Thanks for this bakemom, this newbie is very nervous. I don't have the funds to buy plants anymore (retired) so it is very important for me to succeed. Thanks for the encouragement. I keep seeing all the dangers out in the big bid "winter wonderland". Will try to be brave.

What surprised me was all those little instruction sheets that came with my seeds ordered from a seed company. Nick the seed, chill them for X amount of time....

When you think about it, it does make sowing them a bit fretful. The greatest thing about winter sowing is that you're doing it as close to the way it would be done in nature. You don't have to worry, Mother Nature, with her infinite wisdom will take care of all that for you.

I think that the more we go along with her way of doing things, the more success we can enjoy. Keep it simple and have faith not only in what you are doing, but have some faith in Mother Nature as well.

Bakemom,

Well said!! :O)

Can I just add one more thing?

Patience is such a gift when it comes to winter sowing. Especially when you see others from your zone reporting sprouts, and your containers aren't doing anything. You might be in the same zone, but may sprout later.

My Zone 5 may reach the cold temps of Nancy's Zone 5, but after doing this for a few years, there is no doubt that her containers of the same seeds will sprouts earlier than mine since her end to winter/beginning of spring season is different than mine. :O)

bakemom,
Can I ws all the seeds that I received from you.
Or should I check with lists of seeds on this site
and Trudi's site. Our last frost date is about May 15th
should I wait till Feb or March to plant anuals in
the jugs outside.
JIM

I'm only nervous over a few varieties. In fact, I'm not planning to sow some of my seeds until late March. I'll start some of them indoors as well to put in the cold frame as soon as they sprout. But for the 80 containers already outside, eh. They're reseeders, or hardy perennials. And the seeds I started in late fall have hung on through the coldest temperatures this year without a problem. That gave me some consolation that this will work. Even the alyssum that's already sprouted is still hanging on and it was 18 degrees last week.

Check on the list for sowing?

There is a list?

Where is Trudies site?

This would really be helpful, then i would not have to bother all of you with every little question i have,about ehat seed can i sow now.

Carol

Wintersown.org seed lists including germination records for most zones.

:)

Winter sowing site is at
http://wintersown.org/

Winter sowing works, most end up with way more plants then they ever thought possible.

I am a tomato seed winter sower. I do poppies and a few other plants. Normally up to 36 different types of tomato seeds here are all grown via winter sowing.

ML

"My Zone 5 may reach the cold temps of Nancy's Zone 5, but after doing this for a few years,"

This was a big lesson for me also. I was still having cold cold nights while the zone 5 out west was already having fun with sprouts. I remember thinking "How can we both be zone 5?"

They frosted out earlier in the fall than I did tho, mine kept going into (a little into) November. The zones are defined by averages tho, not beginning and ending dates.

:)

Weather.com averages for your zip code

That's actually my zip code, but if you click the link, then change the zip code in the address bar, it will give you yours.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/homeandgarden/garden/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/28001?from=tenDay_bottomnav_garden

Well said and very thoughtful bakemom!

Yes, WSing makes growing plants from seed very easy and you newbies to WSing will be delighted at how many sprouts and seedlings will grow. They'll be sprouting and growing like gang busters and you might discover that they're aren't enough garden beds for all the seedlings. Then you might become overwhelmed by the number of seedlings. You'll be potting and planting, plunking & running, giving away seedlings, and some containers might still be sitting there through the summer. Your pot ghetto will likely expand. Some seedlings might even get tossed on the compost! Ahhh, such problems to have...:)

Tiffy, one thing I've noticed over on the New England gardening forum, that Spring warms up later for the posters who live on or near the coast. But then I'm very jealous at the warmer, longer Falls. You still had Monarchs eclosing in October!

Hello, I'm a newbie to wintersowing. I sowed my first container yesterday. I'm very excited about this process. I've never been able to grow anything from seed. I just hope this doesn't get out of hand for me. I have a bit of a habit of going overboard with things that I like. I hope I don't get addicted.

Thanks for the encouragement. I have another question. Our spring fluctuates so dramatically in the south. Will I need to further "protect" seedlings that come up in the spring before the last frost? Thanks to all the experienced ws'ers for helping us noobs through the process. Nikki

Jim, I honestly don't know what I sent you, so I can't answer specifics. I do know that the stuff I have ready right now can all be winter sown, perhaps with the exception of the ornamental peppers that I would spring sow. There should have been enough seed there to try EVERYTHING anyway you want to do it.

Relax and enjoy. Sow and forget. You will have plenty to do in the spring when you start getting sprouts.

Nikki,

Some folks do protect their seedlings by simply covering them back up with the lid or placing a sheet over them.

Then there's those of us who are a bit more hard core :O) and are known not to coddle our seedlings. My last frost date can be in late April or late May. I take the covers off gradually as they sprout and grow so they get exposed a bit more every day and then one day the top is off for good. If there's a frost after that point, then tough.

FYI, I have seen Sweet Williams and Bachelor Button sprouts covered with 1.5 inches of ice pellets survive no problem. This was April, 2005. (Things like this get stuck in a winter sower's brain for some reason...)

TDCamp,
Give up, all hope is lost, Youve sown your first container, you'll never be the same again!
Fortunately, it is a Healthy addiction, and as another WS'er mentions, its cheaper than therapy....well,,I guess that depends on ones addictiveness. ;)

It's also cheaper than liquor, although I wouldn't advise sowing and driving... you might spill seeds and the soil mix!

TDcamp, I agree with OSM, WS is like a potato chip..just cant have one...LOL

Bakemom, you were a godsend to me last year, each time I started to fret, you would post yet again encouraging words to newbies, and everytime I would worry, I would think "bakemom said not to worry"...and it was sooo helpful, thanks so much !!

I have to tell all the newbies, sow the seed, place them ooutside, and dont worry......be patient in the spring, cause once you start to see green you will be soo busy..LOL

Wishing all the newbies lots of fun, and lots of sprouts. I planted 200 containers last season, telling myself if I see half grow id be happy.......welllllllll all but 9 jugs grew and grew and grew...LOL

Happy winter sowing,

Kym

Tdcamp - your post made me laugh a bit... OF COURSE you will be addicted... It's a wonderful addiction!

Great thread, bakemom... I remember, also, thinking I would never learn to do this and the questions I asked... they were endless... But everyone here (when I was a newbie) was so helpful and patient, that I will never forget my first year... not only did I have wonderful seedlings, but I made wonderful gardening friends.

Good luck to all the newbies

Carrie :0)

Another new ws-er here. My biggest worry so far is that it hit 83(!!) the day after I put out my containers. (It was in the 20s just a few days ago!) Are they cooked? I wasn't here to check, but their location should have been in the shade. I was afraid to poke holes in the containers so far, because everything dries out so quickly here in drought/hades zone Texas. That probably means they were boiled. Does anyone know what my zone really is? Between Dallas and Ft.Worth? Please don't say "Twilight"

If you google "USDA hardiness zones" you can find your zone on a map on a number of different sites. However, keep in mind that the zone is more of a general guide, based on temperature. There are a number of things that contribute to the health and success of plants in your garden- moisture, soil quality, shade/sun, insects (plants NEED insects), a whole host of interactions. You can study those things if you want to, or you can just do what I did...

Wintersow, and experiment! Two things I heard early on helped me tremedously. One was really practical, and one I thought was crazy. Both have turned out to be very very true. See if you can quess which is which-

1. Seeds are cheap.
2. Wintersowing is a cretive adventure. Risk taking and success in wintersowing can translate into success and fun in other aspects of life.

Don't believe me? Try it-- make a bunch of containers and see what happens. Yes, some will fail. So what?

When I started I was really nervous. Everyone here encouraged me constantly. I was scared, too. But it was really cool once I figured out that all those extra directions on the seed packets are usually for people to mimic what nature does naturally. After awhile, I would just laugh inside myself when people would come over and look at my containers. They would actually get a look of panic on their faces, and say, with real fear in their voices: "Won't they DIE????" hee.

I think one of the main things to keep in mind is that the best seeds for wintersowing are perennials that are native or naturalized in your area already. These can be wildflowers, herbs, and plants that tend to reseed already where you live. That's why there's more to it than your zone. It's mroe improtant to look around and see what already does well in your location. I personally am a huge fan of natives and wildflowers. they are good for the environment, too.

The Lady Bird Johnson wildflower website is a good resource, and I think it has lots of good info on texas.

Well I actually found GW this past March on a google search, just looking for some gardening info.. and a WS Junkie was made! lol I scrambled in mid March for jugs and other types of seed holders, sowed some seeds and was amazed how fantastic this works! I didn't have the BEST outcome, but that's ok.. I learned! lol I learned that the lil square styrofoam containers that hold mushrooms.. DON'T work well for seedlings. (dry out really fast) I didn't have much luck w/ the sourcream or yogurt cups either. I did much better w/ 2liter bottles and milk jugs, it's like they were MADE for this! :) I figured out the hard way about writing names on miniblinds and the sun fading them... I seriously could not ID seedlings, had to wait til they got pretty darn big before I knew where to plant! I've learned bottom watering is the safest bet for any extra water needs. Cinnamon sprinkled on top of soil is great if you ever get any mold growth... clears it right up for me. Have also learned how to air them better so I won't get mold! GW has been such an amazing wealth of information I just can't tell you how much I appreciate everyone's input and guidance!!!!!!!!

This year I am more laid back in my approach. I am nervous because our weather here will go up to the 60s, sometimes even 70s all throughout Dec/Jan, then we'll also have weeks we'll be in the teens. I am hoping the crazy weather doesn't totally confuse my seeds! I am not 100% sure what to plant now and what to wait, but I've been looking at the WS lists and am hopefully getting a good idea. It's hit or miss, but either way it's FUN !! It is such a thrilling feeling to look thru that jug opening and see lil green sprouts flourishing! MAJOR accomplishment! lol

This will be my first year trying to WS peppers and tomatoes. I have really really really bad luck w/ tomatoes and peppers. I have been trying for 4yrs now to grow from seed and have yet to have one plant live to make a tomato! So I will be WS'ing them for the first time.. tho I'm not sure what month? wish me luck.. please! lol I'll need it!

Hugs and Thanks!
~Wendy

Wendy,

I am sure you will meet with much success in your winter sowing adventures since all who say things such as, "... that's ok.. I learned!" generally do. Love the outlook! Sounds like the makings of a great winter sower.

Unfortunately I can't help with the tomato question, but hopefully someone will chime in. :O)

I just discovered this forum, and I've already pulled 4 milk jugs and a plastic salad mix container out of recycling!
My question is, when do I start?
I am in Western MA, zone 5, and I have some perennial seeds to start.
Thanks for any advice!

If you have just found the forum, it's really best to start with reading the FAQ's to get a "base", though everyone here is helpful and friendly and will try to answer questions. Now go hit your neighbors recycling bins!!!! (smile)

Anything that is perennial in your zone (5) should be safe to wintersow. Check the seed package for the zone range.

ctbert - you can start your perennials now - I am in Zone 7 so I don't do annuals now because if you ever get a couple of weeks warm during the winter and the tenders bloom, you don't want them to freeze when temps dip again - so hold off on tenders - but better to talk to someone in your zone..

Carrie

I'm actually really GLAD the holidays are over. I've been waiting for "Winter-Sowing Season" to start. It's my first year and I have all kinds of containers (Dearest Darling was fussing with me all fall for filling the basement with "more gardening stuff!??!!"). As much as she fussed, though, guess what she got me for Christmas? Five or six bags of potting soil!!! What a merry Christmas for me!

Now my question is, is that the right stuff to winter-sow in? Potting soil? And would you recommend cutting the tops off the milk jugs and soda bottles, or would you cut a flap in the side?

So very thankful there are people here to help,

Diana Lynn

Cutting the tops off or flaps in the side is a personal preference, some do one way some do another. Try some of each and see which ones you like working with best :)

The potting soil should work fine as well.

First thing I realized when I started was that it was so easy it felt like cheating. So if it feels like you are "cheating", then you are probably doing it right :)