What is involved in winter sowing?

sitter_2007

16 years ago

Hello everyone

I'm new here after lurking since early spring. I have beebn wondering what you all mean by "winter sowing"

How is it done? What kind of seeds? Any information will be helpful. I have just started with spring sowing under lights and wonder if winter sowing is something that can be done in my zone. Sounds like a great way to save money.

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Comments (8)

deborahz7
16 years ago
Have you checked out the winter sowing forum? Its nearly at the bottom when you first enter the garden web forums. When you get there, the top of the page has a great FAQ section.

Its basically sowing in mini greenhouses using 2 liter soda bottles, milk jugs, etc. We started in Winter (for me it was Feb.) with perennials & as the weather warms we move to annuals. This was my 1st year and out of 200 containers I sowed I had germination in 185. Love it! You can spring/summer sow now too! Check out the FAQ's there & ask if you have any questions. Their a friendly group of people like here.
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deborahz7
16 years ago
I forgot to wish you a warm welcome!
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Thank you Veggieluv, we luv you too! Yes, the 'Winter Sowing Method' is not winter sowing a field in October with a green manure to turn under in April, or a winter rye, etc, to be cut for crop or fodder the next Spring. When you google Winter Sowing, the first hundred hits are dominated by the method, the ancient agricultural practice is going further and further behind the main pages. A few years back I went down to Beltsville seeking guidance and they very kindly and patiently gave it to me, as well taught me how to manage and grow my website. And it is that scholarly guidance which is why the method dominates over the ancient farming practice when you search the internet for 'Winter Sowing'. If you recheck the FAQs you'll see that the first one there is "How to Winter Sow", I think that is what you are referring to as what you want to read again. The FAQs were needed because there was a LOT of explaining because as you say, it is counter-intuitve, and it is also counter-cultural; many people believe that you need those heat mats and light set-ups to begin any sort of seed, and among the more experienced there were arguements that Deno's set of numbers had to be followed exactly. So, God bless Beltsville as they were the first authority who didn't start their convo with "No. You're crazy." I did good, so did they. We have a work-in-progress Database, there are veggies and herbs listed. I repeat it is a work in progress and it was created by the forum, my hands were not involved in its creation, but do to the need to house it in a reliable url, it is now at WinterSown.Org. Last week I finished the "cleaning and dusting", reframed it into a nicer grid, and uploaded the DB. The DB is in plain-text, you don't need Excel or Word or any database reading program, you can just click on the links and there it is. Keep in mind that not seeing a plant there doesn't mean that it can't be WS, and seeing a "NO" there also doesn't mean that it can't be WS--this is because there hasn't yet been enough years of entry to reliably prove and disprove particular plants. The DB is a suggestion and guide, but it is not the know-all, end-all, do-all, be-all for what seeds you can sow with the method. I am very glad that VeggieLuv mentioned tomatoes and peppers, initially most people think that you can't WS them. Consider the plants that reseed in your garden--we've all heard the legendary tales about toms germinating in cracks in sidewalks and growing to be the healthiest plants anyone has ever seen. Toms do reseed in a temperate climate because they're from a temperate climate, peppers and eggplants and all solanums can reseed. It does make sense that it you live in zone five or colder, that you choose a short season tom and not a 110 dtm type because you may be bringing in green fruits to ripen on the counter. Short season gardens need short season varieties. Give it a try, if you're unsure of the method then hold back some seeds to sow by whatever means you want, then at the end of the season compare the vigor, health, flowers or crops of what you sow. Your eyes are your teachers. Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Sowing Database
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sitter_2007
Original Author
16 years ago
/thank you deborahz7 I kind of feel at home as I have been lurking so long. So I just save old bottles etc. and plant out seeds in them Do we put them outdoors with a cover or leave then indoors under lights or in a S facing window? I guess I thought it meant sowing seeds in the ground in the fall sort of like when we get volunteer plants. You all seem to get lots of plants. I can't imagine 185 2 liter bottles sitting around. Where to you keep them?
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deborahz7
16 years ago
Yes, clear plastic bottles work best. Room enough for 3" of soil at a minimum. I kept mine in the backyard. I'm done for now and all planted out but will pick back up soon for fall planting. Please check out the winter sowing forum for more info.

Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Sowing FAQ
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amare_al_giardino
16 years ago
sitter,
I must say again that you've GOT to go check out the Wintersowing forum. ALL of your questions will be answered there but I warn you now, get ready to spend some SERIOUS time in front of your computer reading. It's addicitive and then once you make the decision to do it, you're going to have a thousand more questions to ask. I'm gearing up for my first WS this coming winter. I have started collecting containers and reading and reading and reading and reading and ......LOL! I think you get the point. I'm very excited about it and I promise, you'll catch the fever when you check out all their pics. of what they have accomplished for very little money.

Welcome!
Stephanie
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lynnencfan
16 years ago
Welcome sitter - I am in my 2nd year of WSing although I have been sorta been doing it for awhile just didn't realize it had a name - lol. It will literally change your gardening life and introduce you to plants that you could never find in local garden centers. I promise you that if you get into it like the rest of us do you will have plants for your entire family and neighborhood.

WARNING..........it is addictive.....

Lynne
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sitter_2007
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks all for responding to my first attempt at posting. I can see there will be a lot of reading to learn about WS. It all sounds exciting to me but do the plants not get cold and freeze? I am going to study real hard and join the ranks next winter. Can I grow annuals that are hard to find and pricey?
BTW I am rejoicing because we got .7 inch of rain here in beautiful Southern Indiana today. My plants jusst lapped it up.
VB
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msmisk
16 years ago
This is my first year ws-ing, and I'm hooked ! Yes, you can grow annuals that are hard to find, varieties that are not found in the nurseries, and you can trade seed on the Seed Trading forum. It's fun, and it works ! I have several new-to-me, and not-seen-around-these-parts flowers blooming right now . . . cleome, love in a mist, kiss me over the garden gate, to name a few. And I started all my own tomatoes from seed too. Yippee !

Carol
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What is involved in winter sowing?

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deborahz7

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What is involved in winter sowing?

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deborahz7

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