YES!

I usually start in the beginning of February, and sow about 225 - 250 containers. Well, I started mid-February.... but only have about a dozen containers sown! Just no time this year!

I have half a dozen jugs draining in my sink as I type, and hope to do more later today - lol, I will at least double my output if nothing else!

I never thought I'd want winter to last longer, but I feel so behind this year!

:)
Dee

It is by no means too late. Go for it! Gary

Yup! I sowed one container on 1/30/11 - KMOTGG; didn't sow any more until last week. As of right now, I have 4 containers out there, with one prepped to receive ... something.

I wanted to sow kiwi vine this year, but I may be too late for that - the info is conflicting, some saying it needs 90 days of cold, others not. Maybe I'll take the middle road, sow them and see what happens.

But it really looks like this will be an annual (and veggie) year for me. Lots of flowers!

PV

P.S. Dee, I don't see any action in that KMOTGG container yet. Sigh.

I still need to put a few more things out. There's still snow on the ground here too and temps are just getting into the upper 30s(that's daytime, folks!).

I started early enough, however, after the dog chewed through my containers, it all got put on the back burner until we can fence off a small section of the garden so I can place my seeds there. That is currently being done by husband, so in a few moments, I'll head outside with my toddler son, and we'll start seeing what survived the great dog attack of 2011. *lol*

Also, being 7 months pregnant has hampered me somewhat! Glad I'm not the only crazy pregnant lady on here! ;o)

I haven't done any since the eight jugs I ws for winter solstice. Hopefully tomorrow I will get started on a few more. The list is made, trying to stay in the 50 jugs range.

"I never thought I'd want winter to last longer, but I feel so behind this year!" Dee, me too.

LilBlossom - same here, it is good to see another preggo still planning to garden this year! I'm having a c-section which might make spring gardening a challenge, but I'm still hoping to make some progress this year. We MUST have pumpkins, corn, beans, and zinnias at the very least! LOL* The nice thing about pumpkins is if I don't get to plant any veggies other than the pole beans I can just throw in a few packs of pumpkins and they will take over the beds...so I won't look like a slacker. ;)

I got a late start but will be making up the difference (at least a little bit of it) in the next few weeks.

I figure worst case, some of the jugs will sit all summer and go through another cycle. Not the first time for that.

So I'm also trying to use all the fresh (brand new) containers first, and leave the reused (and slightly sun brittled) ones for last...just in case a double cycle is needed on some.

Yes indeedy...I sowed 12 containers in December, and then didn't sow any more until this past weekend! I'm planning to do about 100 containers, so that means 88 of them will be sowed in late winter or Spring. Later than usual perhaps, but I'm still expecting most of them to sprout.

Granted it's probably too late for those seeds that require a long cold stratification period. It will be more of an annual and veggie year for me too, rather than perennial/shrub/trees.

Quilt mommy - 'Twas the garden that snapped me out of post partum and c-section pain last spring. I might have done a little too much but it was so fun. My baby daughter and toddler son enjoyed it.

Lilblossom - I wish I knew about wintersowing last year when I was preggo. It really would have taken my mind off the discomfort of a second pregnancy.

I'm so glad you two are able to do this while expecting.

This is my first time and I'm in zone 7 Central Virginia.

The bale of Pro Mix is still in the back of my van.

If I can get some things sown this afternoon, will it be too late?

Also, can I put the containers on my back deck that gets sun until about noon or should I put them somewhere cooler.

I have a problem with the neighbor's dogs and I worry about putting them in the yard.

Thanks for you help.

Betty

I forgot to tell y'all that I just ordered my lupin seed last night.

My grandson had to have a pack of every color!

The instructions on Stokes website said they don't like to be transplanted, so I thought I might try to start them in toilet tissue rolls that I've saved all winter and gently ease them out of the containers and into the soil.

What do y'all think? Will that work?

I want this to be successful and I'm worried that I'll mess up and have no flowers.

Betty

This post is exactly the comfort/commiseration I was seeking when I skulked in here a few minutes ago, lol. Betty, I am in the same zone you are, in DC.
For what it's worth, last year was my first time and I had plenty of success, at least by my standards. I believe I started most of my seeds in March and even April. I second guess myself all over the place but I had morning glories, sweet peas, bachelor's buttons, snap dragons, tomatoes, tri-color beans, chard, kale, and mixed greens... hopefully forgetting a few things ;)
I had some of my best sprouts (tomatoes) in paper dixie cups. Who knew?
Now granted a lot of those plants are known to be easy to sprout but who cares? I would LOVE to try lupins. You should go for it.
Also - Betty, do you mind sharing where you got the bale of ProMix? I'm trying to find a good, economical source for seed starting mix around these parts.

Jessie

Very late start...matter of fact this thread reminded me I have not sowed my KMOTGG....is it too late? I can sow it this week if there is still time, I am in a rather chilly zone.

Congrats on the baby!!!
Are your other children old enough to plant out HOS? Maybe they can help :)

I just started end of Feb... I am busy and I kept getting sick. I have only a fraction of what I have sown beofore. I was just so late and I was trying to only sow a few. I decided to just put out a few as the mood strikes.

Maybe I will get more soon.

My new method is hiding jugs in the flower beds where I will plant out. I also use my containers to shelter some perenials from the bunnies. I make a ring around last years ws plants. So far so good. This gives me incentive to sow more (to protect my baby plants in the ground) lol

Karen

PV, I didn't even sow KMOTGG this year.... and not sure if I will. I'm not exactly giving up, but since I'm so behind I'm trying to plant the things I really need to sow. I wonder how late I can sow it - then again, it's not like I'm going to have any worse luck than before, lol!

:)
Dee

I justed started also (today!). I only sowed two containers of spinach and lettuce. I need to go through my seeds and then dig out some containers from my recycle bin. I usually just start things inside under lights. I tried winter sowing a couple times many years ago, and it didn't work out real well for me so I just kind of gave up on it. But now I'm going to try again! Sure wish I hadn't been throwing out all those containers I could have used.

Cindy

Karen - thank you for the congrats on baby, I am excited! ;) My other children are 9 and 5, so I am sure to have some helpers this summer.

Cindy - I live in a small cramped ranch with limited space, so I like to buy clear plastic cups. I plant in one cup then cover with another, and a piece or two of duct tape. Sometimes I'll keep good containers outside in my lil' mini-greenhouse, but I haven't much choice to throw out containers because the house will be come over run with them! ;)

Hi Jessie,

I found the 3.8 cu feet bale of ProMix at Aylor's Farm Store for $38.95+tax. Aylor's is in Forest,Va in the outskirts of Lynchburg,Va. I don't know if that is a good price or not. It is the only place I could find it around here. Their phone # is (434) 525-1007. You're quite a bit north of me, so I don't know if you are interested.

You could always make a trip to Historic Appomattox, famous for where Lee surrendered to Grant and ended the Civil War, and hit Aylor's while you are here! (We're just 20 miles away from Aylor's) Haha!

I see you just had a birthday Sunday. Happy Belated Birthday!

Betty

Dee...........Is it too late for me to sow KMOTGG??? Now I am stressing.

Hi quilt mommy: Thanks for the idea of the clear plastic cups. I, too, live in a small cramped ranch. My hobbies have overtaken the house, much to my DH's dismay! I do keep some of my pots and things in my springhouse on the patio, but I hadn't planned to WS this year, so wasn't saving. We always have a lot of 2 litre bottles and big juice bottles, so I'll scrounge those out of the recycle bin for this week's WSing. We recently had a couple of those really nice salad containers which I did wash out and keep and that's what prompted me to do the WS this year. I have 3 indoor light racks, but they are partially filled with plants I rescued out of the yard last fall and then craft stuff that I can't find a place to put! So I need to WS if I want to have any additional plants this year.

Gardenunusual: Hah! Sowing seeds with a big pregnant belly has it's own challenges. Currently, my back is not happy with me leaning forward at the kitchen counter to sow my seeds. I'm considering my options at the moment. (ie: floor or livingroom table...)

Still have not sown the revised batch after the doggy attack... ;o)

Oh yeah, I did get out earlier this winter and sowed all my perennials, trees and shrubs.
But the annual seeds are all just sitting there yet. Oh well, I'll take care of them in April when I am back from a nice long vacation.
Besides, we still have several feet of snow on the ground. I don't think I'd have anywhere to put the containers anyways. At least that is what I'm telling myself ;)

Daisydawnny, you are definitely asking the wrong person about KMOTGG, lol! PV & I have a long, sad history of utter and complete failure with this lovely plant. I've tried for about 7 years now (might be 8 - to be honest, I can't quite remember any more!) and I think PV has been trying at least as long if not longer.

I would think it's not too late - after all, this is an annual - but I just don't have time to waste this year. Who knows, maybe when all my other stuff is finally done, I'll throw out a container of KMOTGG, but it's not high on my list this year!

Don't stress - just sow!

:)
Dee

I had a great start to WSing, 50 jugs in one February weekend, because I'd invited a few office friends over to learn how it was done and I was very motivated. But then - - life has gotten busy with other things and I've not gotten back to it. Thank goodness this new WSing grouped has planned a day in April already to do annuals, so I am sure I'll get all my must have annuals done then (amaranthus, profusion zinnia, mellies, tithonia, Yvones Salvia.

A couple of comments about things that have been posted:
- I've WS lupins in containers for the past 4 years and they have moved to the beds just fine. Like most perennials, get them in early so they can develop in their "homes" and not the jug. A week or two after first real leaves is what I aim for.

- Promix bales: I pay about $25 a bale, but I am buying them at a place that doesn't have a retail space to pay for really, just a yard. It's set up for local nurseries to buy their stuff wholesale (and I pay retail cause I'm not a commercial grower) Sometimes if I pay cash they don't charge me tax on top of it. Most seasons I go through at least 7 bales!

-gardening pregnant - good for you! Consider a "sit upon" gardening cart (sort of a box on wheeels) to help you be lower yet stable. We don't want our mommy's hurt!!!!! The sunshine and fresh air will be great for those growing babies!

- it's never to late to start perennials. I keep going into summer. Those plants often get planted in the fall.It all works. And annuals? I do try to start most of them in April, but I often do a whole other "round" in late June/early July to freshen up my beds. Especially non- profusion cutting zinnias, when the first one's from april get icky (too leggy, P/M, whatever) I just rip them out and put new ones in that bloom often through September into October here.

- if you are living where the temps are starting to rise, really try to avoid the frying of your sprouts - it's so discouraging! The first day you are at work, hours away from getting home and you realize the thermometer is rising it is very painful to think about all those poor sprouts crying in the scorching heat. I try to take tops off soon as sprouts emerge if there is not a chance of frost.

Nancy

Thanks Dee! I am going to sow a container tonight of KMOTGG when I get home from work. Fingers crossed it germinates.

I've done KMOTGG, I'm wondering if I should have nicked the seed before sowing it?

Maybe that would help them sprout, even though they are winter sown?

I've been collecting containers, pawing through my seeds, and buying more seeds, for most of the winter. I solstice sowed 4 containers and that was it. I took an evening to get a bit caught up and did 20 jugs in one go. Once you have all your supplies it really doesn't take long, so a late start is OK.
I've got mostly annuals, anyway, since I rent on a one-year lease and don't know if I'll stay here long enough to see perennials bloom from seed. Most of the annuals I have don't need cold stratification to sprout. And we can get frost and even snow into mid-May here. There's time yet.

-Edie

Nancy - that's a good idea about investing in some kind of gardening cart that I can sit on. I just came in from raking gravel out of the yard...and out of one of my flower beds that is a little close to the driveway. Pulled old dead weeds that had overtaken that bed last fall and I'm headed over to my Dad's today to dig up some irises he doesn't want anymore, yay! I agree just being outside feels great and the exercise, as long as I don't over do it, is probably good for me too. I figure at the end of the day I garden for me and nobody else, so if I don't get it all done I'm not going to stress. I love this time of year!

The lettuce I sowed on the 16th has sprouted, and the spinach seeds are on top of the soil now looking puffy. Today I sowed two kinds of sunflowers, salvia (Lady in Red) saved from last year's plants, gloriosa daisies, rudbeckia Indian Summer, broccoli, culinary sage, thyme, tithonia, parsley, impatiens (from really old saved seed), foxglove, snapdragons, and agastache rupestins. Some of these seeds are more than 5 years old that I saved, so I don't know if they are any good. Doesn't hurt to try, though!

Glad to know I'm not the only one getting a late start. I did about 10 perennials in gallon jugs in January and nothing since. I dont really even have a good reason, just not very motivated this year. I still have lots of annuals and cool season veggies to start. Last year I had done most of those by this time. In fact I think I had direct sowed peas and beets by St. Patricks day. This year March has been a lot colder and we still have snow on the ground. I would like to start my hardy annuals and lettuce this week but I worry it will still be too cold.

I am waiting on most of my hardy annuals too missanissa, but probably just until about April 1st. In the NE we're supposed to get a light snow at the end of this week, and right now the only thing I have out that might not like it are my sweet peas and morning glories but they haven't sprouted yet so I think they'll be ok. I'm doing a lot of veggies and annuals this year so I just don't have the perennials to do as I have in the past, though every year I try my hand at hollyhocks, foxgloves, and delphinium.

I wintersowed some hollyhocks last year (as I have every year) and this is the first year that they've returned without getting eaten, mowed, or weedwhacked so I'm anxious to see if they bloom!

Gasp I just started sowing, or getting enough jugs ready I have two planted. In the process of moving to a new house and garden here is all rocks, so will miss my soil and fence around it. Tomatoes get the priority here and a few flowers. Today have 5 more jugs ready to plant in so they will get done today, but still doing prep to the garden and still need to put up a fence. Lime is down on the veggie garden but seems we are due for a spring sleet/snow two more days this week. Poppy seeds need to be next or first in my book. Moving a bunch of bulbs too so need to get those in the soil too.
ML