What have you tried? #2 ... 2010

Last year's WSown digitalis, probably 3 ft. in diameter. The little clump is a several year old hunk of lobelia cardinalis

Karen

I don;t know why it wouldn't work. Say you have a 10" pot. You want to plant a carex of some kind in it, a Calabrachae sicl, a Blackie sweet potato. Lol, and put a cloche (milk jug) over the top of the carex.

I started this before you posted Karen and lost it.

Love the pic of your yard Karen. I was looking at the neighbors on the other side of the fence. They have pampas grass planted with other real tall stuff in between. What is the real tall grass do you know/??

I had pampas grass in Seattle years ago and it was soooooo dirty. Nasty stuff. I don't think I had any, but looked like something rats would live in.

But I really like that real tall grass.

Jeanette

Ruds started mid summer, planted out late fall.

No way I'm going to try to cloche all this stuff. Moreover, I don't do much direct sowing because I don't know what other volunteers might show up on their own.

That's not to say that anyone else shouldn't do it. But I don't think it necessary to cloche perennials and hardy annuals for winter, and as for direct sowing--- Mother Nature often has her own plans.

Karen

Sorry, I started that post when we were talking about sowing direct as in zinnias and marigolds and then containers. Thought it was gymgirl.

Jeanette, I don't know what that grass is. Looks like pampas grass to me but I don't know much about grasses.

As usual, Jnette, I'm not sure what we're talking about. So many subjects come up on one thread that it's hard to follow.

I thought Terese was talking about direct sowing into a bed and covering with a cloche.

Karen

I might try to direct sow some hardy annuals directly in their containers in April or so, just need to keep the critters off (and the cat off the keyboard lol). I'm also going to direct sow my sunflowers and cover with something to keep the bunnies off til they're bigger. And maybe any beans or peas that may be in bunny range. Or maybe a ring of chicken wire. Whatever is in easy reach as I am lazy.

the critters usually get mine right before the bloom opens.. I have to keep them in containers on my deck to survive

Karen ---

To grrrlgeek, just put some bird netting over them loosely. the little animals don't want to get their feet caught in it. I had squirrels eating my tomatoes. I put that plastic stuff around them and that put a stop to that.

I tried that, the littler chipmunks kept getting their heads caught in it. I got tired of coming home every morning and getting nipped trying to save a rodent from strangling himself.

You wrestle with rodents???? Where were your heavy, heavy, heavy, heavy gloves???

The first time I was just strolling out to check things and I was afraid the poor thing would strangle before I got my gloves. The second time I tried with gloves on but couldn't get hold of the netting. I didn't have my sleek and fab Atlas gloves yet. They were the real small ones, so maybe young'uns. Never caught a chipzilla stuck in it.

I bet you could winter sow tomatoes safely. I planted Silentz two years ago, and it came back from seed last summer to the point where I was weeding tomatoes from the garden on and off all summer! Especially in jugs I bet they would wait for it to be safe to sprout,.. or perhaps even in the ground.

In fact, if anyone wants any 'Silentz' like offspring and lives in SE WA, I'm sure I'll have zillions again this year. The ones I did let grow were so vigorous and large that I know some tomatoes fell underneath and remained unharvested- seeding the ground for this season.

Herbie,

Years ago I lived in NY. I started tomato and peppers from seed on March 15, (mid-March). I have lived in Nebraska, and now Wyoming and still start them mid-March. WS, as I understand it, is mainly for seeds that need stratification and takes a long time to germinate, such as perennials. Nothing is gained with WS tomatoes or peppers. Both are tropical plants. They also need warm temperature to sprout.

This year I am WS Iris and Clematis seeds since they both need stratification and time to sprout. I am also doing Daylily seeds as a trial though I have them germinating easily in the house after a cold treatment.

Here they are in individual plastic containers with moist peatmoss, then placed in a bin on the north side of my house.

Here are 3 bins full of individual containers.

I am still going to do tomatoes inside. I think I will get a longer season that way. Last year we had a cold spring and an early frost. I only got cherry tomatoes.