Will you be Winter-Sowing this year?

I have sooooo many seeds! Yesterday I did one container of purple cleome, then another of Rose Queen cleome, and another of pink and white cleome, and another of just white cleome, then one of pink and rose coloured delphiniums. Another of Jewelweed, a container of catanache, then penestomen (spelling?)

I already have tibetan blue poppies, genetian, rose of sharon, sea holly, and hardy geranium started.

I probably have seeds enough for 300 containers! EGADS what am I to do?

Keep planting, you know you want to.

Haha Al...If anymore show up YOU are gonna come and get rid of them!

If any newbies are interested - I created an instruction page. http://lakehousecreations.com/wintersowing_directions.htm

Seandor, do you have anything that you can direct sow? I'm trying to pare down my w/s list by finding some things that I can direct sow.

Yes - stuff like california poppies - but some of the annuals grow in cooler weather - so I need to start them early

Next year, there will be fewer perennials to start, so each year I can be more and more selective.

I am hoping to get some of the neighbours to help me :-)

I don't see why you couldn't direct sow columbines, and geraniums - they do it themselves, after all. At least in my yard. x, C

carrie, that's what I was thinking. at least some of them. the annuals have to be started earlier, like Michaela said, or it's a waste. but the self-seeding perennials are worth a shot.

I ain't got no space for no annuals in no windows and no greenhouse. Winter sowing, I can manage! :>) x, C

Emily, how do you make those blue quotes? x, me

Yes - is there a primer on how to do fancy things on DG?

Look in the HMMMM well I have an article coming out soon that includes a link, I was just way too lazy to find it last night.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/dgfaq/all/
there (above) is a link to the DG FAQ which is a forum in the Dave's Garden Forum (in the way far right under communities).
Feb. 4 an article will be published (by one of your ten top favorite NE Forum writers, me) that has links left right and center and will probably leave you more confused.

And, at the top of every page, way at the top in the blue navigation bar, is a FAQ which opens a link to all some of the answers.

xx, Carrie

Just out of curiosity, do you guys save your containers for re-use, or do you start fresh with new ones each year?

Carrie, you did it!! I warn you; it's addictive (blue quotes, I mean.)

I carefully saved all my tiny teensy way too small 2oz soda containers, although I did cleverly avoid cutting the lids off all together with a nifty clothespin method. [Let me say it here: my containers were fully large enough for 4" of soil and 4" of head room.] Winter sowing does bring out the winter wackiness in some of us! Others of us always are wacky.
xx, Carrie

Carrie, I never heard of 2-oz. soda containers. What are they and what do you do with them - they sound awfully small. What do you do with the clothespins?

And, yes, we are a wacky bunch - winter or not!

I've posted this a couple of places, but I think it bears repeating, because not everyone goes to the other forums...

link to Hudson's seeds...has a lot of good info about germination and how long it takes, what seeds are hard to germinate, which ones need cold stratification, etc

oh, yeah..they also sell seeds, but it's not like a regular commercial site (everything is $2 a pack, I think)

http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/index.htm

enjoy ... jan

Jan, I checked out Hudson's site and, even though it looks good, I won't be going back there due to his strong, public, stand on evolution and Darwinism. It's too bad that he had to ruin the chance of a new customer because of airing his personal views.

If I had an online business (I'm a Christian), I wouldn't go spouting Creationism on my website. It's just not professional. I sent him an e-mail to let him know that.

Jan thanks for the link... info is great

Two way street, I got plants from a online grower with bible sayings on the labels, which was not what I wanted to be receiving from a plant grower when I ordered digitalis and petunias. Plus many died after she sent my plants to another person and sent to me her order. She made no effort to make up for her giant screw up which was human and forgivable. We each had to repack and resend the orders to each other and she made no gesture to make up for the mess. But in the end I didn't complain because I didn't want to do more business with this proselytiser and rather ungenerous person. If she had spent more time taking care of her plant orders and less time sticking bible verse on my plant labels, I would have been better served. At least he is up front about his views. She wasn't. But I agree with you, that a business should leave their religious thoughts out of their dealings with people, it is offensive and rude. Plus, obviously, bad for business Patti

I know whom you mean Patti - I've done a LOT of business with her, but she changed her website checkout so you can see what the shipping is upfront, instead of later. I ignore the bible verses, her prices are so cheap, but you have to be there the day they arrive and transplant instantly and plan on 10% - 40% loss, which makes it not so cheap. i like the way it's shipped in shredded newspaper (not styrofoam).
Once the shipping cost was right there to see, and I knew how to winter sow, I stopped ordering from her. (I think.)

Sue, there are no 2 oz soda containers, that's just me being silly. If there were, how could there be room for 4" of soil and 4" of head room? I forget all my geometry but say 8" tall and maybe 0.25" diameter? Sounds like Forestfarm's plugs, maybe.

I put out 11 containers Friday, now everyone must drink more milk.

x, silly Carrie

I get information wherever I can and ignore politics/religious viewpoints, whether or not I agree with them. I agree that it's unprofessional to mix it with business, but if that's what he chooses to do, and he loses customers because of it, it is his business.

well said, grampapa.

Carrie, you're a hoot! I can't believe I was so gullible!

I'm proud to say that I put out my first thirteen containers this weekend. What a great feeling to know that it's so easy to do, and I'm not taking up extra indoor space. Yahoo!

I was a failure last year, so I will just enjoy all your enthusiasm. Fingers crossed for you all. I am going back to my old indoor sowing. But you do tempt me. Patti

Patti, I'm sorry that it backfired on you. but I hate for you to give it up. I had a bunch of stuff that didn't germinate, but I wound up with so many plants that I totally forgot about the ones that didn't make it. If they had all grown I never could have gotten them all planted.

why do you say you were a failure? did nothing grow for you?

A very low percentage, but I had done a backup with the same seeds the old fashioned way and they did well. I don't know what happened as I am pretty good about directions. It might have been just the strange weather we had last year. But I may try a few things that I have too many seeds of anyway. I want to see more pictures of every ones set up and location to get some ideas. I do like hovering over my seedlings, so maybe I am just not emotional equipped for winter sowing. Did you ever do snap dragons this way? Patti

I had zero luck with my snaps. but I'm trying again this year. I may do what you said and start some inside as well.

See, I have zero space inside, so winter sowing was a real gift for me. But Patti, if you like to hover, then you can kill these babies by hovering too much! Like when I gave my D#1 a plant she couldn't kill by forgetting to water it. She remembered to water it, and thus, killed it - it was a cactus! If you have the space indoors and you like to nuture each leaf, by all means, do so. xx, Carrie

Carrie, I just put down a very nice shade of blue plastic tarp on one end of the living room floor and pretend it is Très Chich! I do also have a GH, but it is a passive solar one, so wild fluctuations in temperatures that the babies hate it. I spend too much time moving the kids in and out once it starts to get warmer during the day but too cold at night. But I do love the hovering. Too funny about your DD. Patti

Time permitting, there will be some w/s going on this weekend! I can't wait to smell the soil again!

Neither can I, Candyce--this is going to be my WS Weekend!! I've started washing and preparing my containers, which are flowing out like a tide of plastic from the untidy corner of the basement where I've been saving them all year. . .
Does anyone have a really good suggestion for a tool to cut the tops and slice the drain holes? I've broken two craft-knife blades and dulled several knives on the tough plastic of my various bottles and jugs. The thin translucent milk jugs are easy, but the white Hood milk containers, to say nothing of the detergent bottles, etc., are TOUGH! (And I must have 100 of them.) I keep thinking longingly of large sharp tools. . a recipe for disaster, for sure! Would a hardware store have really good craft knives?

You have 100 containers? Lucky you!

I'd take one of the containers to the store and try out different tools until you find just the right one.

How about one of those pocket knives? Not a Swiss Army, but a single blade that's only a couple of inches long. They sell them at Walmart in the sporting section. And get one of those little v-shaped knife sharpeners.

I'm using a sturdy paring knife, and have a knife sharpener. Works good.

I put the containers on a board and used an electric drill. It worked great, too bad I was such a failure in my WS. The containers looked great. Patti

Hey, that's a good idea, Patti! I have one of those smaller/slender Black & Decker cordless drills.

I have drilled holes in my tough plastic containers also and it worked out very well. I just left the cap uncovered per the instructions that I followed. When I used aluminum pans with the coordinated plastic cover, I made slits in the plastic cover. Do you think that just leaving the cap open on the milk and soda containers is enough to let in the moisture?

Just added Blackeyed Susan "blushing suzy" to the group. I loved the way they grew up over my deck from 6 feet off the ground and mingled with the morning glories.

Roses, that is a lovely combo you have there! Makes me wish for spring even more!!