What have you wintersowed so far????

OK newbie here, what is HOS?
Today I sowed; oriental poppy, chinese forget me nots, beets, blanket flower, & hardy hibiscus.

HOS = Hunk of Seedlings .... scan up a few posts where we are talking about "chia pets"

here is what i did this evening..... list to come later

You folks make me feel like such a slouch. I haven't started yet. Haven't really thought about it much. I really should start digging into my seed stash and deciding where to start.

Karen

here's my 15 seeds:

Actaea simplex, Bugbane
Echinacea Tennesseensis
Echinacea White Swan
Penstemon Electric Blue
Alcea Hollyhock Black Current Whirl
Mock Vervain
Strawberry Fields
Lobelia tupa
Gyposphila paniculata Babys Breath
Papaver rhoeas "Eighth Wonder"
Black Peony Poppy
Veronica spica "Sightseeing"
Eupatorium - LIttle Joe Pye
Eupatorium - Chocolate Joe
Eupatorium purpureum

Nice selection, TCS! I have Penstemon `Electric Blue' on my wish list.

I'm hoping to get seeds from it next season. I do not think it is a perennial for me ... though i may be able to push the zone if i plant next to my foundation.

Worth a try!

tcs1366, about the flood - the TV was on loud in the kitchen. My dad has a hearing problem and won't admit it. I guess I left the bathroom faucet dripping - and the drain got clogged. I walked by the bathroom later after the TV was off and heard a gurgling.Turned on the light - floodsville!

Everything is still drying out. Well, it is one way to get me to clean. You have to clean the whole thing out so everything can dry out.

Even though I'm not letting the rain in my WS jugs, I'm keeping an eye on the wetness. It is staying pretty damp right now. Later, I'll cut the tops off and let the rain and elements in, when it is warmer and the plants are big enough.

I grew some gourmet potatoes that way - they are about a foot high now.

Morning,I'm back.

1/3 I sewed:

Eupatorium altissimia Prairie Jewel
Agastache Golden Jubilee
Coreopsis Dbl. Sunburst
Cleome lutea
Pentapete phocnician..Scarlet Mallow
Callirhoe involucrata..winecups
Philadelphus lewisii..streamside mock orange
Lunraia annua variegata alba...white blooming variegated money plant
Tiarella wherryii...foamflower
Helenium...Autumn Lollypop
Spiraea tomentosa...Steeplebush
Andropogon gerardii...Big Blue Stem
Festuca glauca...blue fescue
Carex...Red Rooster
Habenaria repens...water spider orchid
Linaria ..Flamenco
Nemesia...KLM


1/4,under light on heat mat:
Cabbage..Early Jersey
Red Stem Choy Sum
Swiss Chard Rainbow Mix
Pok Choy Violetta Hybrid

hopefully these will be ready to go out in the garden by 2 or 3 week of Feb. Now I have to start saving and/or raiding neighbors trash milk jugs so I can cover them until mid-March.TRying to get a jump start on veggies for market.

and these are about all I can sew until early March when I start warmer weather annuals and annual vines.

Peggy

I have an old waterbed heater mat. Has anyone ever tried using one? It has an adjustable temperature thermostat.

You guys are starting your WSing so early. I know some of you are in warmer zones, but some of your zone 6er's and 5er's are already starting. I'm afraid to start that early, as we can still get some really freezing temps this month and next. I'm planning to start next month with my perennial seeds and in March for my annuals and veggies.

Karen

Karen -- I did start early this year. Last year i thought i started late ... but i was on a cruise at the end of Feb, so i was too busy to start early Feb, so i really didnt get rolling til the second week of March.

the year before was early Feb... and i think that worked well for my zone.

but weather-wise, ya never know what you are gonna get.. we had an early warm up in 2007, then a Freeze snap [not a cold snap mind you... it went FREEZING in April] I had to cover up my containers because i had a lot of germination. I lost a few things and some i brought in for the cold nights... or put in the garage.

so -- it's like that proverbial box of chocolates.... you just dont know what you're gonna get... weather-wise.

Terese

Karen from what I understand about wintersowing, you want your containers to go through a "winter" with the freeze and thaw cycles. The mini greenhouses are not to prevent the seeds from freezing, but only to protect the seedlings once they germinate and give them an optimal starting environment for when they do germinate. The concept is that allowing them to be exposed to mother nature, allows them to germinate and mature as they would in nature instead of forcing and babying them inside or in other artificial circumstances.

Yep, the "freezing temps" are no problem for hardy perennials... but wait until March as you plan to start sowing annuals. :-)

Yes, I was going to wait till March for my annuals. I think I will begin the end of this month for my perennials. Thanks, guys!

Karen

Sonoita: I think you are confused by what we mean by wintersowing. We start our seeds outside, in winter, exposed to the elements. No artificial heat or light involved.

Please see the wintersowing site, check back with us if you are interested in jumping in.

http://www.wintersown.org/wseo1/How_to_Winter_Sow.html

Karen

I don't think I'm confused. I have read the sight a few times. My question was in response to a post where a heating mate was mentioned for starting seeds early indoors. I have my WS containers outside like everyone else.

I'm sorry, Sonoita. I thought you were referring to wintersowing.

Sorry I can't be of help there- I start all of my seeds outside.

Karen

Sonoita.... you have an area large enough to handle a water bed heater?
I have one tiny heat mat. Not sure if i'll be able to use it this year... though i may set it up in my BR, that has southern exp.
Possibly for some coleus.

how low is the setting on your mat?

I have a large enough area, if I wanted to use it. I'm trying to get some amarylis seeds started and thought the heat would help. It goes down to 75F.

found an Amaryllis forum http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/hippeastrums/all/
they may know... other than that... i dont know where i'd ask... doesnt look like we have an "indoor sowing" forum.

Yeah, I have checked that forum out some, thanks. Sorry I didn't mean to cause such OT traffic, just wanted to throw out a question. I am excited about the WS I am doing and plan to continue to plant out containers.

Sonoita...Suggestion...Maybe try this forum? Seed Germination. Looks to include the type of question you have. Good luck!
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/germination/all/

Chocolatemoose- I was in Alaska this summer, even though it didn't feel like summer. I brought back several seeds made seedballs out of them and threw them in one of my flower beds in Nov.. I hope they some up. You live in what just might be the most amazing and beautiful place in the world. Sonotia-your posts are really interesting to me we live in nearly the same zone so this winter sowing thing is kinda confusing to me. I live where it gets really hot and really cold its hard to find a happy medium. I usually sow poppy seeds directly into the garden Fall-winter no later then Jan. 15th. How do OP do for you? It seems to get too hot here. I don't evenn start my tomato plants in the house until Feb. because it seems like we always get one last freeze in late March early April.

So far nothing has germinated except one lavender seed. I haven't checked in a couple of days, though, and will check tonight when I get home to be sure.

I was surprised to find the desert willow I sewed just a few days ago sprouting. Seeds are from 2000 trade. Ya never know until you put them in some dirt/seed starting mix.

Peggy

1lisac - I have struggled with OP my whole life, but have not given up on them. I was hoping that with WS I could get a early start to get some blooms before the big heat arrived. I have a terraced horseshoe shaped garden with the peak facing NE and various tress surrounding the bed. With this configuration I have been experimenting with all kinds of different plants. I have ferns and hostas growing! OK so they are not super happy, but hey they are growing and coming back each year! Here is a link to my garden plans if you are interested.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/869888/

Checked my jugs and still nothing has germinated except for that one lavender sprout! I've got more seeds to sow this weekend and maybe the end of the month.

Hemophobic, maybe you don't have any sprouts yet cuz they are waiting for the right time! I can't remember if you are a veteran WSer or a newbie like me, so I may be giving a tip to a pro! Forgive me if that's the case.

Do you have freezes in Feb, Mar and/or April? If so, it might be good that your lavender sprout is lonely. I hope to do some WSing this weekend, but am trying to keep what everyone has been saying in mind so I don't lose anything to a frost. 'Course here in south/central Texas, the temps very so much that I think I will just have to watch and cover or bring in anything that sprouts when we get a freeze. It's supposed to hit 70 today, but I know better than to let that fool me. Jan and Feb are out coldest months.

nb: This is my first year WSing, so you're talking to a total newbie. I knew some of them would take a while and probably not sprout until we have warm weather this spring, but we've been having temps in the 50s, 60s, 40s, all over the place, and I've just been checking occasionally to see what's happening, if anything. I truly don't want any sprouts yet, so I'm actually relieved that nothing is happening. I know we'll get blasted at least a couple of times yet with some really cold weather! I have direct sown sweet peas along a fence line and no sign of them yet either.

The OPs I think need some cold and actually do better with the colder weather than warm or hot temps.

Sounds like we are on the same page Hemophobic. Once I plant mine, I bet I'll be checking them a lot, too! It's funny, DH is supposed to be extended one of our fences and then it will be ideal for some sweet peas or some other vine. I've been trying to coax him to get that done without letting on my real reason! I guess I'll try WSing some container sweet pea seeds I have and hope it's not too late for those.

Great minds, NB☺

Sonoita OP should be direct, surface sown in the fall-winter( my cut off is Jan. 15)in our warm climate. There are actually many wildflowers that need to be direct sown in the fall winter for spring bloom. I gardened in CA for 25 years then I moved to TX and all the rules changed it took me years to even come close to getting it right.
lisa

Tonight it's very windy and getting cold again, 48 as I type this and headed down toward lower 30s. One of those cold snaps we'll be getting over the next couple of months. Glad none of my WS'd seeds have germinated yet, to speak of.

Chocolatemoose, I have been to North Pole, AK! My sister lives in Central, north of Fairbanks. I went to visit her in 1994, and she took me to the Santa's Workshop (I guess that was the name of that toystore) in North Pole. She is visiting here now. I hear it was 45 below zero today, and has been 50 below this week. She was going to leave on Sunday, but put off her trip so she would not have to drive to Central from Fairbanks in 50 below weather. That is too cold for me!!!!! I know Alaska has it's good points, such as no property taxes, no excise taxes, dividend checks for residents, etc., but I think the bad points would outweight the good for me. Besides, I like warm weather, like they have in the Sonoran Desert in AZ.

Sonoita, I checked out your garden plans, and it looks great! I'm envious of where you live. I want to move back so badly. Hey, would you like a roommate?! LOL! I love the southwest.

I have not tried growing OP here, but will try some this year, direct sow and WS, see which method works better for me. I have done well with CP (California Poppies) in the past and will do more this year, including some of the fancier ones.

Karen

Karen...You were here before me! I didn't get here till 2002 (from CT). North Pole and Fairbanks have changed a lot since 1994 from what I hear...and I love it! I went back to CT for the holidays and can't deal with the crazies driving 80 mph and riding your bumper...LOL...I was happy to be back home in North Pole despite the frigid temps...Which makes ME a crazy because yes, it has been around 50 below (Fahrenheit), though it got to a balmy 45 below today...While January is our coldest month, this cold snap is unusually long and persistant. You do learn to get through it and the payoff is the usually incredibly perfect summers. Though 1Lisac is correct in noting that Mother Nature failed to deliver this past summer. We had tons of rain...Oh well, M. Nature just being tempermental...LOL...I'm sure she'll reward us with a phenomenal summer in 2009...And to take my mind off the current cold, I spent the evening packing for 8 days in Mexico. We don't leave till next Tuesday but hey, I can pack swimsuits or keep watching the thermometer drop. It will be a temperature change of 135 degrees from what we have here to what it is there when we arrive in Playa del Carmen...Hard to imagine! My Honey has great methods for making it worth my while to stay here...

So that we keep this thread OT (and I don't get booted out into the cold), I am refraining from starting my WS till late Feb. this year. The first year I tried it, I started in what was a mild Jan/Feb and had a great deal of success. Then the last couple years I had a lower rate of germination of the ones I started that early, as opposed to the ones I started in Feb/March...Plus, the novelty of going outside at 40 to 50 below zero to put tubs outdoors has worn off and I've decided they and I will be happier when it's warmed to only 20 below...

Chocolate, you'll love Playa del Carmen. I went there on my honeymoon cruise 2 years ago and it is beautiful. I liked it better than Cozumel, because the beaches are nicer. Be sure to visit the ruins that are a short distance away, very interesting.

Guess I better add some WS stuff, too. I went to Lowe's yesterday looking for Jungle something Pro Mix that someone in this forum (or several someones) recommended and they had never heard of it. I wonder if they sell differently in different parts of the country. I also asked Wal-mart about their brand and they said they will be getting in some Hyponex next month, but they don't have a Wal-Mart brand.

Can someone save me some time going back through the threads and tell me the total name of the Lowe's brand and any info on the Wal-Mart brand?

The only thing anyone has right now is Miracle Grow so will probably follow another suggestion and see if Sam's has it cheaper. Sure am itchin' to plant something!

Tonya

Tonya: If you can't find it at Sam's, you might want to do what I did and buy the large, 64-gallon size MG at Lowe's. It worked out to be cheaper than the smaller bag and I've already used half of it anyway.

Chocolate, I've been there too. Not as magnificent as Alaska. I didn't bring home any seeds either. Can you please post some pictures of your place people won't believe anything can grow there. I wonder how my AK seeds will do here?

Lowes = Jungle Growth Pro Mix

for Walmart... i think their's was also a Pro Mix . I had a thread on it somewhere.