Winter sowing luck anyone?(Iowan's in particular),pics?

I dont belive my winter sowing worked so well, its been around 8 weeks, no sign of life yet, all of my seedling 'houses' (freezer bags w/holes) still have moisture in them so I think that part worked ok........I'm I too impatient? Or have I failed? Or is it too early in Iowa? We've had a pretty mild winter this year -- maybe thats the problem. I planted seeds that were listed on the 'http://www.wintersown.org' web site. Maybe its because I put the freezer bags in a protective cold frame? I'll bet thats it.

Have any of you had luck doing this method?

I think you're just getting impatient. Give it a bit more time and just make sure things don't dry out on you. :) Things should start popping soon. :)

Diann
IA Z5a

Thanks Diann, I'm hoping to get at least 1/3 of seeds popping up, if I ever see one you'll hear about it cause I'll be really exited! This is my 1st try at winter sowing. Jill

Jill, my first year winter-sowing was last year and I got about 90 percent germination. I had so many plants that I was grabbing people off the street and giving them plants. How many containers did you do and what did you sow? :)

diann

oh my, lots of things, I did a bunch of seeds,onions,black berry lily's,tomato's,peppers,cosmos,
and my favorite flower cleome, and some others too, I cant remember all of them, I also threw in
an evergreen seed of some kind, I'm thinking I should have set all of the bags on the side walk in front of our deck but I was afraid of critters getting to them ---- so they're in a cheap 'Big Lots' little green house.

Are they in bags in the Big Lot's little green house? If so, you'll really need to watch them so that they don't dry out or cook......

I did mostly poppy, columbine, flax, coneflower, and did I mention poppies? :) Yeah, I like poppies. I have a bunch of stuff left to do and I plan on getting it done this weekend.... I've got 6 packs of Snow in the Summer to get sown.... More coneflower and oh yeah, poppies. :)

Diann

Yep , they're in freezer bags, still have moisture on the walls of all the bags. Should I open them all up when we gat a nice sunny warm day and let them air out?

You'll need to watch it closely so that the bags and the inside of your little green house don't get so hot that it cooks your seedlings. Heat takes out more seedlings than cold.... I would advise you to read the Winter Sowing FAQ at http://www.wintersown.org/ Trudi really can answer your questions far better than I can. :)

Diann

Thanks Diann

I'm in your same zone and I've just gotten a few sprouts this week (shasta daisies and nemophilia). Most of my containers haven't sprouted. They will all sprout soon.

I've got some flax, poppy, and yarrow sprouting. :) I still have a ton of stuff to get sown.....

Diann

I have a 'pea' vine that has sprouted, thats all, one little pea vine. I think I'll use something different to pot up the seeds next year, some of the peat containers look like they may be moldy --- I'm not sure --- they look weird. Next winter/spring may be different. Jill

Jill, I found that the peat containers tended to dry out for me. Just don't get in a hurry to throw things out just yet. You still have a lot of time for things to germinate. I'm still sowing stuff....

Diann

Thanks Diann , I'll be patient, are you going to Round up? It will be my 1st. With any luck I'll have a 'lil' something to bring to trade. I'll definetly bring my famous (by my family and friends any way) Ham balls, and probably some charcol to keep them warm, or a chafing dish ---- I'm not sure yet. Jill

Jill, Most likely not, that's prime gardening season for me and I don't travel well or far during gardening season.: ) But ya know, if I get everything done I need to get done, well, then maybe. I've got a lot of gardens to get cleared off and weeded before I ever think about leaving the farm. But those famous ham balls sound interesting. :)

Diann

I'll send you the recipe, they're really good! If you're farming I know you're busy! Happy gardening and farming! Jill

This message was edited Mar 31, 2005 8:55 PM

Jill, no, no, we don't farm, we just live on an old farm acerage.. Yes, we have a couple tractors (my garden tractor and Ollie). But we don't actually "farm" anything. I just have a lot of perennial beds, something close to fifteen beds. Mostly shade gardens, and probably six or so sun beds. It keeps me busy.

My brother and nephew are the farmers, or so they think. Yep, they are preparing their equipment and getting ready for the spring planting season. Yeah, they work on their equipment for a couple of months before hand and then they plant their 5 acres of corn or beans. :)

Diann

Yippeeeee!!!! Diann was right! I have all kinds of seeds suddenly sprouting! I'm so excited! I have alot of Aunt Molly's ground cherry, a few 'White Cucumber', 1 hosta, lots of Tomato's, hot peppers and mild. I think I have 1 Stella De Oro lily too. I was hoping to have a lot of Blackberry lily sprouting, I'll give them some more time. I cant believe this works! Now I'll have plenty of plants to share at the Iowa Daves Garden Roundup. Some of these I'll be able to pot up and move into larger zip lock bags and move them into a warmer location.

Jill, just wait, the blackberry lily will pop in no time. I can't seem to ever get rid of that out of my perennial beds. :) I'm really glad you are happy! I've still got some seeds to sow.. ;)

Diann

I kinda like the Blackberry lily, I like the way it keeps flowering and I like how the leaves are like the Iris leaves. I'm on the lookout for some 'Love Lies Bleeding' that I planted straight in the ground, and some poppy seed and my favorite flower Cleome. Maybe I should have done those in zip lock bags too. We'll see.