How is your Winter sowing going???

never winter sowed!!!! should i have already started??? Didnt think you could do that in the winter new at this never had a yard before and im just starting out with alittle under 2 acres 1/2 of which is wooded or some what wooded. any sugg. on what i can plant in the woods to add some flowering?

Anita,
The only annuals that I wait til later to do are Zinnias and Morning Glory. Last winter I did Godetia, Petunia, Pansy, annual Bachlor Buttons and Asters, Cosmos, annual Poppies, Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate, Nicotania, Love-in-a-mist etc in January and February. My Bachlor Buttons were the first to sprout. They were amazing.
I only did one milk jug of the Godetia and I had wished I had done more because they were one of the prettiest annual I grew. Doing lots this year. Most of my seeds I do at any time in late January and Feb. I know the first year I was so worried about using this method and I didn't truly believe it would work. But what I surprise I got in April and May when the seeds sprouted and then took off. I am a true believer now. Granted I haven't gotten into trees, shrubs, daylilies, roses, Irises or Lilies as of yet but I know others who are very successful.
As well I do expect failures whether do to seeds not being viable, soil, watering etc but when you have 100's of plants you are actually not too disappointed with the ones that do not germinate. lol
Michelle

Thanks Michelle!

sunygirl , Hi! Welcome to DG! Welcome to another Ohio gardener!

And 'No' it's not too late for here in Ohio. :-)

So get busy with your recycled milk & salad containers, planting flats, and clear plastic (zip locs, saran, etc. for covers) and you will have plenty of time to plant a beautiful garden!

There are several 'Wintersowing' threads on DG that will give you the basic process. And check on the Ohio River Valley Forum for a list of Wintersowing plants for our zones (and other gardening info about our ecosystem) .

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/573519/

This is the second year I have Wsowed-- the first year with 'some' success (my containers were not well-drained) , but this year, with a little experience and all the good directions on DG, I think I will have great success! I am especially interested in starting Butterfly and Hummingbird attracting flowers.

I planted ten more containers this morning -- Tassel Flower, Cosmos, Poppies, and a few others-- for a total of 20. I will work some more this P.M., but I, too, am worried about setting them out too early (so I'm saving some seed for a second sowing, just to be on the safe side!).

I am so glad everyone is documenting their planting 'schemes'! I am not that organized, but I am managing to keep my pots labeled with name and date.

Good luck. t.

articfire: It sounds like you're well on your way to becoming addicted to wintersowing too! Keep it up! It certainly takes care of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) & is a lot cheaper than going to a shrink!

sunnygirl25: WELCOME!! Time to get your hands dirty! Dig in and start wintersowing...NOW!

tabasco: Get those containers outside....your timing is PERFECT! They will be fine!! Remember, take that LEAP OF FAITH!!

This message was edited Feb 7, 2006 1:12 PM

Shirley,
I think I was addicted after the first year! Being from the smallest province in Canada we don't have as many nurseries here so alot of plants are just not available. When I discovered wintersowing it opened a whole new world of wonderful plants. I have always loved dianthus. They are total winners in my garden. The first year I wintersowed seeds from Dianthus Siberian Blue and Knappii well I have now have these types of Dianthus thru different parts of my perennial borders. They were so easy to grow from seed. I have about 12 different varieties to sow this year. It really helps to pass the winter here on the Island and it never feels like I have stopped gardening. Now I just have to convince dh to create some more flower beds this spring. lol

LOL. Articfire-- I empathize with your last sentence, especially! When you figure that out let me know right away! That's the hardest part of winter sowing! t.

I did all my flower beds until back problems made me quit. Now, to bypass the DH factor, which can really slow things down, I am considering hiring some help once a week.

What would you all consider a fair hourly wage for someone who would do things like mulch, transplant, plant, dig amendments into beds, possibly create a few beds: all the things I can't do because of my back?

I am interested in that answer too! ~ Suzi :)

Wow- I oughtta move to NC, missgarney...getting PAID to PLAY!!

Woohooo, I finally got a few containers sowed & out on the back deck this afternoon! I've been keeping my columbine & poppy seeds in the fridge, many since fall of 2004, so hopefully they've already had a start on this "winter" thing, LOL. I'm using plastic quart containers that I picked up at a store called Chef's Mart in NC... used my usual hot metal kebab skewer to poke holes in top & bottom. I'll probably put out some shallower salad containers again this year, as that worked pretty well for me last year (I think it helps that I add some small size moisture crystals to my potting mix), but I wanted to try some of the perennials in the deeper containers. I want to do another 8 containers of columbines (it's gonna be columbine city around our little pecan trees, LOL!) and 8 containers with different poppies. Then we'll see... dianthus, violas, penstemmon... Aaaaaaand she's off! :-)

You are definitely on your way! You should also try ws Flax either the perennial or the annual red. They are one of the first to germinate and I am sure every seed sprouts. The red Flax are the deepest red and the blue are the color of the sky. So stunning! I also ws Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine last year and the variagated foliage is terrific. I can't wait to see these this year. Well, all my containers are ready to be planted. So planning on spending Saturday sowing up a storm. Went thru the seed box and I have my list of seeds ready to go. Now I just have to stick to my plan not to ws everything! We shall see!
Michelle

tabasco, and other zone 6-ers: This is my first year WS and I am curious as to when your WS annuals matured enough to actually look pretty. I expect perennials to take 2 or 3 years to mature, but with annuals I'm always going for the most bang and long flowering season. Seems to me that by the time the WS annuals mature enough to look lush our summer might be over! Can you offer any insight here? I usually just buy flats of annuals for an instant garden. Granted the WS would be more fun but I do want those lush flowers.

Karen

kqcma-- Sorry, I don't have enough experience with Wintersowing either to know the answer.

I am growing many 'wildflower' type annuals and I imagine those will be fine, however, if you are talking about marigolds and petunias looking lush and beautiful, I wonder, too.

Did you find the list of Wintersowing plants for zone 6 in the Ohio River Valley Forum thread? Maybe that will help you, or maybe somebody there has some experience if gardeners here don't have the answer...

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/573519/

Wintersown bachelor's buttons have germinated after 1 week.

Yes, I have seen the list, but I'm not wondering so much about what can be wintersown and germinate, but rather if the tender annuals (like impatiens) would actually look good before the end of our summer. If it's going to take until mid or late July, I'd rather just buy flats and enjoy them for the few months that we're able.

I have already wintersown perennials and cool season, early germinating annuals (poppy, bachelor buttons, nigella, etc) but haven't decided on the more tender ones.

Karen

Well, I would buy impatiens myself. There are so many good sources over your way.

kcqrna: I once received a gift which was a plastic bag full of soil with impatiens seeds planted in it. The idea was to cut the top of the bag off, water the bag regularly and the plants would grow and bloom; this was for an indoor display. It was only a matter of weeks before I had flowers, and they were lovely. But like tabasco, I would probably buy them, too.

Bachelor buttons did fine for me with wintersowing last year. I think impatiens want a longer head start indoors than many (I seem to remember starting mine 10 weeks BLF), so they probably wouldn't have enough time to grow & flower if you wintersowed them. I wintersowed pansies last year, but only got tiny stunted plants... I think that by the time they really got going, it was too hot for them. I've heard violas reseed themselves readily around here, so I may try a few of them this year in my WS containers.

simultaneous posting! :-)

Well, maybe impatiens would work then.... I may try a few that way! I do grow impatiens from seed, either because I want 2 flats of them & I'm too cheap to pay the nursery prices, or because I want a variety that I haven't seen for sale around here. DH really likes the 'Rose Parade' impatiens from Burpee's.

Re the garden helper person: the candidate has suggested $18/hour, which is what he charges when he does handyman work.

Whhhhoooooooooooo I'll drive up there for $18 an hour!! I hire help and work with them when I'm very behind in my work and just can't catch up... it's usually very hard work and I pay what is very generous for around here- $12/hr.

Good luck getting a better deal!! :)

Susan

I grow a couple of annuals indoors under lights such as, Coleus, Impatients, tender Tropicals, and of course my Brugs. Shoot, wish I could wintersow them!!!

Riker, you inspired me to think bigger.. and I can get these for free. here's my start. (I hope!!)

Susan

WOW! You really are thinking big....you go girl!!!! :-)

Marc

For impatiens, I got seeds from Parks that say they are more tolerant of sun than most impatiens. I have a spot where I'd like to try them, so I probably will try to WS them and just see what happens. I can always buy a flat of annuals for there and just tuck in a few of the WS impatiens as an experiment for next year

Karen

http://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10101&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&mainPage=prod2working&ItemId=3476&PrevMainPage=textsearchresults&scChannel=Text%20Search&SearchText=sun%20impatiens&OfferCode=S1H

poppies, larspur, snapdragons, and stocks.

lettuce, native columbines, blackberry lilys, desert rose, monarda, clemitis, passion vine, echinaceas and I'm sure I've forgotten something......all started in late Oct. 2005

DMJ1218.I am amazed you started so early.Your plants look great! Do you not cover your pots?I am in Tyler and just got mine outside last week.Are you concerned about the cold weather expected this weekend? Gabriell

Yes, I'd like to know the same thing.. Do you not cover them?? It looks great!

Susan

kc--good idea-- I hope you post your impatiens wintersowing results! t.

I nevr cover anything--not seeds outside or seeds under lights. The only thing I'm bringing in is the blackberry lily because it got nipped back in Nov and its going to be real warm here in a month and I don't want them nipped again. I also brought them in to repot up to a bigger pot--I was doing some tomatoes and some stuff from under lights so they are actually inside now waiting for bigger pots.

I always start anything growing over winter in late Oct-early Nov.

You have to realize poppies, snaps, stock, larkspur will be history here about late May from heat--so I have to aim them to bloom March-April. Actually those stocks are fixing to bloom--have small buds on them (I mean really small! lol)

Here's a closer shot.

This is what I winter sowed today:

Winter Sowed on 2-15-06

Maiden Hair Grass Thanks Mark333
Green and White Fountain Grass Thanks mark333
Angel Trumpet Ballerina mix
Brug unknown Color
Datura Moonflower
Datura Lilac
Datura Lavender
Datura Purple
Datura Moonflower white
Lemon Balm
Spirea
Spirea Douglasii
Balsam
Butterfly Tulip
Rose Queen Cleome Cat wiskers
4:00 Peach
4:00 Pink
Hollyhock Apple Blossom
Dahlia Double Red
Celosia red/yellow
Rain Lilly yellow thanks mark333
Rain Lilly : thanks Mark333
Canna Indian Shot
Canna yellow
Litonia Modesta Thanks Mark333
Bouquet Dill
Bleedng Heart Vine
Flax blue
mt fuji morning glory
yellow brug
pink brug
canterberry bells lavender
Clematis
Clematis lavender
Clematis Tangutica
Clematis multi blue
Clematis pink/purple/white
Clematis jackmani
Pandorea Jasminades white
Feverfew
Blue Globe thistle
Elfwort yellow
Rudbeckia Green Wizard
Dwarf Fountain Grass
Karl Forester Grass
Silver Fountain Grass
Silver feather Grass
Quacking Grass
Switch Grass
Zebra Grass
Canary Grass
Moudy Grass
Bunny tails grass
Purple fountain grass
White Pampas Grass
Joe Pye
Blue Fescue


Vicki

Holy cow - sounds like you need a massage, glass of wine, bubble bath and a soft pillow!

And here I am today..............

Susan

Wow Susan, I'm a Piker! That's one impressive WS.

:)~~ Thanks~!

Susan

I've done a few more containers over the last week or so... I'm using some salad containers again, putting about 1 1/2 inches of mix into the "deep" side. With the moisture crystals in the mix, I think they'll be fine. This year, I'm not going to do so much potting up into cell packs... I'm going to try to steel myself and just set those tender tiny seedlings right out into the garden!

Here's my WS list to date. Most of these seeds were left over from last year. I meant to direct sow the columbines & poppies last winter, but didn't get that area cleared in time, and ran out of room to sow them under lights inside... So this will be their year! Some of these seeds I sowed last year but had enough to start more this year too. So if you see your seeds on the list, don't think I've been ungratefully neglecting them all this time!

QUART CONTAINERS

10 containers with individual varieties of columbine: 'Nora Barlowe', White, Almost Black, Purple/White, Winky Red & White, Winky Blue & White, Lavender/White, 'Tower Blue', Double Pink, 'Black Barlowe', Dwarf Fan White

6 containers with mixed columbines: McKenna mix, Heathrjoy's Mix, WZ's Mix, MallieB's Mix, GG1204's Mix, Mix from The Box

9 containers with Poppy varieties & mixes

SALAD CONTAINERS This year I said I was only going to plant one type per container, but since I can fit 3 to 5 rows of seed in each container, some ended up with multiple varieties.

1. Eupatorium, white
Chocolate Flower
2. Agastache, Honey Bee White
Agastache, Honey Bee Blue
3. Centaurea montana (Mountain Bluet)
4. Penstemon smallii
5. Salvia lyrata 'Purple Knockout' and mystery (PKO or Caradonna)
6. Sweet Fennel
Bronze Fennel
Anise
7. Nigella, white & blue
8. Linarea 'Fairy Lights'
9. Cleome, pink, purple & white mix
Verbena bonariensis
10. Veronica longifolia
Veronica teucrim
11. Bachelor Buttons, 'Blue Boy' & 'Jubilee Gem'
12. Bachelor Buttons, mixed colors
13. Gaillardia, Burgundy
Gaillardia, Yellow & Maroon
14. Bloody Dock
15. Thrift
16. Platycodon (Balloon Flower) 2 rows blue, 1 row white
17. Dianthus deltoides, WZ's mix & 'Arctic Fire'
18. Dianthus, Cheddar pinks, pinks, 'Microchop Mix', and white

I also sowed 8 varieties of morning glory into a couple of planter boxes. The boxes are a good 8 inches deep, so I'm trying to decide whether to leave them in their boxes or to build them a little raised bed by the deck... Their mission is to climb all over the railing next to DH's grill!

That's a great list.. if you want to know what all I'm growing you have to come over and look at the labels!! :)

Susan

Oh, my! I can't wait to see pictures of everyone's gardens next summer! They should be fabulous.

Susan-- will you not cover your black pots? Or don't you need to in your climate? Great pots, by the way! And where did they come from?

Critter--All of those columbines will be so interesting...I only planted Nora Barlows....now I think I should have been more creative!

I WSed a few roasting pans yesterday-- more pink peony poppies with rose cosmos and pink cleome. Hope that combo works out.

And some butterfly attractor plants--asclepias, monarda, salvia. Next week I am going to plant a giant planter with a combination of wonderful butterfly magnet plants and vines wintersowed right into it. The plants are a little tender so I'm waiting a bit to sow the seeds.

And campanulas, campanulas, campanulas!

Next spring we are going to have some wonderful Photo threads. Can't wait!

Good luck. t.