Promise you won't look at my mess? I cropped some of it out lol. Sigh. I wasn't going to do any more on this today but got to checking, and see I have this. Do you think I could make it to work? I can't think of what to use but could make a platform with holes fitted down in on that "shelf", be a little tricky to get it to fit just right. I'd prefer something I could cut with my hot knife, worst case scenario a coping saw, but can't think of what. Plexiglass is not opaque and probably hard to cut. Masonite shower lining warps w/moisture and is hard to cut. I probably could make a pattern with cardboard. Whatever it is, I could get the hardware store to do it for me but with all those curves, they might charge a lot. But with the raised lid and having the platform set down it, it should give pretty good headroom. I couldn't use as much water as you; maybe it wouldn't matter so long as I'd keep the level up. Any ideas, some kind of rigid, opaque plastic readily available, preferably not online?

mnwsgal: I don't know if it's an issue, maybe sometimes after several generations of smaller-than-target plants, I can see how it would be. But many of us receivd our initial seeds right from Emily and failed to get them close to the height of her 6 footers. That's why I was brainstorming in another direction. Like could it be the soil? Maybe a more sandy soil is better while mine is clay. Maybe they thrive in acidic soil where mine is a slightly alkaline pH. Mostly, though, in my case I keep coming back to the same reasons for myself: 1. Wintersown rather than inside under lights 2. No high-test fertilizers used. 3. I lack Emily's and Yvonne's green thumb Did you ever notice how some folks can grow big beautiful healthy plants anytime, anyplace, in anything? I'm not so blessed. Karen

Hi Whiteoakian - gardening brings me much solace and joy too. A few thoughts on your questions... 1) Mostly I avoid tape. Duct tape is difficult to get off; clear plastic tape works okay when container is bone dry, but is still difficult to remove; masking tape probably wouldn't stay adhered to plastic containers. 2) My best guess is that the only seeds that need to be sowed early, are seeds that require cold stratification (or warm-cold). I can't think of any annuals that require it, so there's no need to sow any earlier than the temps they would normally sprout. Some annuals are very cold hardy, like Poppies and Snapdragons, so you can sow those pretty early 4) I've tried many different ways of making holes - an awl, ice pick, drill, and soldering iron. Haven't really found any easy way yet! 5) I have a Sowing Chart - I keep records on seed germination tests, Winter sowing, & Direct sowing...this year I've already sowed 3 containers (2 trees and 1 shrub) I guess that would be fall sowing. It is an Excel chart and looks like this. I've made a few edits since this pic. You or anyone else is welcome to a copy of blank chart -

I had already purchased two terracotta French roofing tiles, but DH didn't care for them too much. He has a hard time visualizing things. One is on the shelf at each end of the island. Here is a drawing of the seal, so you can see the details: It translates to "The Seal of New Amsterdam in New Belgium." The beaver signifies beaver pelt trading of theDutch West India Company (Dutch: Geoctroyeerde Westindische Compagnie) or GWC as seen on the top/center. I didn't know any of this until it came and I looked up the wording online. Gotta love the internet. It became appropriate last summer when a beaver family was destroying trees around our lake! Keep looking - you'll find something.