lessons learned for next year #5

I am so jealous. I am going to do some wintersowing, but very little since I promised my DH and myself that this year my energy was going to go into the existing gardens not making anymore. There is really so much to do in them that I need a summer to tidy them up before they are overgrown and out of hand.

Right now I only have 16 kinds of seeds to wintersow. My neighbors won't believe it when they see so few milk containers out on my patio. I will just have to read about what others are doing and get my kicks from that.

Last year was my first for wintersowing, and I didn't use tape. The lids stayed loosely closed and everything did beautifully.

Jan. '07 was my first year too. I used one twist-tie (mostly Christmas ornament hangers) to keep my lids on. I may use both twist-ties on some and a strip of duct tape on some as well for this year.

With the snow on them and the wind we get I don't dare leave them without tape. I use duct tape.

Hi everyone, I just joined so I could post on this subject.

I am learning so much about this WS. At first I was wondering what kind of people toss those little seeds out into the cold winter , then thought its the kind of people that takes winter dips into the icey lakes type of people, the tough kind of people, the die hards in gardening. So I'm going to jump in and WS too. I love a challenge.

I have garden for many years but this is the first to hear about WS.

Q, can I use 5gal buckets w/ a heavy sheet of clear plastic on top using duct tape . These are buckets I got from the bakery , free. they are white. I have about 200 so I hope these would work.

Q should I put containers right on the ground with a southern exposure? Can I put on a deck with lots of sun. Is one place better then the other?

Ths for help on this amazing way to start seeds. The thing is it makes sense.

Hi, Lindawalkabout! This is my first year to WS too . . . and I'm fighting the urge to bring my seedlings in from the cold!

From what I've read in these posts . . . you never know what will work for you until you try. I would think the 5 gallon buckets would work. Grow_Jo last year grew some mg seeds in a pot and put the plastic sheet over the top, and that worked for her.

As far as exposure, I'll leave that to someone who knows more on the subject.

Hey there Linda... and welcome! I agree with Syrumani. The buckets will be fine. You won't need to fill them up with soil all the way to the rim. Just so there's 4" or more of soil. You'll need space for the seedlings to grow up under the plastic without touching the plastic. By that time, when they start to germinate, you'll start to vent the plastic to allow for air circulation. Once they start reaching for the plastic you can then add sticks for risers. Once frost is no longer a threat, the plastic can come off completely.
For your question about placement of your containers, it would be best that they not be exposed to direct sunlight all day long. They'll dry out quickly in the direct sunlight. Some shade cast on them during the early to mid afternoon would be best. Sitting them on the ground is fine too. Just make sure dogs and other critters can't turn them over. I'm sitting my containers inside clear plastic tubs with holes for drainage. This way, they will be confined together, keeping my dogs from knocking them over.

I do hope you enjoy Dave's Garden. There are many interesting forums and articles to read.

Deborah/Cordeledawg

Hi Lindawalkabout: I'm a novice, but I would think you'd need to poke some holes in your sheet of plastic so the rain and snow will keep your soil moist.

Oh my stars, yes! LOL

How tall are the buckets? With 4" of soil in them I wouldn't think you would need to worry about the seedlings touching the plastic. I haven't had problems with the ones that did touch the plastic anyway.

This isn't an exact scientific experiment it is amazing what people use for containers. I have tried green plastic bottles and didn't get anything to grow and other people use them all of the time.

One of the things I do like to do is I have two large pots I grow petunias in for my patio. I winter sow them in the pots so I don't have to transplant them, just thin them out and they are ready to grow. That works in zone 4 for you should all be able to do that.

I like that Idea, Zen about planting your patio plants in the containers you plan to use them in anyway! I have several seed varieties of host butterfly vines that I plan to use in hanging baskets. Great idea to just go ahead and use the intended containers for those! It never crossed my mind! Thanks for that tip!

and dont forget the drain holes in the bottom of the buckets.

Oh since the soil is to the top of the pot I make a tent of plastic over it rather than having it flat.

Speaking of petunias, has anyone successfully WS the Wave Petunia? I purchased some seed because I need dozens of these for the church gardens, and hope to avoid paying the $5 a small pot for them.

*Head slapping!* Why didn't I think of planting them in the pots? Too simple for me, l suppose. Always overthing things, LOL! See, that's why I need y'all so much:-)

Ths everyone , I think I'll give the buckets a try then.

Thank you Cordeledawg for the welcome and thanks for the help , great info

Syrumani , we'll have a lot to share with the group on our new way of starting seeds,lol


Zen the 5 gal buckets are 13" some 15' tall , 12 .13" diameter. Great ideas you give us on WS

I'll drill holes in them ( thanks ,tcs1366)
guess I won't use those to carry water anymore : )

And poke holes in the top sheet plastic ,( thanks happy_macomb )

This is way to exciting
best in gardening this season

got a blanket of snow this morning

Cordeledawg
I hope you have lots of containers ready for your new seeds. Maybe they will get there today or tomorrow.

Peggy/dylancgc

LOL You know, Peggy, I'm watching for my mailman everyday in anticipation of your seed package! I'm going to be a wintersowing maniac I'm sure of it.

thank you, maybe I will early spring sow them. I never plant in the garden before Mother's day, despite our April 15 last frost date. I think the plant suppliers give that date so they will sell twice as much when the first batch is ruined.

I got wave petunias with ws last year.

OH!! So this is where all the 'wintersowing' discussion is?!! Hi, everybody!

I've been watching the WS forum wondering if everyone died!! I didn't think of looking under the 'stickies' 'til just today!

I just started setting up my containers yesterday and I'm making Dymo labels for them tonight (big 'mix up' problem with my more casual labeling techniques from years past!).

Couldn't find milk bottles, but found some great clear plastic low boxes at Lowe's for not many $$ to use. And made a deal at my Feed 'n Seed store for a broken (huge) bag of Promix potting soil. Found some Osmocote controlled release 4 month fertilizer on sale and some of those 'crystals' for water retention to add in, too. (In past years I used the Miracle Gro planting mix with the crystals and fert included and the crystals seemed to be a 'good thing' as far as keeping the containers damp enough.)

So I'm almost ready to go. Will work on it more tomorrow and in the meantime read the rest of this thread from the bottom up!

Happy wintersowing! t.

hey Tabasco..... WB to the WS chatter.

also known as T.

Hi Tabasco.

Cape Cod: I've never WSown petunias but plan to this year. (Laura Bush type). Petunias tolerate cold pretty well, so I'm sure they could be sown earlier than more tender things, like zinnia. I'll probably do them around early to mid March. Most petunias don't mind a little frost.

Karen

Thanks, Karen! I'm going to take your good advice and WS my petunias according to your time schedule in March.

Cape Cod I did all of my winter sowing in February last year. February is our coldest month. The petunias went into gal milk jugs out in the snow like all of the rest. My zinnias went out then as well. I figure since they self sow and those seeds are outside all winter I can do that to. Minnesota has cold winters. We have cold warnings out for no travel this evening. Tonight's temperature is going to be -15º with a wind chill of between -25 and -35º. Last winter the only problems I had were with early warm weather 70's and then a cold spell.

This will be my third year ws'ing. I put my containers on my stone patio with southern exposure and no shade. They have done fine every year. I do keep an eye on them once the plants are big enough to pop the lids over so they don't dry out. When they are seedlings, you don't have to worry as they don't absorb the water yet.

I'm wondering why no one seems to use regular plastic plant pots with large baggies over them? Is there some reason not to? I have a ton of pots from all the plants I've bought, as I'm sure you do too!

I couldn't see why you couldnt use them.... especially if you are going to keep them in that pot.
as long as the seeds would be in about 4" of soil ... then enough room to grow [ceiling height] -- they should be fine.

I don't use them since I get the milk cartons free, they are easier to set out in the snow and the milk cartons hold more seed. I do know people that use individual pots for plants they plan on selling.

I think some do use the plastic plant pots with baggies over them. They work quite well for small WS projects.

I WS directly into my planter boxes and cover them with clear plastic painters' drop cloths (with slits cut into it) and it works OK, too.

I've WS this year into my planter boxes, they fit into my plastic bins so I don't have to bag them.

What do you mean by "they fit into my plastic bins?"

In place of plastic bags covering containers or milk jugs, I'm using large plastic bins (like rubbermaid). They are the milky see-through ones, with a see-through lid, not colors. I have the long, tray like window boxes in there, large plastic cups, plastic pots from previous year's purchases, 2-liter soda containers (cut off), and so on. I decided on this method because we have strong winds, little long lasting snow, and I have a big dog & a neighbor's dog who roam the yard and stick their noses into everything. I saw this on another thread from previous years information, they are like mini coldframes. They are sitting in a row on top of the raised vegetable garden, not in use right now.

cathy4 what a great idea, do you still put holes in the lid part and drainage holes too? Maybe the large enough room you don't need to and just water them when needed.

They all need holes still, water trickles in and out. They form moisture drops at the top just like the bags. I've not had to water any of the first batch I put out a few weeks ago, but I did have to add more drainage holes at the bottom of the bin, I had little puddles. If you buy them, look for ones that already have cracks (like the bottom corners), they should sell them to you for at least half off the regular price, and a little duct tape closes them up. I'm considering using the green colored ones for large pots as I'm trying to raise my beds for sitting while I garden.

Well do on the chip and dent containers , I'm going to the store later to get dirt so I'll be checking this out and planting this weekend : )

it just popped up to 4* oh what a time to garden outside ,lol

Have a good one

Cathy -- that is exactly what I had wanted to do... but been too cheap to buy those boxes. I too have a big dog who would definitely "play" with my milk jugs ... I know that happened to one gal last year.... dog thought the jug was a toy and tossed it about the back yard.

and i hear ya on the winds. I try to keep most of mine in card board boxes to keep them together.

6"pots in ziplock bags worked well for me last year (I went to those when I ran out of milk jugs). As an experiment I filled one of those plastic crates that Brent&Becky's bulbs come in (like those for school size milk cartons) with 4" peat pots, and sowed them with Iceland poppies and larkspur. I wrapped the whole thing in heavy, clear plastic, and it worked beautifully. Those 2 are said not to transplant well and that was the inspiration. They did dry out worse than everything else, but the poppies seemed to like that, while the larkspur did not appreciate it (lost a hand full to this, but still had plenty that did well).

I'd like to try an opaque plastic bin with a hinged lid. I think it would be so easy to just fill it with pots for my sprout hungry eyes to check easily.