The reasons for part sun only:

Keep the containers from drying excessively
Keep seedlings from frying (they ARE babies)
Reduce need to babysit them.

If you put in morning sun (less intense than afternoon sun), or dappled sun, they'll be fine on their own without "checking on them constantly". You don't have to do that. Just put in part sun and check the moisture once a day. You'll get great plants, less work.

Karen

karen thank you so much!

Here's how it works in Columbus----

When my containers germinate I move them to my back patio. Overhanging my house is a huge locust tree. As the need for shade increases, the locust grows leaves. Right now, no need for shade, the containers that have germinated are just sitting back there sleeping a little in the cold weather. My locust is sitting there bare and waiting for spring. My ungerminated containers remain around the corner getting morning sun and some afternoon sun.

Everything is in a hold pattern right now as winter is attempting to end and spring is just around the corner.

Does that make sense?

ah ok, so even though they're young and trying to grow, just a tad of sun is fine, they should still remain sluggish due to the current cold... thank you!

I just get so confused when i read about others growing indoors with lights on for 12+ hours, etc.... thank you!

Lights indoors - totally different. This is happening naturally and slower. You have to relax and go with it. The seeds and sprouts are leading the way. We just follow and enjoy!

I'm already removing covers on germinated stuff when it's 50+ and sunny, but I leave all my containers in west/south sun from start to finish. Say about when the day temps are 65 or warmer and stuff is still not germinated that is when I remove them to afternoon shade...very few containers left by then since just about every thing is in the ground by May 1st. Pumpkins and Melons are ones I don't start until around May 7th...abt. 1 week prior to our avr. last frost date; then planted about 2 weeks after that date. Even if they survive too cold temps it can really stunt the plants growth later on. Tomatoes got started between Mar. 30 and Apr. 4th and I lost some of the first sprouts to mid April frost; however more followed and I was still picking tomatoes in late summer/fall :D
BTW perennials and hardy annuals (germ'd one) will have all their covers removed full time at least come April 18th or so and some most likely planted out even.

That's must me tho....

Vera

Buck are you talking about your plants in a green house vs winter sowing?

ML

thanks all.

ML, well, I'm kinda all over the place....

I started ws'ing properly, just sowed them and let them be in a spot that gets partial sun... but then I had horrible weather that threatened to wash everything away... I don't have a garage or shed to put anything in for protection, and I tried a tarp, but the weight of the water just started smashing everything down and cracking my covers (my 200lb grill got blown over and smashed a lot of my containers too! the weather was horrendous!), so I got two little pop up green houses and set them in there just when the weather is nasty.

Then, a week later, things started germinating, but we're still having hard frosts at night, and I'm concerned about the little tender greenies, so I started leaving all the flats inside the tents for the evenings, letting them rough it during the days.

So technically, I guess I'm doing half & half, though I'm not relying on the tents as a heating element, just protection overnight. I'm hoping its enough to keep a frost off...

We had a hard frost the other day, my new containers of carrots & lettuces froze solid, but the 'maters seemed to make it.

Because some of the plants are really starting to go at it, I naturally thought they'd want sun to help them along... I mean, plants like sun, I thought...

But then I read here that people are only allowing their plants a few hours a day of sunlight... I was curious why, and I'm learning that its to keep them from going crazy I guess and growing too fast before its time to plant out... correct me if I'm wrong?

I assuming if I did encourage them along I'd end up with 'leggy' seedlings?

So hence my confusion... I really have no clue how to tend to a pant, I've only gardened once before and that was about 24 'home depot' pre started tomato plants last year... this year, I'm trying to do everything from seed, and I'm in a bit over my head.

Fortunately, I prepared my beds properly in fall, so at least I have that going for me... but I'm not sure how to tend to the little ones during this crucial time.

I naturally want to stick everything in the sun and let it go go go... its really thrilling to see things popping up from the dirt! but then again, I've planted some crops waaaay to early it seems and I might end up killing them with love! lol!

My boyfriend yelled at me last night when I told him cantaloupe is coming up... he said, yeah, like two months too early!! lol!

Its the tomatoes I'm most concerned with ... I want the varieties I sowed, not the home depot hybrids this year.. I definitely put all my eggs into one basket and the suspense is driving me nuts! lol!

It's not a matter of allowing little sun to slow things down, I just keep my sprouted containers in dappled shade so when it does warm up they don't fry or dry out too quickly. I simply keep my unsprouted containers in a corner of the yard that gets morning sun so the image of all the jugs doesn't annoy my neighbors.

I think you are overthinking this which is common for new winter sowers. Where are you located? You certainly have weather challenges.

If I'm correct, I'm not sure you are truly winter sowing. If you are creating unseasonable conditions seeds will sprout before their time and you will have disappointments. When the containers go out into the weather, the seeds take their cues from mother nature and do not germinate until they safely can. But, then again, I'm not entirely sure I understand what you are doing.

Does that help at all?

bakemom, thanks it does... I was hoping that putting them in a little tent wouldn't ruin the whole ws process, I really just wanted to keep them from getting destroyed as I have no safe haven for containers (no picnic tables, or sheds, or trees or patios or anything)... but I'm getting curious as perhaps it might... I might be getting more germination than I really should? just the overnight stabilizing of temps might be enough to cause my seeds to germinate before they're truly ready?

is keeping them in a little tent however, much different in theory than the tomato hoop house on trudi's ws website? Its almost exactly the same, except mine is vertical.... just a frame w/ plastic cover.

I know I'm definitely over thinking this! lol!

Well, I'm kinda in the thick of it now though. Guess best I can do is just roll with it and see what develops.

Learning experience! Oh well!

And really, thanks everyone for extending such help, this is a truly nice board!

Well, it still puzzles me because I know folks who do use the tents with success. I would be interested in hearing their thoughts.

My milk jugs and 2 liters are currently sitting on the ground in my back yard getting rained on. Since my lettuce and dianthus sprouted there have been no subsequent sprouts. There shouldn't be either; it's simply not time. My early sprouts are sitting in their containers quietly waiting for warmer temps to continue and are probably busy making their strong root systems.

One thing I have found remarkable about winter sowing is the roots these little guys form. There's not so much top growth at first, but when you go to plant them you can see how strong these sprouts are.

buck I am a bit north of you to my memory. My milk jugs with all my heirloom tomato seeds in them are in full sun. Got a horrible late start this year like 3/10. Still planting away as jugs come available. They only time those jugs go into the hay trailer or unheated garage is after they sprout and on freezing nights of 32 or below, like very few maybe 2 to 3 tops after sprouting. You can toss a blaket or a thick towel over the jugs containers too for that. These plants will be super cold hardy and amazing to see lettuce growing in frozen ground.

Do belive it way to early for those sprouts, I dont expect to see my tomato seeds spourt till we get some nights in the 50s.

ML

Buck,I remember stressing my first year about wanting to move my containers in and out for protection of the weatherBUT,I didn't.The first year,over 200 the 2nd,over 300 now the 3rd,over 400 and still sowing.Once mine are put out,in full sun,on the ground,there they stay.Once the tops are off after germination in the spring,I will move them under the butterfly bushes for shade.
moonphase
{{gwi:367211}}

Moon & ML thanks so much.

ML I do remember chatting with you last year, in fact I think I recall your mentioning that you start ws'ing around 2/15... thats why I thought I was so late in sowing. BTW, how are your horses? mine are fat & sassy and shedding like crazy.

I think my timing with planting was just weird enough to cause all of this sprouting going on. I sowed everything on 3/1.... a week or so later, we had that run of about 4-7 days of mildish and sunny that seemed to trigger everything, then last Sat which was Tshirt weather really brought out the maters.

at this point I have about 50% germination, but only about 30% of the 120 maters I sowed. And I just recently (saturday) sowed carrots & more lettuces.

So, my original question here was how to know if the containers are getting too hot... but I guess I should just play it safe and keep the germinated ones in morning sun... and let the rest be and just let them do their thing. I recently read that young mater plants can get sunburned, I had no idea... so learning, step by step learning.

At this point, all I can do is my best to keep an eye on the ones coming up and pray for the rest!

Thanks all again!