I have collected and sorted seeds from my garden. Have about 24 varieties, plus assorted mixes. I have bought potting soil, cleaned and organized containers form last year, and orgainzed my prep area. Now I am just looking for seed trades to get ready. I think I will start much earlier this year- right at the start of winter break, about Dec. 20th. I hope to do at least 200 containers (they are smallish). I have a lot of ground to cover.

I'm chomping at the bit! I have been saving jugs since last season, my potting soil is purchased and waiting. I've started to surf my favorite seed sources on the net.

Yesterday I thought to myself that I should start purchasing here real soon if I want to have the seeds in hand for the Solstice. But then again I have sooo many bags of seed packets in my refrigerator that I should probably go through those first. I don't know about everyone else but I have a serious seed purchasing addiction. I actually get giddy at the sight of a seed rack in the store! I need therapy ;-)

Michelle

Gosh Michelle, I'm the same way! My poor mail carrier... she doesn't have to worry about the dog... I can get much worse! My husband likes it though, seed makes a real cheap way to make me happy! I don't require much!

No sowing here. All I have done/been doing is making paper seed envelopes as I clean and package seeds...TONS of them and it's still not over LOL!
I save 1 gal. water jugs all year as well as taller cottage cheese, sour cream and yogurt, ect. containers. No shortage here, but won't start sowing anything until around mid February since will be doing mostly all annuals and veggies this time. I'll do just a few perennials/grasses that won't require stratification.

This weekend, I sowed delphinium "bellamosum", penstemon barbatus coccineus and penstemon pseudospectabilis. Last winter was the first time I ever winter sowed and I had mixed success, but I am hooked! I just love the anticipation of waiting to see what germinates and grows. It's like a Christmas Eve that lasts for months!

Lois in Pa

I've made a trip up "up island" to the always generous and thoughtful WSer Alberta to retrieve two large bags of containers she said I was welcome to, as she is cutting back. I have collected, cleaned, and as of last night finshed packaging up almost 500 packets of seeds from my garden (well, a few snatched from gardens in public places too..)I have finally gotten a big load of seed packs ready to send off to Bakemom for the newbies (I've been saying this for a year, but tomorrow it happens!)and also to two swaps I am participating in on the round robin forum.

I'm going to concentrate on the holiday this week as my daughter is coming home from college and I have missed her SO much. But once Thursday passes I think I am going to tackle some container prep. One thing I vow to do before New years is to choose seeds and lay out a time line and make plant markers (with paint pen writing)to pair up with the seed packet in advance. This way when I "do up" the container, I've got the seed and the marker to go right in.

Nancy

Oh I forgot about that... I think I made over 250 plant labels from an old mini-blind I had. I have at least 300 more cut up that I haven't labeled, I'm still figuring out what else to sow.

Between cutting them up and labeling both sides, my hands are aching! How could I forget that?

I've tried to prepare as much as possible so that the actual filling and sowing containers should be nice and leisurely this year.

- Rinsed out lots of containers from last year to be reused this year. There is one garbage bag with milk/water jugs, one with 1-2 liter bottles, and a stack of salad boxes, plus a few odd containers ready to go! Most of these are cut and have holes already.

- Bought 2 large bags of potting soil

- Have collected seed from the gardens and organized my existing seeds

- Placed 1 order of seeds so far, more native wildflowers for the "meadow gardens" out back

I separated seeds that will go early round of WS, mostly toughies and perennials. Will do some direct sow and am growing lots of pots inside, mostly seeds of most expensive origins and those that I only have few of or those that are very slow growing so by spring I have something sizable. Had good germination rates so far and seedlings are growing healthy.
Got new promix soil from Menards, miss old one but they do not sell it anymore around here and I have not found good substitute for it yet. I use and reuse professional square pots 2" and 3" so am all set for the season. Of course, am awaiting NARGS seed exchange coming Dec, usually I get my most wanted ones and early enough to start so really am looking forward to it.

I found a 64 quart size bag of Miracle Grow at Lowes and I was happy they had the sand I needed too! We found an open 50# bag we got for 75 cents! Gosh, I love that place!

I found a 64 quart size bag of Miracle Grow at Lowes and I was happy they had the sand I needed too! We found an open 50# bag we got for 75 cents! Gosh, I love that place!

I worked at Lowes for the 100 days of spring this past year. Any broken bags are usually half price at most stores. Find an associate. See if they will mark it. If they tape it closed, it's full price.

I sowed all my shrubs and trees yesterday.

White crape myrtle
sweet shrub
dogwood
eastern redbud
mock orange
burning bush
lilac
blue spirea
japanese maples
snowball bush
white birch trees
black gum

and I'm sure there are others I have left off.

Going to put up the Christmas tree today and spend the afternoon cutting 2 liter bottles in half with my bandsaw. :)

Been collecting milk cartons, plastic pretzel barrels, styrofoam grape boxes, etc. I have bags of my own mix ready to go. And of course, trading and organizing seeds for it.
I also made a wintersowing calendar for myself, when I'd like to put out certain seeded containers... partly to curb my enthusiasm so that I don't try to wintersow tender annuals too early.
Its gonna be fun.
George

Hi everyone,
Ive been saving lg. tubs and have bought bags of potting mix. I got another lg bag of miracle grow at wally world today $9 better than h.d at 12. I've entered several RR and the secret santa seed swap just got two cards today! What a great idea that was, so glad I signed up!! Nice cards from around the country w/ seed packets in them. How fun is that? No I'll have to research some more to see what I should ws and when. Thanks to you guys I learned a lot last year and am not nearly as anxious as I was then. lol
Annette

I finally got some seeds sown! Out of 40 seed types, I think I have about 12 kinds I haven't done yet.

I have 12 more for me, then I will start all over for my friend's yard, so she'll get her hubby to paint for us! Thank goodness my cold frame is big enough!

I have '33' gallon jugs and '9' 1/2 gallon jugs done so far. A little over a 1/3 OF my perennials are done, along with my Iris's, Lily's and Jap. Maples.

Melissa

So far, I've purchased on large bag of potting soil and poked drainage holes in about 100 milk jugs.

I have been saving soda bottles, been tossing/recycling the milk gallon jugs, because I am determined to NOT sow soo much this winter!
I have advised my new neighbor friend who is a Florist to start saving her JUGS, we will begin sometime in January - oh, and she also offered to get the Potting mix at work @ 40% off!! WoooHooo!!