I use the gallon milk jugs.Also the two liter pop bottles.I always get good results with them.Last year I sowed a few with zip-lock baggies to see if it really worked and it sure did.You need to make sure you put a few slits on bottom edges for drainage.Also,you don't zip it closed all the way,you leave one corner open,I used a small clothes pin to hold it open a bit.I imagine for lack of anything else to use,you could wintersow in just baggies.I used the sandwich type baggie but then I didn't have many seeds in it.I heard you could use any size as long as you have enough soil.Myself I wouldn't use the gallon size,too big and would be bulky,you could probably fit a few dozen sandwich type in an foil 13" cake pan with holes poked in bottom for drainage.I know others may have more ideas for different containers but those were the most successful for me..Good luck with winter-sowing!

Thank you auntnawnee

It is almost rare for me to find milk jug or soda containers as I don't drink any, also we live in Canada (most milk comes in plastic bags).

I've put in words for family members and co-workers to keep salad container. Still only have 5 collected so far...it is why I consider zip lock bags... thanks for your sharing.
Poppy88

can you use the bags that the milk comes in?

Don't use zip-loc bags myself, but I'd think that the sandwich size would be too small - wouldn't allow very much headroom when your seeds start to sprout. Try using a larger size bag. This link, while not zip-locs, might give you an idea or two -- Loot Bag Tents. Could try with the plastic bags the milk comes in?

Also, 16 oz. plastic cups work really well - if you have a "dollar store", they could be an inexpensive alternative.

PV

I used the bags from my cereal boxes last year with mixed results. I would say that less than half had sprouts and then I lost some of those sprouts (my fault there though). I was just looking for a way to recycle the bags and thought that might work. Definately going to try it again this year but as more of an experiment. I'm going to ws a few extras of each flower in a cereal bag and see if it was the bag or me (poor soil, not watering, etc.).

One year I used quart and gallon sized ziplock bags. I used the info from ws.org on how to cut the bags. Bamboo sticks were used to keep the bags propped up and open for venting and growing space. Though I had good results I found it a bit cumbersome and have used milk jugs and 2L bottles as well as 3-4" pots for the last several years.

Here is a link that might be useful: Winter sowing in baggies

I, too, may have to resort to ziploc baggies. I was just thinking about posting about it this afternoon. Thanks for asking Poppy. We, newbies, are researching everything and have lots to learn. Nik

I've got about 100 extra 2 liters. I've had my whole family saving them all summer since I found this place. I wish they were squishable for mailing.

I'm using lasagna pans for things like daylilies and crape myrtles. I'm expecting it to be later in the summer before I get around to them. They're big. I did some fall sowing this year and used plastic shoeboxes from Wal-Mart. When I bought them, they were a buck a piece. Inflation has raised that by 25 cents. I used cardboard dividers to create 5 spaces in each box. It worked pretty well.

I have never used ziploc baggies, but would think that one major drawback to using a container like this would be that the they are way too flexible. It would be difficult to move around without jostling soil and seeds, how do you put it outside with out rain and snow smushing them, etc. I had problems with the gallon milk jugs being a little unstable, and it appeared that seeds would get washed down the sides because I would get sprouts down in the edges.

The other thing is, that they aren't free. One thing I like so much about winter-sowing - recycled containers are free, and when I was done with them (those that I didn't save to re-use), they were rinsed and went back into the recycle bin.

I've used the gallon zip lock bags to winter sow. Once they are full of soil they are pretty stable too. I would not use the small sandwich bags because it would be too hard to keep them watered once Spring comes. The bags held up fine. They do have a smaller surface area to sow on but other then that they are very easy to prepare. I just cut small holes in the bottom with a scissors and they are ready to fill, water and sow. I used the clothes pin to make sure the top stayed open for aeration.
Joann

I got kids and I KNOW that they would be kicking those bags around stepping on them etc etc etc they are so innattentive and clumsy. If you have kids, you would need a way to protect them. I saw that photo of the zippy's cuddled up in a plastic crate, that would work OK, I think, even here with the kids!

So Im using cellpacks(garbage picked, BTW) and put the cellpack in a ziploc baggie, just dont use breadbags cuz the squirrel thought it had bread in it and dumped out all three cellpacks trying to find it. DORK!

Hummmm... dork is not the word I would be using in regards to squirrels.
Last two years they climb up my sunflowers. An then it bends them over and breaks them off.
Nope not dork at all. lol
Bonnie

gratefulgardener, I do now recall that last year you used the bags from inside cereal boxes. And I recall feeling then, as I do now, that kudos should go to you for such a great recycling idea. I hope you have better results this year. The one thing that gets me about using ziplocs is the non-recycling part of it. We are paying for more plastic to be made into something, and for the most part it is not being re-used again but going into the landfill. But then again, I'm getting to be a nut about environmental issues in my old age, I'm finding.

Bonnie, I had the same experience with squirrels last year. I detest the critters to begin with because they are always digging up new plantings. Last year I went out to a bed full of knocked over sunflowers. I stood there wondering what the heck had happened, and I noticed that my neighbor's were in the same condition. When I saw him next he told me he saw the squirrels at work. Grr.

:)
Dee

Hi,
thank you for your stories, suggestions, it is very useful for me.

about container like lasagna, what do you do with lids? I thought the idea of w.s is create a green house effect, I also thought the lids should be clear so the sun can get through it in spring? of course water from rain and snow melting.

so you I need a clear top?

Thanks

The lasagna pans I bought from the dollar store have clear lids. I know the idea is to recycle, but they can be reused. I used one in the fall to sow some shasta daisy seeds. I'll reuse it again this winter. Same with the plastic shoeboxes. They're good for making cuttings too. I just invert another shoebox without holes for the lid when making cuttings.

I'm in Ontario and I use 2 litre pop bottles. I don't drink much of the stuff either, so I walk the dog on recycle day with a tote bag and liberate them from my neighbours' blue boxes.
There's a fellow on my street who puts out seven clear soda water bottles a week (I like them because they're not sticky).
I wait till I have 20 or so, then spend the time to prep them.
I have over 200 from last season stored in my crawlspace, so it's not a never-ending process.
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If you have a good relationship with your local grocer, they may let you have some coke flats. Otherwise, waxed produce boxes are good to put them in. (They'll last till spring, but not beyond).

I've never used ziplocks holding only soil/seeds, but used gal. size bags to hold 4" nursery pots and pony packs. Also used them fitted over gal. size water jugs.
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...other containers types. Basically I save sour cream, cottage cheese and butter type containers between 12 and 32oz. Heavy duty wax coated ice-cream cartons are great too! Some brands are plastic like the oval one shown in this pic:
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...20oz water bottles
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