glad you are finally going to join in!! What took you so long :)

my favourite container is 2L pop bottles but everyone has their own preference. Trudi's site has tons of info and after doing this for a few years, I still go back and read it.
I have several containers out there and hope to get a few more done today. I have planted astilbe, butterfly bush, columbine, gaillardia, clematis and more that I can't remember right now.

it's lots of fun and I hope it goes well for you! :)

Hi Greylady-Gardener

Just finished my winter sowing and will keep my fingers crossed. I used 2 2l bottles. One has alyssum-trailing rosy and the other is morning glory-chocolate.My DH drilled holes in the bottom for me :-). I also used the clear salad containers and in one I planted all giant delphiniums and the other I put 1/2 sweetpea-ocean foam and the other 1/2 I put hyacinth bean-ruby moon....not sure about these because the seed pkg. states they are tropical. It's -10 here in Windsor and dropping to -15 tonight so I shovelled snow on top my containers. I guess time will tell if I've succeeded. How does one be patient for spring now?

Cheryl

patient? I am a 'bit' more patient now that this is not so new to me, but I know the first year I was out constantly looking into the containers even when I knew it was way too cold for germination. All the neighbours ever saw for a while was the back end of me as I was bending over the bottles! :) When you do see your first sprout it is very exciting...you may even 'whoohoo' a little loudly. Trudi has lots of lists of what WS well, along with all the other info you could ever need. now, are you really going to stop or are you already thinking of something else to plant? :) it is very addicting. LOL

It's true - when i first heard about WSing, it made so much sense that i couldn't figure out why everyone wasn't doing it! People are so skeptical, even though i've been doing it for years and have the pictures and plants to prove that it works.

Several years ago, i did a demonstration of it and then had a draw for the three containers that i did during the demonstration. Two of them were won by a couple of nay-sayers. When i later asked them how the containers had done, one told me the dog had knocked it over (uh huh), and the other said she didn't believe it would work so she kept the container inside! LOL Can't win!

I've been with GW since it's beginning. Have followed Trudi from day one. She's moved on after getting all of us hooked - she's published her method and has it copyrighted or patented (I think), has her own website and continues to educate people from all over about this method.

I've done it in Zone 5a and zone 7 with great success.

The excitement just about kills me every year when I start seeing those little green heads poking up.

Now with the economy going up and up - I can't get over how much I save financially. My home has large, south facing windows so this year I'm able to start plants indoors but I still do a very heavy planting with winter sowing because I love the hardiness of the seedlings that emerge. No leggy seedlings. You still need to be mindful of the right time to plant after frost (here May long weekend).

This whole idea should come with a warning - highly addictive.

Glad you are joining our merry gang.

Cheers,
Peggy

Yes ... welcome to winter sowing. It will change you as a gardener so be prepared!
Just wanted to tell you that you can use a soldering iron to melt drainage holes & ventilation holes into your 2L plastic bottles.
It's easier than drilling if you have a soldering iron and will give your DH more time to dig out all the planting beds your going to need for all the wintersown babies this year & in years to come!
LOL

Yipeeee! My DH has a soldering iron and gun. I used a drill and an old fruit tray and put himalayan poppy seeds in peat pots last Monday so I'm already up to the challenge. Had over 37cm of snow in the past week since here in Windsor so no doubt it's still winter. Thank you all for your inspiration.