Scott's Humus & Manure isn't potting mix, it's a garden amendment - compost. While it will improve drainage in clay soil like mine (in beds), and slow down drainage in sandy soils, I don't think you'd be happy with it for your winter sowing mix. Once in a while someone will mention sowing in compost on the seed sowing forum and they will have things germinate, but they aren't keeping those pots intact for any length of time like in winter sowing.

Scott's states on their website, not for use in containers.

Darn, I can't seem to remember I need to type in my zone these days or it doesn't show...

And, your Z8 can't possibly be wetter than my Z8 - the good quality container mixes/mediums provide enough drainage for any amount of rain if the pots have adequate drainage holes.

Thanks so much, morz8. It's a big help to hear from someone in a wet zone 8 & I will get the small 8 qt bag of MG potting mix, which will be plenty until I WS the tomatoes. I have extra cilantro seeds so I can do another jug with MG.

Originally I punched holes in the milk jugs with an awl. Now that I have seen how wet the milk jug stays, I am using a phillips screwdriver to expand the holes in jugs not yet sown. Do the larger holes below look right for a wet climate where drainage is important? My plan is to expand all the holes to the larger size. Thanks for your help!

River
8b Central Louisiana
{{gwi:453097}}

{{gwi:453097}}

I'm a newbie, too, but in my wet zone 8, I took some earlier suggestions and poked holes in the sides, too. My stuff is sitting in mud right now, but hopefully the side holes will let the excess drain away. :)

I think you would find the awl holes too small, they could get blocked with particles from your mix too easily, so yes, you're going in a better direction with the phillips.

Put a filled moistened pot (unsown, before seeds) in your sink and add more water with your sink spray, see how quickly it drains to test. Potting soil has a saturation point, after which any excess water should be coming freely out of the bottom of the pot/container. Soupy, or visible water at top is too much and you need more drainage - the water needs to run out faster than would stay in long enough your seeds would float :).

You might even get a little 'dirt' coming through at first, that's OK, it will stop once the contents have settled and your containers have had some time, gone through some rains.

Try punching a few holes around the bottom sides of the Solstice pots you've sown, or use a knife to add some slits. It can't hurt to see what they will do ...

More than about 2 dry days in winter here are something to get very excited about, I don't think I've ever lost seeds to too wet. The one year I did lose some pots of things that had always been reliable, we had a strange dry hard freeze right about the 1st of March as seeds were beginning to germinate or had just germinated. If I'd been a little quicker with old tablecloths, those probably would have been fine too.

I have never had any problems with drainage using an awl and pushing it back and forth to make a hole which looks like your large holes. I put 8-10 holes in the bottom and 8 holes around the sides about 1/2" up.

Thanks, manda3, morz8, mnwsgal. I am taking all of your suggestions! Just in time as we are having a severe thunderstorm tonight & rain for the next 3 days. Exactly why I have never wanted to direct sow. Manda3, maybe you got this storm yesterday in DFW?

No puddles yet where I have the jugs, on the ground under the overhang of the roof near the front porch & next to the foundation. The land rises slightly where it meets the house so I am hopeful I won't have puddles.

I experimented with jamming a milkjug into an empty 8" clay pot & it looks like it would hold it up several inches above the ground. I will try that if I get puddles. But I would need to remember to take the milkjugs out of the colder clay pots & put them on the warmer ground for the next freeze. Luckily I only have a few jugs. Manda3, great member page.

Thanks again for the excellent advice on drainage. Much appreciated,
River