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Where to place WS containers??? New to this!!!!

15 years ago

Hi all....I'm new to this forum (usually hanging out in the hydrangea forum). I "think" I have caught the WS bug after reading a few threads trying to decide how best to deal with all my coneflower seeds (I tried once to grow a few from seed and no luck....but I see hope in this WS idea). When you plant your seeds in what ever container you choose to use, and the container is set outside to winter, is it then placed in a sunny area, in shade, in part sun/shade? I was unsure on this point.....and do you water these containers all winter, or let whatever rain gets into the ventilation openings do the trick, or just let them be? ALSO any more tips for a beginner????

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Comments (4)

paulan70
15 years ago
I usually put mine in front of our unused garage where is gets sun for a part of the day. But later in the season I move them to where they still get part sun. To me it also depends on the type of plant that you are growing. Like shade lovers will do best with mostly shade with just a bit of sun.

And it also depends on how often you plan on watering the containers. I use either the gallon or half gallon milk jugs. While they show is on the ground and everything is still frozen there will be no need to water, after things warm up a bit theose in the shade will require less water than those in the full sun or partial shade.

But for the first few months (most start in late dec. or early jan.) the best I found was one that didn't disturb the jugs too much. You will also have to think about the wind exposure as well. You don't want the jugs to be knocked over.

Paula
mnwsgal
15 years ago
I put my containers whereever I have space. That is usually on the patio which gets both sun and part sun (depending on which side of the patio is being used) and the deck which faces southwest and gets full sun in the early spring. Then I water accordlingly. As soon as I have some of the ones on the patio planted out I move the deck ones to the patio.

The containers that I still haven't planted out are on the part sun patio area now.
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My north facing deck is much like Tiffy's setting...it gets NO sun from late Fall into late Winter, and that's where I put my containers. As things are beginning to germinate, the sun is a bit higher and they begin to gradually be introduced to more direct light each week and by April I'm moving the shade lovers because my deck is full sun by then except right against the house. Somehow the seeds and seedlings seem to take it in stride, and they thrive :) Tiffy, we don't have squirrels but I had a busy chipmunk last year (so cute!). It didn't get into my seed pots to eat, but was collecting sunflower seeds somewhere in the neighborhood and stashing those in my containers, beds. I kept finding little crowded clumps of sunflower seedlings all year long, including in a 4" pot of germinated blue poppies that didn't seem to want to share their space :) Not with sunflowers anyway.
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I've put them in various places from: -against the foundation, South side of the house -out in the open on the driveway- south side of the house -out in the open on a table- North side of the house Cap...you mean the little one on a milk jug? Throw it away. It's not used. I typically don't move containers, and they usually don't sprout until the snow/ice season is over. If we have a rogue snowstorm in April, oh well. It's not likely that too much would get inside them, anyway. Because our change of seasons can be pretty erratic in the weather dept, there might be days that get up to 70 and I'll take the tape off my sprouted containers and flop back the hinge so they don't fry during the daytime, then flop it back over at night if the temps haven't consistently been ~43+ (that's my own personal degree mark). This might go on for about a week until the temps are more stable. But this on/off thing is not something that everyone does, nor is it "routine." I just don't want my containers heating up to 90 inside and killing my seedlings (I also go by the container temp can be 20 degrees higher inside than the air outside, so when it's 70+ outside, I don't want to kill them (btdt one year- oops!))
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kqcrna
15 years ago
Mine get morning sun only. Another consideration is that it makes life easier if they're on your patio or deck or someplace easily accessible in winter. I don't want to freeze or fall and break a leg trying to get those containers out the door on an icy winter day.

Karen
floodthelast
15 years ago
I was reading about someone who starts hosta seeds in her basement. If I winter sow could I leave these in the garage? They will still freeze but not get the light.

I was thinking of putting some on the dog house, which is where all my spring/summer pots go. Other than that I suppose the patio chairs will be free at that point too. I need to keep them out of the dogs way in any case.

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