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

Steph,
You still with us? I heard ya'll got 11" of snow last night!!!! a RECORD!

Let us hear that you're ok. I know the WSed plants are doing fine.

Linda

I am amazed at the amount of snow everyone is getting! Does it normally snow in Texas?

All of last year there was freaky weather all across the country. "It 'ain't ovah!"

holy cow!! 11 inches. we didnt even get that much.

I feel bad for the people in areas that aren't used to this stuff. Almost makes me wish it was here instead. Almost.

It's enough for me...

here was my back patio

here was my view when i opened the garage door.

Yay, I've started! Last year was my first try at WSing and I was not all that successful so I wasn't sure I wanted to try it again. But I'm not l going anywhere this winter (unlike last year) so I'm giving it another try. I got 7 jugs planted today: berlandiera, echinops, delphinium, cosmos, some mystery small alliums, nigella, and Chinese lanterns. They are all seeds collected by me or by friends. The last two are from old seed, but I have nothing to lose if they don't grow - the others will!

I am here! We got 11.3" of snow and NO it doesn't normally snow THIS MUCH in my part of Texas! LOL We usually get a dusting (not more than 3") every year, but this year, the heaven's just opened up and dumped on us all day on Thursday.

You can see some pics on my blog (not my gardening blog), http://stephanies-stitching-and-musings.blogspot.com/ .

Here is looking out our front room window looking out at the front yard and the road out fron. This was 4 years ago. It was two days before the trees and snow were cleared so we could get down the road. We were lucking we didn't lose power. It was a record for us, we usually just get a dusting.
So now I am not going to complain about the cold and rain that is not turning into snow. : )

WOW, I hope everyone's roses in Texas survive the snow! Mine are used to it, but they are all hardy ones, and some of them still don't make it. We are getting flurries today. Tiffany is barking at the squirrels and icicles dropping from the roof. I had to move some seedlings so that she could look out the window upstairs.

Nice to see another stitcher and knitter, Stephani. I have been mostly knitting, lately. I love the look of cross stitch and want to try some machine embroidery cross stitch designs. (I haven't done much hand cross stitch, I like embroidery with lots of stitches, someday I will do a sampler when I find the "perfect" design)

I am such a bad procrastinator!! I still haven't gotten started on my WSing.. but since I'm further north now, I guess it doesn't matter. Right??? :)
I'm hoping to get some going this weekend.. we'll see LOL..

I have been slacking off too.. don't feel bad

me too, haven't started at all. Can't lift anything with my right hand so I guess that's somewhat of an excuse (NOT).

I think that it's basically just fine to procrastinate a bit in our zones--Mother Nature will still give the seeds the chilling that they need in Feb or Mar or April, (for the less hardy seeds.) The reason to WS in Dec. or Jan, IMHO, is because one just can't WAIT to get those hands in dirt. I know I can't.

I wintersowed my first seeds yesterday. Three jugs of sweet peas which I had wanted to start several months ago. It is really warming up now (69 degrees yesterday) so it doesn't really feel like I am wintersowing LoL. The seeds were old - 1992, 1995, and 2003. Will see if any of them are viable.

you'll be surprised what is good. I read on a thread one time that someone collected seeds from their childhood and used it as art or kept it or something and then germinated them and they were fine. how cool is that?

very cool

My WSing project has come to a standstill. Between the snow and a horrible case of bronchitis that took me out of work for 2 days, I've done nothing except sleep and hack and cough! I plan on attempting to get back at it today, but we'll see how that goes!

hope you feel better

Today's my first day back, too. All day in bed Saturday & 1/2 Sunday. Then went out and tried a little bit, and ended up having to take Monday and Tues. off.

But, the DH put up a hoophouse for me yesterday, and moved all the jugs from the spa to the concrete launching pad. How cool is that? Used sheets in a pinch, and will be looking for Viscount? Construction Grade Plastic? to make a proper cover.

It went down to the low 30s last night. Hope they did ok.

I've noticed a few of my seedlings have swooned, and I'm praying it's not the dreaded damping off! A coupla my jugs did hold some extra water in the last downpour so I've opened the tops hoping they'll dry out quickly!

I'll post a pic when my Blackberry allows me to!

I felt well enough to do some jugs today. I did about 15 more. Most are herbs, but the veggies will be next, esp. tomatoes.

So, Steph, you're just now doing your tomato seeds? When is your plant out date for tomatoes?

Is there an end in sight for this snow? I am hearing we have one more week until spring is here. I'm ready to get out the blowdrywer to melt the snow! LoL

I think it'll be longer than a week *sigh*.
Dry here, but cold.

Yes, I'm just doing them. I have no idea when the plant out date is, but it's been so cold that they probably wouldn't have sprouted anyway.

I wish I could chance starting a few more seeds, but all mine are 75 to 90-day indeterminates and I'd run out of time before the heat sets in.

I might start a few more seedlings in late April for another plantout in late June. That's still very "iffy" 'cause I'd have to nurse them through the summer and into fall.

I'm seeing visions of a drip system with sprayers to cool the roots....

Hello everyone! I kind of fell off the face of the earth for a while, but I do hope to get started with some wintersowing soon. I am getting more inspired by reading your posts.

It went sooooo well for me last year! I loved it. I can't wait to see what comes up again this year.

I have been saving milk jugs (every one!) since I stopped sowing last spring..... and I have 5 boys..... and I can't get into my shed anymore..... do you think that will be enough?

I am just hoping I can afford to buy soil to plant in this year. It does add up. One thing I am so bummed about is that I saved some seeds from my own plants last fall, I was so excited to have some to replant and spread around. I had them drying in paper cups and paper plates in the kitchen. Well, my 8yo decided to help me clean the kitchen one day while I was out. He threw out every single one! Ahhhh, I just about cried.

I do have quite a stash though of seeds I traded for and bought last summer, so I am sure some of them will still be good.

LisaD, so sorry about your seeds! But yah gotta love those helpers, huh?

LoL I feel your pain! People just don't understand how much we love our seeds and plants. Lisa D I have some seeds I would be happy to share with you. Please, dmail me if there are any seeds you would like to have. I will check my stash for you.

Thanks Anita! That is so sweet. For this year, I think I will see what comes up from the ones that I gathered from. I do kind of a gathering, scattering thing for the ones that have a lot of seed so we will see. : )

I am torn though this year because we will be gone for 6 weeks from the end of May to July 5th. I hesitate to sow anything that I would be emotionally attached to this year, and then leave it in the hands of our faithful house-sitter (college student) for that long. There are a few things that I just want volume plants of, and so for those I will probably sow them in several jugs, and fill in the gaps from last year.

I have an acre, and it is still pitifully empty. But I figure little by little I will be able to see it come to life.

Lissa... good to "see" you again.

Terese

My very first WS babies have poked their little green heads out of the soil. Marion and Green Grape tomatoes. I am so excited. I feel like I want to go out with a flashlite and check on the during the night. I have about 25 jugs sown now. More tomorrow.
Wish I would have known about WS a long time ago.

Yay!!!!! Success!

Congratulations, ValleyGirl!

I am soooooooooooooo stoked about Winter Sowing.

I think that, in honor of all of Karen's hard work in diligently and succinctly, and lovingly and sometimes with a good stiff steel toe boot kick, providing her johnny-on-the-spot replies to our MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY questions regarding this new sport, we should adopt a Winter Sowing slogan of some sort and have it printed up on Tee-Shirts.

I'll begin the discussion of our slogan with my suggested banner:

"Winter Sowing -- It's Better Than the Olympics!"

And, here's my latest contribution to our WSing updates. The final count came in at 29 bells and 8 hot pepper plants for a grand total of 37 WS peppers!

This message was edited Feb 19, 2010 9:44 AM

Or, how about this:

"Winter Sowing -- The NEW Olympic Sport!"

don't I wish it happened that fast!!!

Yeah, we NEED a t-shirt! Great idea!

CONGRATS on your success GG!!!!

My jugs still look the same

Karen

But, you get a Tee-shirt with your initials at the bottom....how "COOL" is that? (Pun intended)...