tell me the best way to do it. Just go out there and whack it off. I don't need to see any picture. Just don't stand under it.

Oh, ok. So I thought a minute and figured should I try my apple picker or my pole saw, opted for the pole saw. Turned the other way around and whacked the lower part. It came down, bent just one jug and broke off a little piece of a plastic fence. Took another whack at it and got some more.

When I felt it was safe to go under there, I picked up the chunks and threw them out and away from the house. Then I carefully made my way around all my flats, watching the saw so I don't touch the power line (probably insulated but have to be careful anyway), extended the pole more, locked it, got a better angle and whacked off the chunk at the top and a couple more pieces.

Luckily it didn't rip the gutter off or anything from the house. I stuck my finger in and popped the jug back out.

I will admit I was kinda of scared though. I'll ask about that ice melt safe for roofs at the hardware store. Maybe I will have to get a ladder, light needs changing. But I really couldn't get a good footing with what's out there now.

And we're super lucky the snow wasn't so bad like out east to put too much load on the roof. I don't remember icicles this bad before, lived here a long time.

Finished most of the dishes.