Winter Sowing - 2010 - things rolling right a long #2

John Crichton75, take my suggestion with a grain of salt as I'm a newbie to ws, but if they were mine I would wait till they were a little bigger.

Janet

Yep, 70 jugs- I could hardly believe it myself when I counted, LOL! Hope I can have another productive day like that soon. I picked through the mound of seeds and pulled those that require cold stratification first, had about a dozen varieties of Columbine, 11 Penstemons, and several Foxglove and Rudbeckia, and a few hardy Geraniums and Hollyhocks. Also did several Snapdragons this year, my first time wintersowing those.

John, typically I like to see a set of true leaves before transplanting, big enough to handle without damaging the seedlings. I've found tiny seedlings transplant well when temps are still cool and even moisture is easy to provide.

Great pictures John, thank you for posting them. It gives me courage to continue on in my first try at WSing.
gemini, 70 jugs, that is mind boggling. I better get busier. Even with that I will never catch up. I went through the rest of my seed yesterday and sorted out the ones that need Winter chill. I hope to get them all planted by the end of the week.
meadowyck, sorry I can't help you with your seed addiction, I'm to busy trying to plant my 163 kinds of WS seeds. I'm afraid I would just be an enabler. : )

John, I'd wait until there's at least one set of true leaves, maybe even more.

Karen,
The one thing I can depend on from my very best friend in the whole wide world is that, if I ask her something, I'm gonna get her truth, no matter how it feels. I liken it to her putting on a pair of steel toe boots, and giving me a good, swift, kick in the butt. It doesn't always feel good at the time, but I've come to rely on her honesty.

She doesn't play games, and that's kinda refreshing.

You remind me of her -- a lot. ^^_^^

Johnboy!

You're giving me hope! My bells (inside the house for now), are tall as the tall tomato in your pic. Do you have your bells inside or out? I kept mine in for now 'cause the temps keep dropping, and I want them to get a good head start so when I put them out for hardening, they're a good size.

I opened the tops of the jugs last night and dropped the fluorescent lights to 1" of the seedling tops. I also gave them a feeding of MG and Epsom Salts night before last. They greened up overnight!

How many varieties of tomatoes have you started? I have between 14-18 different tomato varieties WSowed, and plan to sell my extras (CHEAP!).

LMK if you want any. I'll post a list of what makes it, after I uppot to 16 oz. cups and beef 'em up with deep rooting.

Ok. Break's over. Gotta get back to my day job....The one that pays for the garden!


Linda

So tell us about your zinnias. Or better yet- show us a picture. What kind of zins are they?

I have a great best friend. She was here visiting me earlier today. If I could just turn her into a gardener, she'd be perfect. She can kill any plant just by looking at it, I swear.

Karen

Lynn, wintersowing is addictive, so don't be surprised if you find yourself with over a hundred next year :-)

I finally feel caught up, got the rest of the seeds that prefer cold treatment wintersown. I was surprised yesterday to end up with an easy to remember number of jugs, then today it happened again-30. Exactly 100 containers sown as of today. Looks like most of what I have left are things that need to wait till March. Breathing a sigh of relief!

Ok, sounds like I have plenty of time before I transplant. Thanks, everyone.

Gymgirl- my bells are outside. Everything, in fact. I was not as ambitious as you, and I only bought around 6 or 7 varieties of tomatoes from Parks, but they haven't shipped half of them because they're still on back order!!! I should have used more suppliers, or at least bought seeds locally as back-ups. I just fell behind somehow. I would definately be interested in purchasing some of your tomato plants, and we can still trade peppers as well (assuming mine continue to germinate and prosper.) So far, I have the Margheritas, some Supersweet 100's, and another variety I cannot recall at the moment.

Yeah, I haven't posted much lately due to my schedule but I have lurked from time-to-time to see what's happening. I must have spent an hour online (at work) yesterday getting up to speed on the whole DG ownership change. Wow.

K,
You asking me about zinnias? If so, I haven't sowed any flower seeds yet.

After lurking and reading, I think I might need to wait til next weekend. I have seeds for zinnias (those huge lime green and fuscia ones), marigolds, and a coupla other common plants. I believe these are not cold hardy annuals.

Correct me if I'm wrong and I'll rush right home to throw some seeds in a jug!

OK, you confused me again. That was in another thread, apparently asking about last year's plants in seed starting trays.

Actually, this happens a lot on DG I think. Threads get so long, touching so many subjects. A lot of thoughts and questions unfortunately get lost in the shuffle. I think a new thread about a new subject makes more sense, but that's never going to happen here.

Karen

With having 14 milk jugs to prep for sowing... i decided to "time" how long it took using a steak knife and scissors.

40 seconds to toke and twist 14 holes and slice the top.... I do feel using the 'glue gun' took longer.

I also feel that milk jugs are thinner than they have been in the past... cutting back maybe??
but easier to poke and twist than i recall from previous years.

I have 18 jugs and 5 qt sized yogurt buckets all ready to go. will wait til the family is done with lunch before i bring out the soil. Amazing how everyone is home today -- so much easier to do when the house is empty.

tcs, you are on your way. : )
I use a sharp pointed phillips screw driver and a box cutter to do mine. This is the first time for me and I to was surprised at how thin the milk jugs are. Went very quickly. The box knife sliced through them like butter. I have 10 more ready to fill up. : )

Ok, ya'll forgive me for digressing from the main thread topic here, please...back on track!

My Wando peas are about to grow outta the milk jug, so I need to plant them out this weekend.

Karen,
Winter Sowing totally ROCKS! I'd like you to know I've been recruiting devotees' in every forum I belong to and sending them this way. It's all your (and Trudi's) fault if the fluorescent light people go outta business! ^^_^^ doing the WS dance!

That's great, Linda. I have another local friend who's trying it for the first time this year, too.

BTW, I do the fluorescent light thing as well. Gives me something pretty to look at in winter.

Karen

So as not to digress, would you consider starting a COLEUS Winter Sowing thread?

sweet...

Hey Terese :)

If I used "steak knife and scissors" I'd probably end up with stiches the little extra time with the glue gun is worth it to me lol

I've filled about ten jugs today and put them out in the rain to get wet and planting the eleven that I had sitting here draining from the last rain. I've only sown the lucky number of 13 jugs so far need to get the lead out!

I sowed some garden Globeflower just now and see there is another one that is yellow all the time I thought mine was yellow and now I guess it was an orange color I think it was lol Anyway these are suppose to be hard to germinate so I hope I have luck with them! I like a challenging seed :)

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/31634/

I have officially started! I WSed 4 containers last night before it got too dark. DH is doing something different with the jugs this year. He's using a box cutter to make little "vents" in the top, 4 on each jug, approx. 1/4" long in a half moon shape cut on 3 sides. Then, he's leaving the flap up so it catches water and directs it down into the jug. I have pics of the jugs, but they're on my computer at home.

Linda: You would probably do well with coleus in your zone. Won't take any frost, or even temps much below 50 or 60, so best sown close to summer. I tried it once and they stayed way too small until around August.

Now, I keep some cuttings under lights through winter and start some from seeds inside.

Karen

I love it when the ity bitty babies start showing color like that

K,
They do QUITE well here. First season growing anything at all, I had coleus from babie transplants. The patio looked amazing!

This is Coleus "Black Dragon" with Dusty Miller. Awesome combination.

This message was edited Feb 5, 2010 2:52 PM

This message was edited Feb 5, 2010 2:53 PM

Very pretty!

Thanks, LeBug!

Um, no more coleus posts unless Karen starts a Winter Sowing discussion! I'm not taking the fall!

Gymgirl, was that Black Dragon Coleus from WS? It is just beautiful.

Nope. From a coupla small seedlings I grew up. They cost $1. I learned to "snip and stick" pieces into some potting mix, and turned a few into many. The dusty miller was there at the same time, so I bought it. Had no idea what it would grow up to look like together, but there's the proof.

I loved that combination together.

I'd love to WINTER SOW (see, I'm on topic here, again...) some COLEUS SEEDS (hint, hint, hint.....to whoever might be watching....^^_^^!

Hmm, I have both of those, I'll have to do a container. How do dusty miller do with cold? Maybe I can WS them late. Obviously I'll have to start the coleus in. Anyone WS dusty miller?

here is today's list... I'm up to 63 total.

Cup Plant
Viola, Blue Boatharbor
MG Blue Star
Salvia foriskaohlii
Salvia argentea "silver sage"
Salvia Lyrata, Purple Knockout
Salvia farinacea 'Blue Bedder"
Sambucus nigra, Elderberry
Lobelia, Great Blue
Wild Lupine
Lantana
Lobelia, Cardinalis
Heliopsis, false sunflower
Purple Majesty Millet
Platcondon, Blue Balloon Flower
Rudbeckia, NoID BES
Rudbeckia, NoID BES
Agastache, Tutti Fruitti
Agastache, Pink Pop
Agastache anisata
Purple Milkweed
Cherry Tomato
Double Pink, Poppy
Purple Poppy
Semi-Double Mix Poppy
Grape Poppies
Oriental Poppy - Orange/peach
Queen's Poppy

oohhh gotta look up pink pop!!!!

help. zone 5 i never ws in milk jug . how many tomato seeds do you put in one. allso need milk weed. can i do that? do i ws now and they come up at the right time? thank you all for the help. jlmcv45 jim. 4 in of snow fell to day jim

I wouldn't do more than 5 or so tomatoes per jug, but that's me. I WSed butterfly weed last year and they did great.

Linda, beautiful coleus. I love the black dragon/dust miller combo. Maybe I should try some of those added to my coleus. BTW, pinching those coleus will keep them bushier.

Nice list, Terese.

jim, how many seeds per container is up to you. I'd probably only do about 6 in a milk jug. I can't plant toms out very early, don't want to "pot up" so I do toms in cups sometimes. I do use milk jugs for about everything else though.

I have WSown milkweed (A. tuberosa). I think it was my first year. I didn't get great germination but did end up with 4 healthy plants. Later killed one trying to move it. Here's one, in it's 4th year I think.

Karen

Here's my start! I went ahead and sowed my sweet peas because it's been raining for a couple of days. I need to get them going, but we've had rain off and on for the past week, so I've not been able to get out and work in the areas where they're going to be planted. I'd rather have the time to get the areas weed free while they're germinating than miss out on them this year.

Jim -- I do milkweeds every year... zone5a here.

What type were you going to try... annuals or perennials??

the perennials will not bloom the first year anyways, so when you sow should not be an issue.

I generally get pretty good germination with these. for the annuals, i'll do them end of March probably, and i'll put the the container in a south bed so it gets more sun.

Last year [and i'd have to check when they were sown] but my silky golds bloomed but never went to seed. The scarlets, even volunteers, I'll get seed pods. they are both Asclepias curassavica.

I have a silver themed bed that has dusty miller. It is very hardy. I think it would be ok to ws it too as maryleek said.

I'm hesitant to ws coleus. Its a tender perennial, which means its an annual in most paces in the US except maybe zone 10-11.I have always started mine indoors with heat mats. Whenever I direct sow into a bed I wait till summer heat is consistent.

It would make a good experiment thou to see if they come up. I had some volunteers in my beds one year so they must do ok outdoors over the winter. They just didnt come up till late summer.

Gymgirl, I think I will try a jug and see what happens.If it fails, its just a couple of seeds lost, right?

Mary,

I'm in a colder zone than you and mine that is out in the garden comes back year after year.

grrrrigeek
dusty miller plant, at least for me, is hardy so I would say take some but not all of your seeds to see how it does for your WS.

Without experiment how would we ever advance.

Janet

Thanks for the great info on coleus and dusty miller, neither of which I would have ever thought to WS, but I'm going to experiment--why not? Jugs are cheap!

Janet, Coleus comes back for you? or Dusty Miller?

Dusty Miller is hardy for me too but not coleus. Nothing is easier to start from a cutting than coleus though. Last year I cut up a whole gangly coleus houseplant & turned it into 13 new little plants - plus the stub grew back...

thank you stephanietx one more thing. i have a lot of wildeflower seed . i would like to ws on the ground .zone 5 . we have 4 in of snow . more coming the 9-10. of feb. when that is gone an still wet. would that be a good time to ws? would you like some (cockscombs) seed my e-mail is jlmcv45@yahoo.com. jim thank you jim.

Jim... I dont understand what you mean by "i would like to ws on the ground" ... is that for putting the containers on the ground, or seeds directly on the ground?

>>when that is gone an still wet. would that be a good time to ws?

again... not sure i understand.

If you wanted to WS into containers right now... just stick the containers right out into the snow. that's what we folks up north do.