It's too early. We don't start until after the solstice on 12/21.

March 21st is too later to winter sow. Then it would be called spring sowing. I'll probably stop then... I hope?

bakemom has so much patience! With our Chicago winters coming so early, I can't stop myself!

I was just like you at first and I lost some containers when we had a warm spell that germinated a bunch of annuals. If you MUST sow because you have the itch, scratch it with hardy perennials. That's my advice anyway.

Thanks for the info. I am glad I,m not too late. I have my pop bottles ready. I WS once before, but I made the mistake of putting too many seeds in my bottles, it was a mess.
Have happy WS all.
Karin

Yeah... I did the same thing my first year. I think that's one of the most common first year mistakes. It's kind of hard to not do with some, those seeds can sometimes be the size of a speck of dust!

I now use a bendable straw with the short end cut on an angle and the long end bent upward. I use the point of the straw to pick up as few seeds as I can. Hopefully this time it will be easier to separate those little buggers!

That is an exellent solution with the straw. Thank you so much. I,ll try it.
Your reply also was the fastest I ever received, ha,aha :)

I have to buy some soil. Thought I had enough, but somehow it got used already.

Karin

Wow! You guys seperate the seedlings?
There's no way I'd have that much patience! lol.
I just shake a whole envelope of seed (sometimes I restrain myself to half) and just rip apart and plop em HOS(hunk of seedings) in the beds.
Of course, if they're big seed, like lupine, I don't, but small like snaps - they'd make me insane! - The whole pack goes in a jug.

I guess that's definitely one virtue I don't possess . . . uhh, I won't mention the rest I lack. lol.

I just feel like the more space on their own that the baby seedling have, the more nutrients they can get and the stronger they will be. Plus, I don't want to have to go back later and pull out the seedlings I over sowed, or try and separate them before I plant.

It also saves me big time on soil! I can use much smaller containers. I use tp rolls and sow 2 seeds in each. It takes very little soil mix. I did 6 tp rolls of each kind of seed in lasagna pans and a kittle litter box. That took less than half the soil mix I used when I was filling milk jugs! Yeah... I have to water more often, but I have time, the savings are worth it to me, and I'm still going to have way too many plants when I am all done!

I just cleared a place of ice, were I,ll put my pop bottles with the seeds.Secure, between 2 cast iron chairs. Last time I wS some tipped over with the wind. I quess the more I WS, the smarter I get.

Karin

Ladybug, do you have any bungee cords? Either that, or I have even duct taped some together so they don't tip.

No way, it's not too late.
I don't even think about starting until after the first of the year, ok, maybe until after Christmas at least.
It's usually my motivation to get all the xmas junk put away, then I can convert the dining room table into a seed starting operation...LOL
Temp tonight is -17 already, the thought of running in and out to get my containers outside... makes me shiver just thinking about it.

-17????

How do you live like that? It's 56 here tonight. Yes, that's unseasonably warm, but still. -17? I'd die.

Hey,
I read in a mag.that if you place your seeds in a shallow bowl (small seeds ),wet a string, and drage it through the bowl, that you will get just the right amount of seed, plant string and all.
I have not tryed it yet, but it sounded doable to me,whata think?
Carol

sound like a good idea. You all have great ideas. I will also start in Jan, that is the most boring month. By that time I need to smell soil again.

Karin

Some people put their 2Ls in boxes or containers to keep them from tipping if it is windy. I surround mine with gal jugs, moving the jugs back to make more room for 2L as needed.

{{gwi:196378}}

I have never seen anything like it. Is that from this year Has to be from last year.?
How many seeds do you put in each 2 l pop bottle?
It is very impressive I have to say. Do you plant all the seedlings in your garden?

ooo I have jug envy!

no no no can't start until January.....

That is early June 2008. Depends on plant how much seed goes in each 2L. Bigger seeds or plants that I want just a few of get 2-3 seeds ie: tomatoes 3 seeds, sunflowers 2 seeds etc. Medium seeds 3-5, and small seeds get a pinch, ie: alyssum a pinch.

Gallon jugs get a pinch or 6-9 seeds.

I have cut down on the amount of seeds I use in each container as don't like to throw seedling in the compost after sharing with friends and neighbors and selling at the end of the driveway.

Though I have ws for four years I still have lots of room in my yard to add beds. The last two years I sowed 300-500 containers as wanted to get lots of perennials started and my holding beds are full of year 1 or year 2 perennials.

This year I expect to sow only a few perennials and lots of annuals. Also need to redo the bed around the east side of the house and add new beds.
I made a bed in the fall for annuals but it became a perennial/mixed bed as I found a few perennial bargains at fall sales and moved some of my ws perennials into those beds. Also got lots of iris at a swap so my poppy bed became an iris bed.

Hi Ladybug,

I think I remember trading with you a few years back. Possibly? I do remember a Ladybug on the Canadian Forums...

You started this thread on Dec. 10th and had I responded then, my answer would have been the same as Bakemom's, but now we are dawning on the Solstice and so it's OK.

I use January to get my things ready. I purchase my potting soil (if it wasn't a Christmas gift), get all my containers ready with their drainage holes and such, clean old ones from last year (I keep pop bottles from one year to the next), and organize my seeds in the order I want them sown. I also finish trading and such.

Last year I did put a few containers out in January, but started full force on Valentine's Day. It's a tradition now for me. :O)

I winter sow straight through into March and April. And yes, it's called winter sowing in those months as well since we have the worst snowstorms in March and freakish ones in April. Annual Alyssums, Bachelor Buttons, and Sweet Williams will sprout in late March, but I keep surrounding them with other containers of seeds which have yet to do anything.

So, no, it's definitely not too late to winter sow. For some you are right on time and for those like me, you would be early. It's a matter of preference. Do what works for you.

First year WSing here so have a question. Mnwsgal, when you start do you just leave the containers whole when you place soil and seeds inside? Or do you cut open the plastic container around the top or middle in order to get soil and seeds in easier?
If you do cut them open, how do you keep the containers closed after planting?

Thanks,
Cindy

Welcome alwaysagarden. If you go to the bottom of the discussion page there is a section that says search. Put preparing containers in the search and mark the section that says this forum only. You will get many threads that discuss preparing containers.

I use a combination of several different methods. All require cutting containers to make ventilation/drainage holes and to make adding seeds and removing sprouts easy.

The link below will give you some direction and photos.

Here is a link that might be useful: preparing containers

I also remember trading with you
tiffy. Your name is very familiar. I am realy looking forward to WS this year. I dont drink pop, but my husband does. Every pop bottle I find,goes in my collection. Anybody dares to throw it out is in big trouble.....

Thank you all with your info. I can use all the help, since I only WS once.
Thanks mnwsgal for telling me about the seed amount you put in your containers. I have to restrain myself and throw some seeds out, rather then sow too thick.

Tiffy I am surprised that we can sow that long. What Z are you in? I am in Canadian Z 5b.

Karin

Don't throw seeds out! Save them to sow another year or to trade. Most seeds stay viable for many years. Some traders will want even a small amount of seeds. Just be sure to note on your trade list that it is a small amount.

You can also donate your extra seeds to wintersown.org. :)

Donate

Thanks mnwsgal for the preparing containers link. This really helps.

Cindy

Ladybug,

I am actually in a Canadian zone 6/USDA5. I live 1/2 hour outside of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Our property is close to the Atlantic Ocean.

Trudi has always said that you can winter sow for as long as you need a good sweater to stay warm outside. After that it's called Spring Sowing.