I'm way behind you, but you are so inspiring!
I am also considering using individual water bottles. I'm going to split them so that the top part protects the bottom, but can be removed. I'm going to group them in a plant tray.
I've had to resort to this as I've only got 5 milk jug planters, and very few others coming down the line.
I'm only on my second year of gardening at this location--so don't even have very many beds started--just one 20x20 raised bed area--but at least I'll be ahead of the game this year with WS.

Couple of questions:
Do you recycle your containers every year?
When did you begin saving milk jugs for this season--do you save them all year automatically?

Thanks.

100 and more to come!!!! WOW! I did about 60 last year and decided that was too many since I ended up not being able to find space for all the babies. This year I will probably end up doing about 40 or so.

I personally did not recycle the milk jugs (which is solely what I use - I just find them so convenient in every way) since I cut off the tops completely when the sprouts are a certain size. I do, however, recycle the gallon plastic bags that I put over the milkjugs to keep the flap from opening up while the seeds are still unsprouted.

As for saving milk jugs, last year I got them through friends little by little but this year, I decided to get them all via our local Starbucks as well as my daughter's daycare center and I was done in a couple of days. Less worry about storing them, I guess.

Good luck to you.
Marianne

That is an awesome accomplishment. My total goal for this year is to do 100 containers. I am a little over the 1/4 mark, with my February bag of seeds ready to go. Congrats and keep up the hard work!

Hi Tansy!:) WSing is inspiring in it's self! Especially when you have a "support group" like this!:)
I make a hinge on my water bottles and found if you just bend them back they stay open.One piece of tape and they are closed well.I am afraid of these ones though,they look as if they could dry out in a flash! I will watch them like a hawk! I think I might even sit the clusters of them in the flower box up off of the deck.Maybe that will hold in moisture better!:)A 20x20 raised bed? Woo-Hoo,lucky girl! I dream of many of those!:)
I have thought of using the gallon size ziploc baggies when I get desperate for containers.People have mentioned it and say it works,so that is always a thought!:)
This is only my first try at this myself,but I am sure I will not be recycling all of them.I am sure there will be some that I have to cut,I will try to save as many as I can.Our shed has a peaked roof and that space is wasted anyways,so I figure I will hang them by the handle on some rope up there.
I started saving jugs and other variations sometime in November,we go through alot of milk and orange juice here,but next year I will start earlier!I have my eyes on the big jiff jar already....lol...it's almost gone!:)

Marianne,WOW!You have good sources for containers!
I am doing so many,only because I have homes for the ones I dont need or can't use,both BGF's have property that need some lovin' and Gramma and her neighbor have a way of fitting it all in,little bits of this and little bits of that,so all will benefit here, if things go well for me!:)
Well, I am off to cut up a few more containers...:)

Thanks Gardenluv!:) You too! I look foward to the next Job's Tears sowing!:)

Me too! I'll do mine around the 19th. I sure hope I get germination in atleast one of the containers if not more!

You ladies are surely inspiring me to get going on my
third batch of winter sowing...40-50 so far. I have sooo
many seeds until I'm overwhelmed over what to plant.
Angie...you're really on a roll :):)

Margaret

I love to see so many newbies excited NOW... because if you are excited NOW - from just sowing the containers - OH BOY wait until you get first germinations and then BLOOMS!!

Happy dances will be flooding the board! So fun!

Carrie

I too am hoping to sow 100 containers. I sure hope most of them succeed!

I'm nervous as a soon to be first time father!

Last year was my 1st year. I was hoping to save & reuse my gallon size jugs, but after spending months outside in the bitter cold, I found them to be rather brittle by planting time. So, I cut them up to gety the plants out & then tossed the pieces in the recycling bin.

Wow I can't imagine what I would do with 100 containers. I have 17 and am really proud of them. This is my first year also. I am waiting on getting some more milk jugs before sowing more. What is the cutoff date for perennials? I guess it really doesn't matter because most of them will not bloom the first year.
Guess what I really need to know is when do we start sowing annuals. I have a seed order ready and have several packets ready from a trade. It will be interesting to see how this all comes out. Can't wait to see the babies....

I'm hedging my bets, this 1st year for me. I'll be winter sowing loads, but I'll also start a few of each inside, under lights as a backup. This will give me a chance to compare the two techniques. I'm hoping that. while the WS might start a little later, they will be more vigorous and therefor surpass the ones I sow indoors.

Only time will tell!

I find that it's an addiction - I've done about 70 containers so far and hope to do about that many more. This is my first year too. Trudi's Wintersown.org website was a huge inspiration (or temptation). Some of my containers have as few as 3 seeds some more than that. I do worry about finding homes for all of it, but I'm sure I could give/sell the others out of my driveway in the spring. At least it's a healthy addiction!

Wow, congratulations, Agirlsgirl! You have been very busy!

So far, I only have 17 containers, but the bulk of my seeds this year are annuals, and warm season veggies. I think I will end up somewhere between 75 - 100 by the time I'm done.

I am very fortunate not to have a container shortage, like so many folks here seem to have. Being a family of 5, we have plenty milk, juice, water, and soda bottles. Now the dirt to put in all those containers is another story! I did find some seed starting mix at Walmart, but it's $3.18 for a tiny little bag. No one here carries Promix, though the local nursery did say she might have some Fafard potting soil by mid-February.

As far as reusing the containers from last year, I found that I had to cut a lot of them up to get the plants out of them, so I did like Mommyandme, and threw what was left in the recycle bin. Besides, I would be afraid of reusing them without washing them all out, and that sounds like too much work to me! I guess if I didn't have an endless supply, I would be more inclined to reuse them though.

Bonnie

Wow! Thanks for all the words of encouragement!:)

zengeos,congratuations on your soon to be baby! You will love it! Babies make everything brighter!Let us know when that little one makes his/her appearance!

Ws is very addicting,but like Ann said,at least it is a healthy addiction, and I cant wait to see the results! I am hoping to have lots to contribute to the database!

I am sure alot of my containers will get tossed,I only wish we recycled plastic here!I just wash mine out as I collect them ,I poke my holes and cut them,then I fill the laundry tub up with hot bleach water and sit them in that for a bit,pull them out and dunk the next batch,it has been moving along smoothly like this.

I plan to start my annuals sometime in March,that seems to be the best time for here.My more tender types I do believe I will start in April,unless I have advice to do them earlier or later,that is my plan!:)I am doing a bunch under lights also,especially Morning Glories and Brugs,I am really anxious for those.And I have decided to do some veggies also,I wasnt going to,but I figure I may as well go all out!...lol...

Margaret,just do what I did,don't pick and choose what to plant,just plant them all...lol..I am sure you will find homes for your extras! I started out trying to pick which ones to do, and found that was what was slowing me down,after I decided I would just do all of them ,it went really fast!:)

I have taken the advice given by many ,and holding half of each type of seed back,that way if they dont work out this time around I can try them again later,I believe that is awesome advice!:)

gardenluv,I will do my JT's on the 21st,since that is when I did mine in January! Can't wait to see what happens with this one!

It is so nice to have so many folks doing this for the first time also, and the more experienced winter sowers are such an inspiration,all hobbies ought to be like this one!

Hey Angie

Way to go !! and here I thought I was doing good at 50..I didnt get a chance to do it last weekend, but now I have a bunch of containers waiting for me again, I hear hubby in the kitchen cutting them for me...grin...so I hope to wake tomorrow and get r done...LOL

I went thru my seeds and sorted them by annual and perenniel, and then I went back thru and pulled out any.. I just gotta have...and started with them....I have to say I have TOO many seeds, and I even put in some orders for me...I am soooo addicited...someone PLEASE help me...LOL

I started some datura and cannas inside and I HAVE BABIES..whhooo hoooo..this is my first attempt at these two from seed...

And just think, ONLY 6 MORE WEEKS OF WINTER.....COME ON SPRING !!!!

i'm usually at about 100 by now but since my back injury three weeks ago i've only done 12 or so. my total ia about 85-90. i am hoping tomorrow to do alot. my goal is at least 25. good luck with all ya'lls!! and most of all have fun!
Tanya

Zengeos - I think you will find that your wintersown plants will be hardier - I noticed that the first year and that's another wonderful aspect to wintersowing.

Seed addicts! yep, count me in.

Carrie

Hi Angie, (my very first trade on GW)

Congratulations my garden buddy. I wish we lived closer. I wouldnt mind looking at your 100 containers in your yard. LOL

I am not far behind ya. I ran out of milk jugs and just got some seeds from the very best RR I have ever been in. (Awesome GW members) I am thinking I will move to Plastic bags. HMMM I wonder what the neighbors will think of plastic baggies all over the yard. Rut roh! Your yard will be more beutiful. You already have a awesome yard....... Congrats once again. Barb

Hey, Angie was my first trade, too! :) Your garden is going to be beautiful; congrats on the milestone.

I have about two dozen of herbs and tomatoes now, many divided, and I need to stop before they exceed the number of planters that will fit on my patio. It looks like my leftovers are stored outside -- in an effort to recycle, my collection of quasi-disposable storage containers, having become distasteful through multiple apartments and unsanitary roommates, are now WSing planters. The effect is charming. ;)

Kym,there is no help for us,we just keep enablng eachother,we are all hopeless!:)...Did I tell you I LOVE it?...lol...Thank goodness for this forum,without it where would we be?:)

Tanya,that's what I like about you! You never let anything hold you back from doing what you love! And I cant wait to see pics of next years garden,did anyone check out her photo she posted on the "inserting pics" test thread on the gallery side of this forum? WOW!!!!! That is something to see!:)

Carrie,you are like the official cheerleader for the newbies,just know your inspiring words do stick!:)

Barb,the biggest Packer fan you will know,and oh so wonderful,I say do the plastic bags and take pics of the neighbors expressions...lol...it does stink that WI and PA are so far apart,some things just aren't fair!:( I guess we will have to do our gardening together on line!

And Jamie,my sweet Jamie,I love this girl!:) I love how you can take the roommates gross garbage and make it something pretty,I want pics! I cant wait to see what you do with your space,I am betting on amazing!:)I have some surprises for you,I will be in touch!

I am working on downloading pics from my new camera,soon I will have pics to show all of you...I cant wait!:)

Congrats on your hundredth container. I am glad that you are embracing ws with gusto. I was more timid my first year wondering if it would really work.
Of course it did!

I just sowed my first one for this winter last night. Last year I did over 500 containers with most of them being used for perennials. This is my fourth year ws and each year the container count has increased but this year I expect to sow fewer containers and most of them will be annuals. I'm aiming for 100--150 for the year but know that 'just one more' can add up.

Many of the milk jugs with the flap or window that I used last year are being reused. It was easy to reach in and take out a HOS and the jugs held up well when stored on a string on a hook in my shed. 2Ls have been used for several years.

Congrats on your membership to the mile high club. The first year I think I did about 260 containers. Right now I'm at 17, but I have a yard stuffed full of winter sown perennials. Just wait until May! It's going to be a fun spring board this year.

I sow perennials until July/1 using the winter sowing method. They are then ready for fall plantout.

Yes, I did embrace this with gusto!:) I am not a person that does things in small portions,when I find something I like I really have a tendency to over do it,I wish you could see my seed box...lol...
I cant wait until May!It is going to be one great spring for me! I could spend all day and night plopping plants in the ground.It's just that this year I wont break the bank at the nursery!:)
I am going to do what you are doing bakemom,I plan to sow until I have no seeds left to sow!:) I wonder if that will ever happen? Maybe if I stay away from the exchanges that will help? Nope,not gonna happen...lol...