Yay congrats!! This is also my first time WS. Isn't this really exciting?

Congratulations weebay,
and when 100% germinate you will have the common "problem"-
what to do with all these flowers? :)

Thanks everyone, so nice to share the excitement!

Congratulations on your sprouts weebay!! I'm also in zone 6 so it shouldn't be too much longer before I see some action in my containers. Roll on green wave, roll on!

Don't forget!! You're supposed to do the happy sprout dance, then post pictures for us all to see.

Yippee! Whoohoo! Congrats! I'm a first time WS and I just experienced a few sprouts this past week also. It was 58 degrees today in the sun, so hopefully more will pop up this week. Keep sowing!

Eat your Wheaties Weebay, cause "gettting sprouts" is the easy part!!! You will not believe the germination rates...

Planting those babies in the ground is the hard part. Finding ground (smile), making HOS's, digging holes, watering, running back and forth on your property between the beds and the "container area" - - all with a "winter weary" body for most of us!!! Get your bottle of Aleve or advil ready.

But it is so worth it for the beauty of the flowers and the exercise is so good for us! You are going to love it. Just warn the family that few meals are cooked or housework done during planting out time....

Nancy

Cool, isn't it? ;)
When did you sow those that sprouted?

Just warn the family that few meals are cooked or housework done during planting out time....

Nancy

LOL

It was 58 degrees here yesterday and the Twins said" well there goes the cooking! Ma's playing with her plants!"

well trained kids. They make a great sandwich!

I have really enjoyed the few warm days this week. I'm still waiting on sprouts though. Congrats weebay this is one of the best parts. Watching them grow is another and the blooms oh that is amazing.
I agree that the house needs to wait once things finally dry out enough to plant plant plant.

It is so fun, and I got more sprouts yesterday because it has been warm and sunny here. I have to say I have some seeds indoors, some tropical annuals like tuberous begonia, and I am enjoying my WS plants more. It's fun to learn new processes. I have already told people I can't make plans during the next couple months because I will be too busy getting my garden ready :)

gawdinfever, I have been sowing the seeds all throughout winter. The ones that sprouted were sown at various times, end of Jan and throughout Feb. I am still sowing more!

I got a late start this year, and then of course---it turned warm! LOL Oh, well...we have more cold weather coming, I'm sure.

I actually already have a couple containers starting to sprout. Sapiglossis and Nicotiana. Never had luck with Sapiglossis till now and it was the first one! Hmm

That's good to know that you winter sowed and got Salpiglossis to sprout. I have never grown it but would love to try it maybe next winter!

I've notice mine last night (with flash light!) - mixed salad and mustard spinach. Are they are going to be safe, since there is still long way to "safe" temperatures. I sowed so many things too early. However, I'm committed to save all my babies. This weekend I'm planning to do an "inventory", group together perennials vs hardy vs tender ones. It will be easier to bring inside the tender ones if frost would come. Hope, it will work.

Adamark,
If yr salad and spinach are cold weather varieties - and I believe most, if not all, are - they will be fine.

When you say 'bring inside' do you mean a house or garage?
I think bringing things that have been outside into a house would be too warm.
An unheated garage maybe.

Or you could do like I did last year - cover your tenders with a row cover - the one I had was guaranteed to keep them warm down to 24 degrees.
I bet even Chicago is not going to get that cold this time of year! :)

good luck, let us know how it goes.

ellen

Thanks ellen; Looks like my green wave is arriving. I have only a little time in the morning to peak but I already have a quite a few sprouts. Can not wait till tomorrow for my "inventory". Most of my containers are small cups so I can shaffle them and separate hardy ones from tender ones. All my containers are in the "unscreen" portch. Screens haven't been instaled yet so they are protected to some extend. Thanks for leting me know that I can not bring them inside. As I said, I'm committed, I'll try to protect them. In a few months will see how early we can sow annuals. However, whatever will be the result, next year, I'll restrain myself and wait till April. Well, mistakes of the beginner.

Adamark my lettuce made it through several snow storms, 2 days of heavy rains and a hail storm. They were tough buggers! I had around 13 jugs with sprouts in them and they all made it. What tender ones are you worried about right now?

Great job! Believe me, once you try WSing, you won't go back to indoor under lights. It's another gardening-type obsession, just like trading seeds!

So gardenluv, in the rainstorm and hail - you did not offer any additional protection?

I am a coddler, last nite I put a tent over my guys.

ellen

I got sprouts too!! woot!!!! I have been so worried that I did something wrong as a newbie to wintersowing. Too many holes, not enough holes.. too much sun.. etc etc.. Woot!!! I have sprouts. This is fun!!

Dianthus
malva- mystic merlin
Rudbeckia autumn colors
HollyHock
Coreopsis
Gaillardia
Malva- purple satin

I will be checking the containers all the time now :)

It's wonderful when you get the sprouts, isn't it?

Way to go, Connie :)

Good job on your sprouts. I have been winter sowing for several years and I am still amazed how well this works. I love it.

Ellenr - nope, no protection. Some of the seedlings were covered with a little splattering of mud, but they have dried out now. Last night we got a couple inches of snow. If I am feeling better later, I will go check on my babies but I am sure they are all just fine.