no i am sad :( just checked this morning and I have nothing. I started the beginning of Jan and sowed throughout the month. Nothing yet.

Hurray for sprouts! Did you do the happy dance?

I am just getting started sowing. It will be a long time before we see any sprouts so must live vicariously through your success. Right now I am excited for you. Later as we get closer to spring and so many others have sprouts and I am still waiting I know I will have zone envy. But for now, hurray, hurray!

Well, I started on 1/12 and I don't have diddly either, so don't feel bad, Clarejoe.

Congratulations, Fran!
I know - some people just don't seem to understand how exciting this is!
I have 44 containers planted so far and 4 have sprouted. I hope to see a few more with seedlings in them soon.
Jeanne

I don't know about zone envy, mnwsgal, but I definitely have sprout envy (can a guy have sprout envy?). In any case, I'm waiting to have that out-of-body experience you all are talking about. At age 55, I'll take anything ;-)

Yea Jeanne,
They never get excited around here about anything sprouting...I told them they better it mean FOOD this year, but the boy just said Well, I HATE having to pick this stuff...as if he had to do much of it in the first place...he might a whole lot more this season though!

I know some of you don't have anything yet, and I hate that for you. I am just pleased that I can have sprouts at the moment and we have harsher summers then you, so remember this when that little green zone envy bugs rears it's little head! 100+ days are no fun believe me and the gardens suffer...so it isn't all that great certains of the year for us either....

retiredprof I would think it might just be a little cooler in your area then it is here even though we are still zone 7, you also have to look at what I have coming up. It is COOL SEASON VEGGIES, so that makes a difference, none of my flowers have started doing anything yet. So that makes a difference too, it isn't time for the flowers to start waking up yet.

mnwsgal asked Did you do the happy dance? No, I was outside in the backyard where all in the neighbor hood could see me, they prolly already think I am nuts....lol.

clarejoe, I see you are in zone 7 too. I don't know what part of the country you are in but again u have to look at what I have sprouting ;)!

:) Fran

I haven't checked, but I'm hoping I DON'T have sprouts yet here. We have a whole lot more winter yet to come! Although after this week, I wouldn't be shocked if I do have some sprouts. It was in the 60's yesterday, and will be in the 50's on Thursday, and 60's again on Friday and Saturday.

Deanna

I took a chance on some Lupines although it will probably get to hot for them to live here. I checked them today and I can see small sprouts just starting.

Hurray for you Fran!

I know the green wave will be my way eventually.

Nice, we got warmer and all the ice is melting. So it's cold and wet but sun shiny. It will be ages before the snow goes and I can even see in my containers.

Congratulations Fran, We'll do the happy dance for you, :)

Alberta

I'm in zone 7b (near fort worth, tx) and I have:

hollyhocks,
four o'clocks (although I lost most of a jug in the ice storm)
queen anne's lace
columbine
tickseed
dames rocket
mexican hats
coreopsis lancelot
bronze fennel
purple majesty millet
blanket flower
larkspur
armeria (I have no idea what this is, or if it will survive 100+ heat)
hardy hibiscus (I think most sprouteds were lost in the ice)
ageratum (also have no idea what this is)
snapdragons
cleomes (surprisingly didn't lose these in the ice)
bachelors buttons and
baby's breath

I was so excited to get some sprouts going, and then we had an ice storm. I lost some, dispite covering them and moving them close to the house. Those with zone envy, let me say that I had zone envy when I went to visit my sister in Traverse City, Michigan in July (I think the high was 70 and ours was 105, and all the gorgeous flowers everywhere). It works the other way around when I'm sweltering in the south.

Happy sowing and sprouting

********************Yea for Fran***********************

I remember that feeling,last year,my " first time",
I would go out,hold the jugs up to one eye,peer inside,like,every hour,then one day-Sprouts! I did do the happy dance,ran in the house and called my daughter,she also did the Happy dance .

Yes, it is soooo exciting when you get sprouts,good for you Fran,holding your hand,jummping up and down,and doing the happy dance with you.
cAROL

Show off.

LOL Carol,
I have been gardening and growing from seeds a LONG time, but every time I get sprouts I get happy. It amazes me those tiny seeds can do so much...
I am even more amazed when I have powder like seeds turn into an amazing and HUGH plant.
So yes, I get thrilled with sprouts, each and every time!!!
I am really happy when it is a food crop of sprouts! Can't beat freah veggies, and ahhh fresh off the vine tomatoes....yummy!
I make a mean fresh veggie salad I guess is what it would be called with onions, cukes, and tomatoes it is so much better when the veggies are straight out of your own yard.

Off season tomatoes are just so yucky!

At any rate, good luck to all of us, it will not be long until we ALL have sprouts!! and hopefully a garden full of veggies and a yard full of beautiful color from all the wonderful seeds we started!

:) Fran

Yes Congratulations!!!!!!!

I also remember peeking in jugs (usually first thing in morning w/ bathrobe & coffee in hand)everyday and the joy at seeing sprouts. It's fascinating. Can't wait to do it again this year.

Annette

Yes, show off. :-)
Congrats!

So happy for you people with Sprouts. Sproutless on my WS stuff now...and will be for some time I think.Heck I have just started to WS.

Now my stuff under lights... whoo hoo... toms(roma) and basil,ancho peppers..now those I got sprouts!

I have lettuce, oriental poppies, and gaillardia sprouts. I'm so excited.

You Go Girl!!

No sprouts here of course,you would need to put seeds in containers for that!...lol..Today I start though! Woo Hoo I am in the game again!:)

Expecting sprouts in mid to late March. Probably lettuce or poppies first.

Congrats Fran!!!!!!! :)

*Still giggling at retiredprof's sprout envy... lol

~Wendy

Congrats Fran!!!!!!!!!

I am still cracking up over retired's sprout envy too lol

I remember last year, my first year ws, running out and checking them every few hours hee hee - the only thing keeping me from doing that this year is that I sowed them and then went out of town. I am going to have to call home now and have them look in my containers!!

Glad you are well on your way to a great salad hon - ws makes it so much easier to grow cooler season veggies in our areas

If I have to live with the zone envy at least post some pics so I can hope for some like them. :)

I have the joy of seeing sprouts in many of my jugs.
but i nearly shouted when i saw I have enchinacea.several kinds.Nature is a wonder. I never winter sow'd before
This has been such a learning experience.
Kiddo

This is my first year to WS and I am so excited. I have all my pots in the shade in hopes I won't have too early germination. At the end of January my poppies and dianthus siberian blues germinated and are still looking good. Today I had few sprouts in my containers of burgandy hollyhocks, toad lily, and wallflower. Still hoping it gets cold enough here to germinate my daylily seeds ... really want to add that plant to my garden this year.

Best to you and many blooms,
quiltingfox

Yeah Fran! I'm happy for you too. I know what it is like when the family thinks you have lost it and you have this excitement that you have to share with other like minded people. I had to share my excitement last year with my online buddies about getting several truck loads of the banks fall displays (hay, pumpkins, gourds and mums) for composting and lasagna gardening.

We have had some unususal snow and this morn it was in the teens so I haven't gone out and checked. I'm kinda hoping I don't have any yet since the weather has been so wierd.

yeah sprouts

I had new sprouts today. Yippee!!! 1 sprout in 2 milkjugs of Big & Bold Daylily and a few sprouts in my pot of Dianthus (Beverlysc).

Best to you and many sprouts,
quiltingfox

OK, now I definitely have sprout envy--nothing growing, nothing sprouting, nothing pokin' through, nothing rearing its little head. Story of my life!

Maybe it's time for a novena to St Fiacre (patron of the garden). On the other hand, maybe St Dymphna (patron of the mentally disturbed, confused, and frustrated) is more in order.

Prof: "Look, please, please, you saintly types, all I want is a little lettuce, OK? Is that too much to ask? I'll even settle for a chive sprout."

Fiacre to Dymphna: "What do you think, Dymph? The poor guy has been fretting over his seeds since last month. Maybe we should prove WSing really works by sprouting a little something. After all, this is his first time."

Dymph: "Let him suffer a little longer, Fi. Do I need to remind you that he planted in vodka bottles? Besides, this waiting period will build character. Let him bake bread meanwhile."

Fiacre: "I guess you're right. I'll text you next week and we'll check in again. Oh, and let's keep an eye on the house to see if he WS's anything else. Knowing him he'll put up a jug of Peter Peppers!"

retiredprof, the obvious answer is to drink more vodka.

retiredprof - Did you forget to play the music?? Marvin Gaye, wasn't it?

*****ZONE ENVY ALERT*****

...and congratulations Fran, what kind of Happy Dance are you doing?

You make me think about moving DH and me down to my daughter's house in SC.

This is the really fun time for WS'ers, I look forward to it every year.

Mary

I always love the excitement newbies get at this time of year.... takes me back four years ago when i went nuts after seeing my first little green seedling (gaillardia)...

And guess what? The excitement never goes away - I STILL get excited when I see seedlings... and what a great way to SAVE $$$

Carrie

Started later than usual, and had not even put one of the containers out on the patio. I noticed it in the kitchen last night, picked up the top, and lo and behold: sprouted poppies!!! It only took 6 days - the seeds were fresh from the summer, but I didn't expect such a quick germination.

Today I have sprouts! This is my first WS season! I have agastache foeniculum 'white' coming up. I also cheated a little bit and moved 2 of my little pots of aquilegia inside to see what would happen since everyone says they are the last ones to sprout. They had been inside about 2 weeks and today they are sprouting. ;)

Well, fellow WS'ers, I still don't have any outside sprouts, but GUESS WHAT? My little tomatoes inside (in the basement) under lights sprouted!!! I just had to share in the spirit of sprouting anything. Do I have to tell you I did handsprings while I was loading the washer?

Now if only I could see some green in my bottles...

Prof

I don't remember all that I have sprouted but I remember:
Shirley poppies
California poppies
Lupine
endangered TN echinacea (sp?)
perennial alyssum

and drum roll please.......

winter sown tomatoes!! Woot!!

YEAH, FINALLY!!! Just checked this morning and I have lettuce, chard, parsley, spinach and cabbage. This is turning out to be great week!

Prof

Congradulations retiredprof I am glad you have some sprouts finally. See you just have to have faith and praying to the gods helps some too, teeheehee

I have 1 Dianthus 'Rainbow Loveliness' out of gosh knows how many. I check them every few days just to see if anything is sprouting. It makes me feel so good to see those little green babies shining in all the brown stuff.

I by far think the best part about sowing like this is not having to care for them from the start. I have lost many a babies because of forgetting to water them when needed from starting them indoors OR because I started them too early.

I do need to jump on getting some tomatoes started. I would like to have some early tomatoes, last year all the early ones something happened too, once they got turned over and we lost them another time we forgot to cover them up after setting them outside and they got frosted! I am not putting them out this year until the 2nd week or 3rd week of April!
Too much trouble babing the darn things and losing them after all that!

I so need to plant more stuff, I have 100's of seeds waiting to be plant. I don't think I am gonna get them all done!

:) Fran

Fran needs a hoophouse. Just a small one. Mine is 5' x 8'. I'm opening it every morning now and closing it late in the afternoon. Another 3 weeks and everything inside will be moved out. I'll move my indoor tomatoes outside at that point.

{{gwi:350765}}

Token I have been after my SO for a year to build me a coldframe. I even bought the plastic for it way before Christmas and it STILL sits where I left it.
He WAS building me a greenhouse, then turned it into a dog/puppy pen and NOW on the other end is a rabbit hutch! So much for getting things I WANT!
Looks like I am gonna have to build my own dang GH and coldframe! Although HE likes to eat too!

:) Fran