Winter Sowing - 2010 .... a sowing we will go....

here's one... http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1028801/

and i do believe Karen does the lasagna thing... think she's working today. I"m sure she will chime in when she gets here.

I built a several lasagna beds last summer that I planted bulbs in and have several more in the works for my WS babies come Spring. I'm anxious to see how well things grow in them!

Last year, I planted about a week or two after putting down the cardboard and compost. The cardboard cuts easy, If there was still grass or weeds there, I just pulled them out when I cut the hole. That probably isn't the correct way, but it worked for me. I might add another layer of cardboard/compost this year in some of the places where the grass and weeds insist on coming back.

We did raised beds last year that were enclosed and 18" high. We put down a layer of cardboard. Watered well, then put down a thick layer of leaves from our front yard. Again, watered well. Then we added our soil. It'll be interesting to see what those beds will be like when we turn the soil this spring.

You're right Terese, I have "lasagna-ed" several areas and been very happy with the results. I've seen reports where people build the hump a foot or two high but I've never had enough organic material to do that. Mine have only been around 8"-10" deep but still worked very very well. The organic material rots pretty quickly so that it doesn't end up raised at all. This past fall we built 2 new small tomato beds with the method. My husband built 2 wood frames, each 4x8'. We covered the lawn with wet cardboard then topped with about 4" of purchased topsoil, bought as a dump truck full. I've never added soil before but this time I did want because I wanted it to end up as a raised bed. It was the usual nasty clay that is native here. That was covered with a couple of inches of homemade compost. Then layered a few inches of straw, wetting down each layer. Each week when my husband cut the grass we added fall leaves mixed with grass clippings, some coffee grounds, yard waste, whatever turned up. It would settle down (and possibly start breaking down) for a week and the next week when he cut the grass we'd add more stuff. I watered each layer well as I built it, a very important step. I finally covered it with bedsheets, kept spraying the top with the hose to maintain moisture until weather turned wintery.

I like to cover the hump with breathable fabric as in interbay mulch. Initially I used burlap, but after my !@#$%^ husband threw the burlap away, I've used bedsheets which seem to work fine, too. I'm hopeful for some really good tomatoes this year.

Karen

Thanks Mike. I still have quite a few to go but I'm getting there.
Still need to get out the GH to inventory the rest I WS but it's only 10 degrees out there now and not getting a whole lot warmer for the high....BUT...temps are suppose to be going back up and there's some 50's for next week.....YAY!

Boy, Karen, your new beds sound fabulous!
I extended my border-beds last fall (about 2.5 ft x 40 ft) with the lasagna method, starting with wet cardboard, then some purchased soil, then whatever homemade compost I had, then leaves, etc. But I never thought of using the old ripped burlap I had lying around as a mulch, and I threw it all away myself ! (#A%/!) Would it have broken down on its own over the winter?
Since my beds were extended out into my lawn area, I cut away the grass into about 12 in. squares and turned these upside down before laying down the cardboard.
Just to keep this on the topic of WS, this is for an area that I'm going to "cram" with WS seedlings next season. Which I haven't started doing yet; I've followed your practice for the last two WS seasons and waited till mid-Feb. to begin my jugs, sowing tender things even into April. We have a long cool Spring on the Cape (latest average frost date: May 23) and this seems to produce the best results.

Hi Karen & folks: Since posting my question immediately above regarding the use of burlap in garden beds, I found a site that Karen recently posted on another thread (Soil and Composting forum). Here the Interbay Mulch system is explained in great detail. Sounds to me like a great process, and one based on the lasagna method, IMHO.
Sorry for hijacking the thread again, but this might help all us Wintersowers who need more or better beds for all those wonderful hardy seedlings we're going to have next season! GO WINTERSOWERS!!

http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/soil/2000081841014638.html

I have a question for the seasoned WSers, how large should the drainage and vent holes be? The size of a straw or smaller? How fast should the water drain? For the ventilation on the 2 liter bottles or the milk jug I have only been leaving the lids off. For other containers, I'm curious how many holes are you all creating. Does anyone have pictures?

on Anitas site... she shows pics....
http://lakehousecreations.com/wintersowing_directions.htm

I dont make mine that big... in yrs past, i've sued a steak knife... Poke and twist.

This year i used the tip of a hot glue gun to melt holes... they are about the size of a small straw.

I do have one 2ltr bottle on top of my frig... I was going to cut it and do images.
for those... you cut it in half, then for the top portion, you cut "V" like cuts, and slide the top back over the bottom... tape it shut... then when it warms and you need ventilation, you can just slide the top up a bit for more air flow, but still leave it on until it's warm enough to completely remove it.

On these Bob Evans containers, I have 14 drainage and vent holes. Each hole I twist the tip of the knife or drill bit. When I wet the medium I try to watch the drainage to make sure water seeps out.

I like lots of drainage but I generally just poke thru with scissors or a steak knife and twist. They're probably about 1/4" in diameter or a little larger. I probably use about 8 or 10 holes per gallon jug. I also put one on the side, about an inch above the bottom.

Karen

We make the holes about the size of the shaft of a standard size screwdriver. If you've got a Phillips head screwdriver, about that size. We do about 6-8 on the bottom of the jug and several around the top, in addition to leaving the lids off.

Here's the top (using a larger hole/drill bit)

Bottoms (using a smaller drill bit)

I checked the link. I didn't make my drainage holes nearly that big. LoL I hope my seeds will still have enough drainge. I probably ask the same questions, if so I apologize. I know its not an exact science, but every bit of info is helpful for me.

Lea [lebug] told me about that. I used my kids gun. Just may have to get my own. but it worked pretty good.. .i always worried about stabbing myself using a knife.

Diamond... mine were nevr that big either. but i use more than 4 on the bottoms... and dont put them up the side, Karen mentioned that too... BUT -- I have had issues with rotting seeds and moss/mold. take that for what its worth. :-)

I use a soldering iron to put holes in the bottom of plastic pots...this is only my second year WS'ing, but I did three boxes of containers in probably half an hour. You get the stinky, plasticky melting smell, but it dissipates quickly.

Ok I should have a hot glue gun around here some place. I think that is much safer, too. Have you all had any success with containers other than the gallon jugs or 2 liter bottles? I'm planning to put more seeds out today. Unfortuna(ely, I have more containers from fast food restaurants than I do milk jugs. LoL

You can use all those things.

My hot glue gun must not be hot enough. It wont melt the 2 liters for me. Oh well, continuing with the big drill bit. LOL

I did have to really push with some of the thicker spots.

Dh bought me [ errrrr us,] a new one today. Looks more heavy duty than my kid's gun.

I'll try it in the 2Ltr bottle i have to see how that works.

The milk jugs have thinner spots, where the 'seams' are.. that is a bit thicker and tougher to get thru.

"Dh bought me [ errrrr us,] a new one today. Looks more heavy duty than my kid's gun".
Sounds like Terese is shooting them. You guys really are over the edge.

Karen

I did find that this glue gun did not melt a 2 Ltr container.
it did melt the 'foam board' i was working with.

but i found that i had already poked, with a knife, holes in the bottom of said container.

Um, I have waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more holes in the tops and bottoms than any of those pics.

I use a hot phillips screwdriver. Heat it on the electric burner. Goes very fast if you alternate between two screwdrivers. Just don't breathe in while the plastic's smoking, and turn on the stove blower...

I think I have an average of 18-20 holes in the top AND the bottoms. I have a row of holes around the lowest point on the sides, too. LOTS of drainage.....

I used DH's soldering gun for making the holes last year. The heated screwdrivers sounds like a good idea.

Ok folks, did anyone W/S anything this weekend?

I did! I did!

I'm up to #26 jugs.

Between 1/9-1/111/10 I've sown seeds for:
Emerald Giant Bell Peppers
King of the North Bell Peppers
Wando Peas
Southern Giant Mustard Greens

Tomatoes:
Atkins
Aunt Ruby's Green
Black Krim
Cherokee Purple
Costoluto Genovese
The Dutchman
Eva Purple
Kellogg's Breakfast
Momotaro
Pruden's Purple
Sioux
Russian Rose


This message was edited Jan 11, 2010 11:56 AM

This message was edited Jan 11, 2010 12:01 PM

Unfortunately, I'm lagging as far as my tomatoes go. My order is still in transit but worse, some of my tomato seeds did not ship (pressumably because they were out of stock.) My fault for ordering on Christmas Eve, LOL. I hope to sow more peppers in the next coupla days, though.

Anyway, my lettuce is looking good so I'm happy. I'll have to take pics of my little WSing operation at some point. It's such a rag-tag group of containers, though, pretty funny.

p.s. happy belated B-day Linda. Hope you had a good one!!!

Hey, John!
I was busy saving a life on the evening of my B'day!

Praise God, I was home at the kitchen table when my (NOW) 94-yr-old Aunt Beatrix (we're born on the same day!) had a heart attack and passed out while sitting quietly at the table with me. Then everything in her stomach came up while she was still passed out! Thank God, she didn't choke to death or die from the heart attack.

I thought at first she was just snoozing, but then I noticed too many differences to this snoozing. She's usually what I call a "Church Snoozer." Doze off then startle yourself awake -- then look around to see who saw you fall asleep!

But she wasn't startling herself awake and, at one point, her head gently bobbed back and forth 5 times against her chair and I thought, "she's having a seizure." But she still didn't wake up. When her hand fell outta her lap and she still didn't wake up, I started calling her name and shaking her with no response to anything I was doing to wake her. She probably will have my handprints across her face...

By the time I stood over her shaking her violently, the Sci-Fi stuff started happening...

I yelled for my DH to call 911 right away. Well, he'd had a few Friday evening chugs, and was not sharp enough for my comfort. So, I left him holding the phone in one hand and Aunt Bea in the other, darted straight across the street, and pounded on my neighbor's door. She answered as I yelled "I think Aunt Bea's choking to death!" and ran back across with her right on my heels!

And, by the time we got right back, Aunt Bea was sitting up, fairly alert (but dazed), no memory of any of this, and ALIVE!

ER cat-scan ruled out seizure & stroke, but confirmed she'd had a heart attack and passed out.

The miracle of it all is that I'd been at church every evening last week until after 9:30 for our Revival. Friday was the last night. But, all day the Spirit keep pressing on me to go home to "be with Aunt Bea" on our b'day to help celebrate with her. It was too cold to go out to dinner or anything, and I knew she'd be grumpy we hadn't done anything special. My intention was to at least have a meal together, or tip a toast, or rent a good movie and do popcorn, something, anything to commemorate and make her evening special.

I guess I did....^^_^^

GG,
Whew! Close call. Glad to here Aunt B and you are alright.

Wow, Linda, that's amazing! So glad you listened to the prompting, and were there when you needed to be!

Bookerc! and BigRed,
I'm still trying to wrap my mind around what it would've been like if I hadn't been sitting at that table with her.

not very good had she been alone

Amazing that she woke up so quickly. That's great.

Linda, didn't you say that you have several elderly relatives close to you? You know you can buy a defibrillator for home use ("AED") and/or take CPR classes from the heart association. Sounds like both might be useful in your case. Of course resuscitating someone that age can raise a lot of issues.

Karen

Wow, Gymgirl! Sorry to hear about that! Like others have said, it was a good thing you were right there for her and it was interesting how everything played out. I've never been through anything like that but I imagine I would be pretty shaken by it. I hope your Aunt B is doing well and is in good spirits.

What a memorable bday! I'm happy it was in the plan that your aunt is still here. What an amazing gift

Gymgirl, what a blessing for everything to turn out the way it did. Truly a most amazing birthday present for both of you. : )

Today I WS:
Several kinds of hosta seeds
Iris seed
Bleeding Heart yellow
Johnny Jump-ups
Daylily

What kind of success have any of you had wintersowing Petunias? I've gotten pretty over starting a bunch of stuff under lights. There's a few slow pokes that I will, but with a lot of annuals I'm not so concerned with getting an early start on blooms anymore. Wondering if anyone starts them directly in the hanging baskets they'll reside in?