Would you put out seeds yet?!? Zone 6a

6 years ago

This is my first full year making a garden at our new property, and I am CHOMPING AT THE BIT to get flower seeds going. I winter-sowed, but a combination of too-soggy soil and a wind storm means that I didn't get too many seedlings from it. I did not use a grow light/heat mat to start seeds indoors (will next year!), because I was relying on my winter-sown seeds. So. Now it's May 1st. Temps near 80 for the next few days plus intermittent rain, but looking ahead a week, we've got a couple of days with highs in the 50s and lows at night in the mid-40s. I have so many flower seeds, lonely in their bags, just waiting to get in the ground...

I'd love to sow some really easy annuals, like cosmos and zinnias. Thinking that they'd pop up in a week b/c of ideal weather conditions, but probably still be fine with a few chilly days. Any thoughts?

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Comments (4)

gawdinfever Z6
6 years ago
Cosmos would do fine and probably would come up pretty quickly with those temps. I've winter sowed those with great success. When I run out of light space inside, I still sow my seeds in containers. It's a lot of work, because the ones that are not so hardy, or just love warm temps, I bring in at night if it gets below 50 F. It's keeping me busy with this Stay @ Home business! And I should have many beautiful babies on the cheap this year!

This year, I split my seeds up. Some are staying under lights until I'm ready to harden them off, some were only germinated under lights and then moved outdoors, and last group was started outdoors.

I've done a lot of winter sowing in past 20 years and am well aware, that those winter sowed usually catch up to light grown plants and are usually much healthier. I have lots of time on my hands this year, though!

Just have fun with it!

gawdinfever
bosewichte
Original Author
6 years ago
Oh, I didn't know that cosmos could be winter sown! I figured that winter sowing was just for perennials. Good to know! All right, I'll give it a go. I just hate to lose any seeds...I special-ordered a white variety and I don't have too many. This upcoming year will be different. I'm playing around with rooting hormone, division, and spring 2021...GROW LIGHTS and heat mats. And I'll give winter sowing another try. :)
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gawdinfever Z6
6 years ago
You can also winter sow any hardy annual! ;)

I don't use heat mats anymore. (Waste of money, unless you have a green house!

With the ambient room temperature and the plants being within a few inches of my regular work shop lights; my temps stay pretty warm. Also; unless you are wanting your flowers to bloom indoors, you need to waste your money on grow lights. Shop lights are great just for germinating and growing till they are ready to be hardened off outdoors. I do however run an oscillating fan on them! This keeps damp off at bay and makes for strong stems on the plants (simulates wind!). I just turn it on low every now and again for about an hour.
bosewichte
Original Author
6 years ago
Oh, that's good to know. Spring 2021 will be my big indoor grow experiment...guess I need to read up on it a little more!