Winter sowing - is it too late to put some jugs out?
SnailLover (MI - zone 5a)
last year
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peren.all Zone 5a Ontario Canada
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Is it too late to winter sow?
Comments (2)I am new to wintersowing this year, but in zone 5, I would think it's still okay to sow most seeds, except for perennials that require a long cold stratification period of 30-120 days. There is enough cold weather left that those requiring 2-4 weeks cold strat will probably be okay. You can still give it a try, some winter sowers claim they've had things sprout the following year! You have plenty of time left to sow warm season grasses, hardy and tender annuals, and veggies though. I sitll have at least 50 containers left to sow....See MoreIs it too late to winter sow columbine?
Comments (11)PM2, go ahead and sow both the columbine and the California poppies now. Those columbine seeds will germinate whether you plant them out during the winter or in the spring. Just remember that columbine can be very slow to germinate or very fast. Don't give up on them if they aren't any sprouts in June, or July or even August. I had several containers out and nothing all spring and summer, then low and behold come, Labor day weekend, the seedlings decided to say "hello". They grew very quickly too, much faster than in the spring and I planted them out in early Oct. One good way to plant the columbine seeds is to use an individual container for one plant. make it at least 5-6 inches deep. Then put about 15-20 seeds right in the center of the container. Press the seeds into the soil, but do not cover them with any soil. cover and let mother nature do her thing. When the seedlings are ready to plant, then just take each container and make that one plant. That's how the seeds are sown at nurseries and that's why the plants we buy are so large. They put that many seeds in one container to make one plant. Oh, no need to soak the columbine seeds. The California poppy seeds. I never put them out before mid March at the earliest and have put them out as late as mid April as well. Just sprinkle them on the top of the soil, press them into the soil and do not cover the seeds with any soil. They will germinate just fine and no need to soak them either. Fran...See MoreToo late to try winter sowing?
Comments (1)Amanda, The first (unofficial) rule of winter sowing is to ignore the seed packet. It's not too late to winter sow and you're just in time to start warm weather annuals. You can even start some perennials, but it's probably a little late for those that require much cold stratification. Come on over and play with us at the WS forum. We're just as nice a forum as the OK forum, and we love our newbies. To address the question about cooking the seed...No, it won't. That's why you include ventilation. If you'll go to the WS forum and do a search for the thread called "Cap On, Cap Off, the Capper" you'll see what I mean. I posted a picture of two jugs sown on the same Friday afternoon, in early June. I forgot to remove the cap on one and you'll see, yes the seed cooked. But on the other, properly ventilated jug I was rewarded with sprouts in just three days. Also take a look at the FAQ called "Is there Spring and Summer Sowing?" It includes seeds lists, and I'll bet those seed packets you just bought will show up there. There is still lots to play with now. Come on over and jump right in! We have a great class of newbies this year and they'd love to meet you!...See MoreWhen is it too LATE to winter sow?
Comments (7)Winter sowing is a technique/strategy that allows vegetables/annuals/perennials/shrubs/trees to grow naturally as they would if the seeds fell from the plants onto the soil. There's little need for humans to "take control," "micromanage" or try to direct the plants--they know what to do and when if you simply allow them to do what they'd do if humans weren't part of the equation. Take a chill pill, relax and don't sweat when things do what they do on their own. Gardeners don't tell plants what to do and when. Plants do what they do when they know (based on their genetic code) what to do. I've never traded stocks but am guessing it's a high-pressure business. Gardening isn't a business; it's life. Windows don't close in gardening. Windows open when wintersown plants sprout, grow and bloom. I've grown an alphabetical list of perennials along with apple, pear and dogwood trees from seeds via winter sowing. Gardening isn't an exact science so if you're expecting folks to weigh in on exact science, you'll be disappointed. You can't "micromanage" nature. Things will grow, bloom & produce at their own pace. If you expect to speed the cycle up to meet your expectations you'll need to intervene or else introduce artificial methods of production. Normally, plants cannot be controlled or ordered or coerced into performing as humans demand they do. Plants have populated the planet for several millenniums without humans directing them. You won't appreciate the information I've imparted above because you don't really want to garden. You want to control. At some point you'll stumble across the knowledge that you never will....See MoreSnailLover (MI - zone 5a)
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