Mary: I have a few "learnings:"

I won't start anything GUL anymore. My WS'd toms have taken off and way surpassed the babies I fretted over for weeks in my basement.

RE: the above. I'll never use peat pots again.

I have a heavy hand when sowing seeds in containers. Next year I'll be more gentle.

Don't fret over stuff that doesn't germinate quickly. Be patient. And if it looks like all is lost, get over it and move on. Try again next year.

Prof

I'm keeping better track of when I see sprouts. Not crazy details, just jotting down what numbered containers have sprouts about once a week.
That way, next year I won't be fretting "why don't I have sprouts yet?!?!"
Although, I don't really "fret" about anything. But it will help me to be patient (or that's the theory anyways).

Im going to try to wait longer to sow the annuals, even the hardy annuals.

Its really hard to wait.

I'll be sowing smaller containers that I can plant out as one hunk, with fewer seeds in each. My big hands make petunia seeds look like dust. I over did it a tish.

I'll also start all my perennials early to get them in the ground before summer. I may even start in September again this year. Why wait when sowing in fall gives me plants that I know will survive the cold here, and bloom the following year.

I'll also not waste my time and energy sowing zinnias or marigolds. I'll direct sow those. I've had as good or better luck using that method.

I'll label things better. No, really. I will. I know.

I'll sow a lot less. There are things that I know I want more of, or things I need to try again for whatever reason. And some biennials I'd like to have bloom every year, so they will get sown. But lots of my perennials will be divided instead. I'll have a better idea of what I like and heights, etc after this year. I've never grown 90% of what I've sown this year.

I'll collect and trade more seeds and not buy as many.

I also want to concentrate on some carefree reseeding perennials as well. I'd like the garden to decide as it ages to plant things here and there. I'll help a little by scattering seeds in the fall.

And pictures. I have found pictures to be the best tool for recording things as they germinate, grow, and bloom. It'll give me two years of data that I can generate some ideas for the future as I move and replace things.

I'm with you Mary in that I like my seedlings to be pretty good size before I plant out. Seems the slugs are less interested in a more mature seedling, I guess they are not as tender and yummy. I also find that a bigger seedling is more likely to recover from a stupid squirrel uprooting. My biggest problem has been creating new beds to plant in. Perhaps I need to really plan ahead as to what I want to plant where, then perhaps I will feel less overwhelmed.

-StLGirl

This was my third year wintersowing. Every year, I plant tons of perennials, which is good, but by the time I want to plant the annuals, I am suffering from burnout. I managed to get a few tomatoes, a couple squash plants, and a few zinnias and nicotianas planted. All my other annual seeds are still in their packets, except for a few marigolds that got tossed willy-nilly into the beds. Next year, the perennials will have to reseed themselves. I am focusing on veggies, herbs, and some annual flowers to fill in. I am happy with the perennials I already have and if they can just manage to duplicate themselves, well, they will save me a lot of work.

Oh, and I know I will want to sow more columbines and I love the little heucheras . . . oh this will never work.

Becky

I do not have space left but am still want every year- Oh, I did not try this... Oh, this looks so beautiful.... I do not think first where I will put it...
I keep telling myself- next year I will do only a few- right, that is going to happen...
I like to plant seedlings out as soon as I can handle them easily- they grow much better in the ground than in the pots.
I put out Sluggo very late fall so there are very little slugs left to overwinter- then I do not have slugs until June.
I will still buy but now I have only few chosen companies I like to support.

This is my first year winter-spring sowing. I sowed 450 varieties of flowers and a few herbs. I know that not all (thankfully) are going to make it, but I'm happy with what is surviving our crazy spring.

Most of what I'm growing is new to me and I haven't planted anything yet.

*In most containers, I sowed 4 or 5 varieties. I put way too much time/effort into keeping the seed in rows, only to discover now that they got all mixed up. Once I figure out what we like and what grows well here, I'll probably grow fewer varieties and perhaps sow less variety in each container.
*Use gold paint pens for labeling
*The best containers for my location seemed to be kitty litter containers (large and deep) but the stuff I buy doesn't come in clear bins

Also this year, I grew many flowers and veggies under lights. I have to admit it was SUCH a chore to tend to them, vs. the minimal attention that the WS jugs required. I now think that most things that can't WS don't belong in my garden. However, I plant tomatoes in mid-March and GUL is the only way I can achieve that. Also, my season is too short for peppers, so I can't WS them either. Other then tomatoes and peppers, I am sold on the ease of winter sowing.

THANKS TRUDI and ALL the NEWBIES SHARING THOUGHTS:))

my learning

- do not even try to use oil bottles.
- sow lightly
- buy as much soil-mix and seeds as possible when it is on clearance sale.
- label properly on the base of bottle. i labeled on top and after removing tops i have no idea what is what.

PROF,
what is GUL?

What Doris said!
I WS'ed my annuals in Jan and Feb - so I had to tender them all this time, am only now getting them in the ground. Thank heaven they survived, and those that have got in the ground are doing well. I'm sure they are ecstatic to get out of the container.

Well not all survived, the ones I really wanted did - all the Salvia - but the 4 o'clock and cypress vine never germinated - I guess the seeds rotted.

So, next year, "I WILL wait".

Also learned - don't use rubber bands to keep my tops on - they break. What worked very well as tops for the gallon water jugs - I take a one-gallon zip-lock bag, cut one big hole on one side for the bottom of the container, so the container is free to drain, and on the other side, which will be the top of the container poke holes.

I found this so easy to slide the container in and out, which I do all the time - looking for sprouts. And when the sprouts emerge, easy to widen the holes, or roll the bag back.

ellenr: Sorry! Growing under lights.

Things I have learned so far:

What kinds of containers I like. (Milk jugs, specially half-gallon size. The costco plum containers work too, at least for spring. )
Put the vinyl blind label in as soon as I sow. (I am wasting a lot of time labeling seedlings).
Get beds ready in fall so that spring is just about plunking.
Buy a bale of pro-mix instead of bags.
Getting seeds in the mail from GW members is FUN! Must learn to collect seeds and trade.

And I really need to take pictures so I can identify weeds (vs plants) better.

I learned only to plant one kind of plant per jug. All are not created equal. LOL
Use milk jugs, bottles are a pain to dump hunks out.
Water HOS planted out twice a day. for couple of weeks.
Treat for slugs before ws, they find their way into jugs.
Pattie

I learned:
I like using 44oz pop cups but the lids get brittle, a cheap sandwich baggie works just as well and is easier to see through to check for sprouts.
I need to buy more soil at a time I run out far too quickly.
Plastic knives make the best plant markers.
Gold paint pens rock, make sure you get fine tip.
An awl is a wonderful thing.
Give your cups some support and they don't tip as much.
Clear bins full of cups are great but the big cups would give me more time.
I love my records, I'm impatient and they encourage me about both my progress and getting a move on.

Thank you all for being so supportive and knowledgeable.

I learned only to plant one kind of plant per jug.

I will do this next year -- much simpler!

What everyone said! :)

When planting seedlings, I always wear tight elastic gloves. The first time I planted my seedlings, I had a hard time cleaning the dirt in my fingers. :D

I also learned to plan ahead of time in terms of design such as foliage pattern, flower color, bloom time, foliage contrast, etc. This way, I didn't have to figure out where to plant them.

I also learned to make sure that potting mix is hard to access. LOL. This way, when I'm in bed, I don't have to stand up and prep some containers and seeds. It happens to me. HAHAHA! :D

Good thread!

My list of lessons have already been said:
Use a paint pen stays on much better
Label the bottom half of containers that the lids will be removed.
sow lightly (i have many hos that are looking like little bushes)

Also don't worry most of the seeds will sprout!

Karen

For me it is to save more larger containers this summer so that I will have more to plant in. I ran short this year.

Buy more potting mix on sale.

Don't make containers ahead. I made containers in Dec. and planted in Jan. Some of them were moldy and mossy by the time I wanted to plant in them.

Don't get into such a hurry to plant. I did plant some in Dec. and I don't think those did as well.

Make plant markers ahead of time. I didn't use them this year thinking that I would remember what I planted where. Yeah, right. This years garden will be a suprise to me.

Buy more perennial seeds. I am trying to start some perennial beds but somehow ended up with a lot of annual seeds.

I learned so many things.

I will only use storage containers, i love them.
I will mark on the out side of my container,
1.what is in there,2.sun or shade,3.plant with what other plant.
4.Where i wanted to plant it.
Keeping notes has been a hassle for me, to much going back and forth,i wanna just get the job done,Great plans i had at sowing time,have not meet my expectation at planting out time.I have forgotten what i was planning on planting with what.As you can tell, i am not an organized gardener, i love Neils idea,but i am not that disaplined.
cAROL

One more lesson. I liked planting in fast food cups with a lid. However in our cold weather the thin plastic lids cracked and broke and became very brittle.

It made a big mess. I will probably use those cups again but maybe in a larger container or bag for the covers.

Karen

I'm not a Newbie, but have had my share of "things learned the hard way" over the past 6 years of WS.

So I thought I'd respond to some posts with suggestions with things I've learned to help out those of you posting.

"I have a heavy hand when sowing seeds in containers. Next year I'll be more gentle.

First of all, store those tiny seeds in empty medicine bottles that you get at the pharmacy. Easy to store them in.
If you don't have any, I know for sure, Walgreen's pharmacy will give them to you for a nominal charge. They can't give them to you free but they will sell you 10 of the small ones for $1.

For sowing the small seeds, get yourself one of those things called a melon scoop or melon scooper, You may be able to find one at a thrift shop, but I know that Walmart and Target have them.

Just be sure that the scoop end is small to fit inside the medicine bottle and it has a little hole in the scoop.

When you go to sow the small seeds, just use the scoop and gently sprinkle he seeds through that little hole in the scoop. perfect sowing of those tiny seeds.

"3oz dixie cups That is too small a container to use. Cups are fine but if you are going to sue one to sow seeds in, it needs to be a 12 oz cup or deeper.
A 3-4 inch container is fine, if it has width to it as well, but not those tiny cups.

"I'm keeping better track of when I see sprouts. Not crazy details, just jotting down what numbered containers have sprouts about once a week.
That way, next year I won't be fretting "why don't I have sprouts yet?!?!"
Although, I don't really "fret" about anything. But it will help me to be patient (or that's the theory anyways).

I like my records to be simple and easy as well, and in my hands when I'm outside checking on germination. I also like them readily available to check on from year to year as well. But, i has to be simple and you can' beat how simple, but full of info my system is.

When the school supplies go on sale, pick up a bunch of he cheapest spiral note books you can get. I use the college ruled, 70 page count, and get yourself a package of 3 ring notebook paper as well.

When it comes time to start sowing seeds. Use the notebook paper to record your sowing info on as you sow the seeds.

The date I'm sowing goes on the top of the page.

On he left hand side of the margin, I mark where the seeds where from, using he following codes.
T for trade
M for my collected seeds
B for burpee
TM for thompson morgan
VS for value seeds
and any other abreviations that would fit for where the seeds came from.

Then I start recording the seeds that where sowed and the number of containers of that seed that where sowed.
like this

1 dianthus firewitch
2 dwarf balloon flower

When I'm done sowing and everything is cleaned up, I copy everything into the spiral notebook.
My handwriting is not large, so there is plenty of room to write the dates of when each container germinated.

I start a new page in the note book for every date that I sow seeds.

When I have time, I jot down beside the name of the seeds, height and light requirements.

S for sun
SH for shade
P for partial sun

But I do know that just about any plant that needs full sun will do quite fine in partial sun.

Im going to try to wait longer to sow the annuals, even the hardy annuals.
Its really hard to wait.

Patience is the name of the game Doris, whether it's to WS or waiting for seeds to germinate.

We are in roughly the same zone type area. I'm zone 5 in MA. I sow like this.

Between January and the end of February, all the perennials go out, and cleome. Cleome germinate better with cold stratification.

In early to mid March, borderline perennials go out, but if they go out later than that, it is sill fine.
Those seeds include things like balsam impatiens, malva zebrina godeia.larspur snowpeas, etc. They may or may not make it through my winter or I want to start them early because they are cool weather loving plants. bachelor buttons, too.

Then I don't sow anything until the first week or so in April. All the snow has to be gone in my back yard for any annuals of any kind to be safe.
First out will be herbs livingston daisy, lobelia, gazania, nigella and the like and he veggies start like peppers, petunias, torenia.

By the April 17th,the toms, annual aster, nasturtium, 4 oclocks, dahlias, zinnias, marigolds, and a few cosmos go out.

3rd week in April out go the rest of the dahlias, marigolds, cosmos, zinnias, coleus, datura, portulacca, schizanthus, easter egg plant

Last week in April out goes the shunflowers, the rest of the cosmos, cukes, rest of the veggies,

Last day of April all of my morning glory go out and that can be anywhere from 40-60 different kinds of morning glory and the moonflower vines and the sweet peas.

This works perfecly for me every year.

I'll be sowing smaller containers that I can plant out as one hunk,
I use smaller containers for most sowing. I really dislike the milk jugs and we don't buy tonic and with a bottle return, everyone that does buy tonic returns their bottles.

Just remember that the smaller the container, the more you will have to keep an eye on them to water, they will dry out more quickly than larger, deeper containers.
I don't have a problem with that, and am very happy with the containers that I have been using for 6 years.

I need to buy more soil at a time I run out far too quickly.
That is a big problem. I use at least 8 bags of miracle grow potting mix, 2 cubic foot size bags every year for WS.
I stock up for the winter starting in Sept. Usually get my bags at Walmart and they are usually marked down by then. Buy the 8 bags then and put them in the cellar till winter time.

will only use storage containers, i love them. That's the part you have to learn by using various containers. What works for one doesn't always work for others. But yes, use only the ones you like and maybe try a few different types that you think you might like and see if they work for you.

"Plastic knives make the best plant markers.
Gold paint pens rock, make sure you get fine tip"

I've never used plastic knives, I'm all for cheap and recycle, especially in the containers till they are planted out.

I've found that black paint pens work even better than gold. Be careful though in what type of paint pen you buy. The ones marked for clothes do not work well or last and they can take a long time to dry as well.
The best ones I've found to use and been using for 4 years is the DECO paint pen in the black fine point. My plant tags look brand new and many of them are 4 years old.

Here's a cheap idea for plant tags instead of the knives or writing on the containers.

Take the plastic covers from coffee cans, margarine, cream cheese etc. and cut in half, then cut each half in half. DO NOT CUT OFF THE RIM OF THE COVER.
Then take the paint pen and write the seed name on the rim edge and then on the side of the piece that you cut. Put the tag in the container.
Easy to read the tag with name on the rim part and you can add a bit more detail on the side of the tag if you want.

Always sow only one kind of seed in each container. No matter how carefully you sow the seeds, the soil heaving that occurs in the winter from freeze and thaw, and the rain that hits the containers in the spring, will move the seeds and they will get mixed up.

Make plant markers ahead of time. I didn't use them this year thinking that I would remember what I planted where. Yeah, right. This years garden will be a suprise to me.

Plant markers should be made as you sow the seeds to go in each container. It's too easy to put the wrong one in the container if you have a bunch of them ready and you are sowing.

Good idea to have your plant markers made ahead of time to go with the seedlings as you plant them out though. I make them or have them already left over from last years plantings, once the seeds have germinated. When I take the tops off the containers, the garden tags go right into the containers and are ready to go in the garden when the plants are ready.

Carol, check out what I said about how I keep records, it might be of help to you.

One more lesson. I liked planting in fast food cups with a lid. However in our cold weather the thin plastic lids cracked and broke and became very brittle.

Those covers are a disaster. Better idea is to buy the cheap market brand ziploc type sandwich bags. Slip them over the cup and pull down as far as they will go, then take a small razor blade in a holder and put a slit in the bag covering the top. If you can put them in a crate to hold them up, they will work fine.

Hope these ideas helped and if you have any questions just ask me or e-mail me through GW.

Fran

Wow,Fran,
This is a wealth of information,i did write down every thing i planted,and when, and if sun or shade,in a note book.But i am finding it a pain to have to look up each plant,i think it will be easier next year, if i write the number on the carton as well, Example:
1.Foxglove-container#1,container #1. maybe then i will not need to keep flipping pages.
Any suggestions for keeping track, in an easy way,what you sowed for butterflies?I did a lot this year,but now i don't remember which plants they like.You can only put so much info on the container it's self,ha ha
Maybe i am a lazy gardener, i don't feel like i am.
You have done a great job with all this informaton, i for one, thank you.Can you come over and play?
cAROL

I just planted some jugs today and have more to add...

*I sowed more then one time of flower (up to 5) in one jug and noticed today that they are not the same height. I planted using the plunk and run method and varying heights could bug me in a few months...Next year, I'll either plant only one variety per jug or keep similar heights together. Most of my flowers must be full sun so I only planted full sun varieties.

*My jugs vary in type and I noticed that a jug without indentations (a milk jug indents at the handle) allows for easier sprout removal. A sprout or HOS, having to maneuver around anything can get damaged.

*Some of my dirt was not well watered prior to planting. These jugs seemed to fall apart, where as the very wet dirt came out better.

*Another issue with sowing more then one variety of seed is the differences in germination that exist. Some seeds may not have germinated or some may not have grown big enough to plant, and then it's neighbor is busting from the container. Little sprouts got lost in the dirt when I planted.

Thanks for all the great words of wisdom.

Lots of ideas and suggestions to put to use for
next season.

Mary

If you put tomatos in your compost bin, you will have volunteer tomatos EVERYWHERE you use the compost.

why do I EVEN worry about the tomatoe seeds in containers germinating ?

:)

doris: I must have a hundred of them from the compost bin. I went to Freecycle and offered. Young man came over and just about flipped out.

"Take all you want. I have no idea what they are. Could be romas, beefsteak, ugly, cherry, on-the-vine, or mine."

"I don't care what they are. I've never seen anything like this."

He must have potted up thirty. I gave him some lettuce sprouts, cabbage, and green onions.

The kid thinks he died and went to heaven. Has been emailing me every day since. I'm lovin' it.

Prof

I have tons of volunteer tomatoes also. I also have a bunch where I do not want them. I know those are cherry tomato. I plan to dig them up when they are a bit bigger and transplant a few them give the rest away.

Anyone want some?

Karen

More an experienced event but...

I have started to plant my babies and explained to the new resident bunny(s?) to leave them alone...

Neighbor dogs are chasing the bunny(s?) and destroying the sprouts!!

It doesn't seem right to blame the bunny, so what to do??