What have you tried?

I'm still trying to get enough gallon milk jugs and I will probably wait until the end of Jan or beginning of Feb. But, I'm thinking about it every day.

I'll probably start slicing and dicing my 2L and other random containers (from cider, Ocean Spray juices...whatever!) tomorrow and maybe do some seed choosing tonight.
The Coke vendor where I work was kind enough to give me a few of the trays that are molded to hold the 2L bottles secure (each tray holds 8 2L bottles) so at least they won't be in danger of blowing over AND I'll be able to pick them up and move them in the trays.

dmac, that is a great idea ... the trays for the 2 L bottles!!!!!

I agree. Great idea! I'll have to talk to a friend who works for Coke....

My husband and son always buy 8 bottles at the time, in a the black plastic tray that holds them. We drink alot of soda, so I have about 15 of the black trays with the empties now. I am going to get some Krylon paint for plastic and spray the holders white to match my little pickets fences. I'm also painting a 1" line around the split I'm slicing in the bottles, the color that the flowers will be. (Great way to use up older acrylic paints) and it just takes a sec. A one inch brush, dip, twirl bottle, done. That way I can place them where I want that color flower after it gets closer to spring and they have sprouted. I'm doing the same thing for my spring bulbs, only I'm cutting the bottle top totally off, about 3" from the top and putting a 1/2 " chicken wire over the top so the squirrels don't eat for free. I'm just going to let my bulbs grow and bloom in those containers and then when they start dying back, I can just move them to the shed for next year.

The only thing I am still not sure of, is how many of each seed to put in the bottles. LOL The bulbs, depending on what type and size , I am only putting two or three per bottle. But I am clueless on the seeds.


This message was edited Dec 27, 2009 1:00 PM

Wow, Drapelady, I never thought of planting bulbs in containers like this - I have some allium that didn't make it into the ground so think I'll try your thought.

Great idea on painting a color on the jug - never thought of that but wow, would that make planning the garden easy! GREAT GREAT IDEA. Off to Hobby Lobby tomorrow for different colored paint pens. This made my day.

What a great idea Drapelady! I think I will try painting a little strip of color on some of the jugs. I also need to add something that will give me a clue of their size. I oopsied and have some tall plants where I really wanted something shorter.

Lynn. I thought using the 1" acrylic paint line around the split line would give me a place to write the name and height of the plant with a paint marker in a different color. (hollyhock-36"-sun)

hansey, remember with the bulbs, I am cutting off and leaving open the top 3" or 4" of the jug. In other words, I'm just using them like pots. But I am still going to add the paint line at the top edge.

with the W/S seeds I am splitting the bottle and leaving a portion uncut for the hinge.

You are so creative. What a wonderful idea. Thanks for sharing.

Well, I have all of my supplies, paints, bottles, paint pens, seeds. And Christmas is behind me. Now, Molly, tomorrow I start separating the seeds and sending yours on to you. When are you going to start W/Sing yours? Or have you already started?

I am starting today! If it's true that whatever you are doing on New Years you will be doing all year I figure I want to be gardening all year. LOL.

Tami :)

What are you all WSing? I have clematis, malva, foxglove, hollyhocks, rud, btterfly bushes, delphs ,d something I'm sure I'm forgetting. In a couple of months I want to try WSing the annuals.

I am also trying clematis, hollyhocks and foxgloves. Have rudbeckia, echinacia and rose of sharon in the wings. I am unsure if I am doing annuals outside or inside, depends on space and schedule. I will start tomatoes inside, I need as much of a head start as I can get ! It is so helpful to see what plants are successful in my zone.

A bird was peeking in the top of one of the bottles today. I didn't see any bugs, bird must have been curious or thirsty.

I need to get my butt in gear and get my containers rinsed out and ready. Mostly 2 liter bottles since I have a dedicated Coke drinker in the house. What are you guys using? How are you cutting them up?

ps--Summerhill's 2010 seeds are up

grrrrrl -- I started a thread on 2 ltr bottles, i put up photos on how i cut them.

I'll be checking that thread out too:)

I got my email from Summerhill and looked at the new stuff---I want more petunias! I won't ever buy petunias but I fall so in love with the catalog photos:lol:

one can never have too many petunias.. but I would never winter sow them outside.. they take too long

onewish---Do you start your petunias on a heat mat?

I was thinking about that. Others say they've had good luck with WS petunias but i wonder when they bloom. I want at least some if them to bloom ASAP, so maybe I'll start some inside and some outside.

I've never found that. Petunias have done very well for me. They sprout at pretty low temps, tolerate frost after sprouting early, and start blooming early. I'd rather WS them. I start a very few seeds inside, but not petunias.

Karen

How easy are Petunias to start inside? Do you start them 6 or 8 weeks before the last frost date?

I found a picture. These petunias were WSown last year. Picture is dated June 15, looks like it had probably been blooming for a week or two and weather was cold last spring. I don't have an earlier picture.

Karen

Excellent! You have convinced me--they are all starting outside. So far, only coleus and pelargonium are starting inside.

diamond, I have never tried winter sowing. And, I would never try petunias. The seeds are too expensive to take chances with them. I plant mine inside. I have been planting mine too early. Our last frost date is supposedly the end of May, but you never know.

This year I will start mine about mid March. I have almost 100% germination, however I did have problems with Parks Italian seeds a couple of years ago so I emailed them and they replaced the seed.

Sometimes I use heat mats and other times I don't. I think they do germinate faster with it. But you don't need that if you start them early enough. The trick is to not let them dry out.

There are 2 ways to start them. Individually, one seed in each small pot, if I do this I use 6 packs, or sprinkle them all in 6" pot, cottage cheese container, or something like that. (a foil square cake pan in a gallon ziplock bag works real well too) But you have to pot them then when they get 2 leaves.

One more secret to petunias, is potting up. I do this 3 times before they go outside. And, the last secret to them, is pinching out the middle leaves. I do this several times before planting out, using tweezers. Each time they put out new shoots I pinch the center leaves.

This makes for real full plants.

This is what I do, and others probably do it different. Whatever works

Jeanette

Mine go from milk jug to ground. No potting up.

Karen

gg, lol, looks like we cross posted. All 3 of us. Kqcrna, you and I. Let us know how yours turn out wintersowing.

Jeanette

They would need all the potting up if you are putting them in the ground. I only put mine in planter boxes or containers of some kind.

None were potted up. Here are some in hanging baskets, June 2.

Karen

Ok I want to WS lobelia, petunias, zinnias, coleus and marigolds this year. I have some snowball marigolds that I think are going to be really cute! WS the tender annuals for zone 5a should happen at the same time if you were starting them inside 6 - 8 weeks before the last frost date? And if we get a 32 degree night then we cover them...correct?

This message was edited Jan 13, 2010 8:38 PM

Jnette: For the sake of experimentation, when you sow your petunias inside, why not stick a few seeds in a milk jug outside and compare results? I think you'd be surprised.

Karen

diamond: my last frost is usually in early May but I don't sow most of my tender ones until around the beginning of April. They tend to sprout fast . I do cover them for frost after they sprout. Petunias are an exception, they can take a little frost, they're not all that tender. I'll do those in winter sometimes.

The pics I posted above are Laura Bush petunias. If you like reseeders, these are for you.

Here are some WSown ones in Sept '08.

Karen

A patch of volunteers from those above, July '09

Karen

Ok Karen, I'm game. What do I do with the milk jug? Cut it off and?? I have to tell you I tried winter sowing sweet peas a couple of years ago. Out of 3 flats I got about a half a dozen to germinate.

I never used a heat mat for my petunias ... maybe I would have better germination with one

Where are you growing them? If in your house, what is the temp?

Where are you growing them? If in your house, what is the temp?

Oh, by the way Karen, I realize this is the winter sowing thread, just happened by earlier and saw someone asking about growing petunias.

I really was interested in it like I said, a couple years ago my sister and a friend and I all tried it. We all wanted to do it. I don't remember how theirs turned out, but they aren't doing any now either.

All of the sweet peas I lost were the expensive ones in T&M. That is why I didn't want to lose my petunia seeds.

But, I will certainly try a few of the petunias and I am sure I will remember to do it, and will write and ask you what to do. I have the framework for 2 shelving units with the zippered plastic covers which I bought to harden my plants off on my deck in the spring. I am game for this.

Jeanette

Jnette, I can send you some of my petunia seeds that I saved from my garden. I got them all mixed up, so not sure of the color, or if they will come true, but heck it is worth it for your experiment. I am going to try w/s my petunias and also start some in the GH on a heat mat.

Lynn, thanks, but I have plenty of petunia seeds. I just could not see wasting them when I have not had any luck winter sowing in the past. No, I really appreciate the offer tho. Maybe I could send you some since you aren't sure what you have?

I see Swollowtail has good prices too. Their petunias are probably the best prices I have seen for the most in a pack, and some that I haven't seen before. Also, 2/3 of them are pelleted.

I think T&M just saw that a lot of us were buying from Value Seeds so upped their prices. That always tics me off. Because they cut down on the amount of seeds and also the packaging to sell under VS name.

Oh well.

Atta girl, Jnette! Be adventurous.

"I have the framework for 2 shelving units with the zippered plastic covers which I bought to harden my plants off on my deck in the spring. I am game for this." Some people do WS in those things but it's not what I'd advise. I'd put 'em in a jug and stick them out in the elements where Mother Nature will do the work for you like watering and providing sunshine. The rules are few, and given half a chance, WSing really does work. These are wintersown.

Jnette they will be growing in the house the room is usually around 65 - 70.. once all the lights go on it can get pretty warm in there though