Growing coke bottles

Paridise, I'd strongly recommend clear bottles. You don't want a waterproof liner, since you'll need drainage at some point. Early in the spring, before the outdoor soil and air are very warm, the bottles will act as little greenhouses. You need the light.

Weezingreens
Thanks, I had that feeling-it would need light...
Ingrid

Weezingreens, thanks for getting back with me. Now I get the idea! And how smart can you get over the "seam" idea. I always have to learn the hard way, so this time I don't! I am so ready for the new seed catalogs. I want to start planting!
Idaho is a little tricky about the cold weather. It may warm up nice during the day, but the nights stay cold for a long time. Tender annuals aren't safe here until the middle of may and then you still have to watch the nights. Nice in the summer though, the temps stay around 60-65 at night. Thanks, again

I haven't tried the coke bottles as yet. I've got some big pretzel tubs I want to use this winter. I'm going to wait until around February, I think. My climate has issues, too, sunnyskies. Our winters are fairly mild with some cold weather thrown in here and there. It rains a good part of the early winter, so having covers on the winter sowing is important. I'm going to use some good sterile starter mix with vermiculite. I thought about water crystals, but if you get too many of those, it looks like jellow salad! LOL!

sorry for cross pollinating :) - I just received the most wonderful package of poppy seeds from Nadi. How is the best way to propagate these (winter sowing in place, in bottles, in greenhouse or cold frame)? Thanks for all your advise and help! It's invaluable to me and forgive me when I repeat myself - sometimes between work and kids - I'm just a smidge forgetful!

Mindy

mkeilers, what type of poppies are they? I'm guessing somniferum, and if that is the case, you can try spreading some seeds this fall and letting them come up in the spring, or you can winter sow them, or you can start them indoors in the spring, or you can plant them outdoors in the spring. If you have much seed, you could sprinkle some out in an area you will not be disturbing in the spring, then plant a few indoors in case they don't come up. Somniferum will probably re-seed themselves for you if you pick a spot where you won't be turning the soil all the time. Probably the best info would come from someone with similar climate to yours.

Bump! This thread is a treasure, so much information.

Thanks, Katy! I was looking for this one the other day. Now you've found it for me!

poppysue: Don't those cardboard boxes just disintegrate when they get wet from rain and snow?

Karen

Karen, yes they do... but they'll last for 1 season! It gets windy enough here that I have to use something to corral my plastic containers. I also found that a cardboard box will hold water for just a little while before draining away, so you can splash water into the box with the hose and water your containers from the bottom (a good technique for warmer spring days when there hasn't been any rain for a bit).

Ooh, I like that carboard box idea. I've used old plastic dish washing tubs, but then if you get a hard rain, you have floating container....not a good idea. The cardboard will drain all on its own. And then I can use it instead of newspaper under my mulch in the spring. Waste not, want not. :)

excellent idea!

Great recycling project, Critter!

Weezin, have you done much wintersowing since this thread?

:)

Susan