What have you wintersowed so far #4

I tried the Press N Seal on some of my WSing containers this year, and don't recommend it. Once it gets wet, it won't stick.

How big is your container? What worked well for me on smaller containers, like the plastic Folgers coffee containers, was to slip a plastic gallon storage bag (the kind you use a twist-tie with, not the ziploc kind) over the top, as it wraps farther down the sides and doesn't blow off as easily. Punch in a few holes for air and moisture, and you're good to go! I ended up replacing all the Press-n-Seal ones with the clear baggies, after they kept coming off, and the rubberbands deteriorated.

Just my 2 cents worth!

Angie

I read somewhere on another thread, they cut the bottom off the milk jugs, placed the jug over the pot, right side up, and put a stick through the opening to hold it down. I was going to try that this week.

Excel is great. I can just copy and paste it right in. Don't forget your zone. This will allow people to check out what works for them.

LynnWeidman
The idea to place a milk jug over a plant for protection was mine that I have used. Here is the photo again of one over a tomato plant. The opening can be hinged by cutting just 3 sides and can be adjusted to the size of the plant as it grows by just trimming the plastic. Better than cans and can be left on since there is ventilation. Good to use on any plant.

thanks Blomma, I thought your idea was great, and the photo really helps. I am going to try it today. I wish I had known about this last year. I bought some hydrangeas and hibiscus from Springhill, not realizing how tiny and vulnerable they would be. Being inexperienced, I went ahead and planted them, never to be seen again. I gave them a death sentence, and I do not want to repeat my crime.

LOL hardly a crime!!! Not like root-icide, of which I have been convicted. ;(

I will have to plead guilty to a pending seed-a-cide crime. DH put a spray bottle of degreaser on my potting bench, and I, unknowingly, sprayed my flat of Miribilis seeds with it. They still have not germinated, and I don't know if there is any hope for the little guys. In my defense, I was sick with the flu at the time, and simply did not smell the chemical spray. I cannot remember what other seeds I sprayed before I realized my mistake.

Oh, no. that is really unfortunate, I don't know whether to laugh or cry! I think I am laughing though. Gee.

Well, I sure would not germinate with Degreaser sprayed on me, that's for sure.....

but oh wow I would sure feel disappointed if I made that slip of the hand and did that, gee. You do have my sympathies!

I just watered some thyme seedlings a little too forcefully, the water came out faster than I expected and I saw them get shoved around in there...... plus we have had freezing nights lately and some are not too sure they want to continue to emerge, I think a couple that were just barely starting got offed by the freeze, even t hough I gave extra cover the last few nights.

I am not yet experienced enough with killing seedlings to take it in stride like some gardeners I know, LOL!

I still feel "an obligation" to sow every seed and feel like a murderess when I have to thin out my over seeded containers. Actually, to tell the truth, I hate thinning out so badly, I usually let them battle for the survival of the fittest. My bad.

Yeah I know what you mean. When I planted out my kale I was glad to have extras though, cause I ate 'em and they were so good! but that solution doesn't work for everything, no.... LOL!

I have seedlings!

Yay!

Whoopee, Carrie! Great day in MA.

You mean wintersown ones, Carrie? Here in Ice-achusetts? What's sprouted? I see nary the teeniest bit of green in my jugs!

Lynn, how awful for your poor seeds! I know you must have been mortified once you found out. I hate thinning out seedlings, too, Lynn. Hate to see any go to waste that might become a nice plant when it gets some size.

Perenniallyme, I have WS seedlings up, too, about 8 out of 24 sown in Feb. have emerged and are doing well so far, but growing slowly due to the cold. I posted about that further up in this thread. You must have missed it.

Karen

I don't thin out. I plant hunks.

Karen

Just a couple annuals in a Jiffy tray - you know, it comes pre-loaded with seed starting stuff and a plastic lid and you have to transplant everything fast or water it every five minutes. But I DID stick it out there in February.

That's one of the things I have against those things, Carrie. No transplanting for me. No time or too lazy or a little of each. Mine babies go from jugs to ground.

Karen

My Delosperma cooperi (Iceplant) seeds sprouted. The seeds are the size of dust. They are open pollinated seeds. I have so many different plants hardy for Wyoming and our dry climate that there really isn't any more new ones to get. So now interested in open pollinated seeds from my own plants.

I have 4 different Delosperma varieties that bloom all summer long. I'm hoping to get something unique from these seedlings. I also collected seeds from, or thought I did, D. 'John Proffitt. It had seed capsules but no seeds.

These are the cutest little succulent seedlings I have ever seen. The largest is about 1/4".

Just looked back and saw, Karen (nutsfor). Even holyhocks and delphiniums growing out in our winter wonderland? Hard to believe. I was glad that none of mine had come up yet, because I thought they'd be killed off by cold, but now I wonder if I did something wrong. Not a hint of a sproutlet in sight! A barren wasteland in my jugs! All 35 of them! (Not quite ready to cry yet, but I might be soon.)

Those are cuties, blomma. Like little blimps with wings.

blomma, I adore your new little babies.

Sown on 2/17/09, I have one Clematis tangutica 'Radar Love', and several Penstemon 'Esprit Mix', just starting to germinate. Both of these have been in and out of the fridge, and my heatless garage several times to stratify. The Clematis came up while still in the fridge. Clematis seeds are very slow and erratic to sprout. Some varieties of Penstemon are the same.

Both were planted in seeding mix. Very small seeds. I probably could have used a covered container full of moist peat and mixed the seeds in. I have since done that with other tiny seeds and it worked.

Adorable, Blomma!

PL, good luck with your seeds. I hope you will get some soon!

Karen

Have any of you wintersown Ice Plant? I'm curious if that would work with them.

Gemini: See Blomma's post above. She has pics of her seedlings.

Yeah, that's what's got me thinking about them, but I don't believe blomma uses the wintersowing method.

I've honestly lost track but I don't think she wintersows anything either. I don't think any of her posts are about wintersowing. I do know people who have wintersown it successfully, though I've not tried it.

According to Clother, no cold strat is necessary so it should be fine to sow now.
"Delosperma cooperi, and sutherlandii , Sow at 20ºC (68ºF), germinates in less than two wks "

Karen

Ah, good to hear Karen, Thanks! I've been focusing on drought tolerant plants since the last 2 years have been so horribly dry. Those will have to go on next year's list, I'm covered up this year, LOL.

It's one I thought about sowing, too, but sort of forgot about and failed to get seeds. Another was the knee-high Profusion zinnias, also forgot about ordering seeds. Now I'm trying to curb my seed purchases for the year and make do with what I have on hand since I have so many seeds already sitting around.

I wintersowed my first few annuals last night, 8 jugs. One of them was a pack of baby's breath which is at least 4 or 5 years old. It was one of those freebies sent out in the mail by the Natl. Home Gardening Assoc. or something. So I figured "why not".

The knee-high Profusions are haunting me. Park's was the only place that I could find the seeds and it's not one of my favorite seed sources. I couldn't justify paying shipping (though Park's has apparently reduced shipping costs) unless I ordered both red and white. ($9). Hmm.......still debating those. Is anyone else WSing the knee-high Profusions?

Karen

Karen, are the knee high Profusions different from the regular Profusion series? I'm thinking mine typically stay around 18" or so. I grew Cherry Profusion last year and still have extra seed from those if you'd like some. I plan on wintersowing mine too.

I winter sowed a couple of Profusions that I got from Ella, but I don't think they were knee-highs, as far as I know. They are Profusion Apricot and Profusion Coral Pink. They both are doing well and one already has buds on it. I would guess other varieties of Profusions would WS equally well.

Tonya

Thanks so much, but I do have seeds for the regular profusion and might well just use those. But thanks for the kind offer.

The knee-high are a newer taller variety which is supposed to lend itself better to cutting.
http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/51976/
There is both red and white. (though the pictures look more orange to me than red).

Karen

OK, Sharon, I have cornflowers (both dwarf and regular), scarlet flax, zinnia, godetia, and schizanthus, which last is the only one that's new for me. What's newest for me is that I didn't do the cornflower as a specimen plant this year!

Hi everyone!
blomma, I wish we lived closer together. I think we have a lot in common. Your Iceplant babies are adorable! I like the idea of the milk jugs!

I'm glad to see some of you are having success in your WS! I checked mine yesterday and there are no sprouts. I was even able to walk around my yard and saw some grass turning green! I could even see my raised vegetable garden! The snow melted and we are in the middle of the flood up here in the Red River Valley. We are high and dry, but the growing fields around us has water covering them. The temps were in the high 40's, but WAIT! The rain last night turned into SNOW! I woke up to everything being white AGAIN! That means that we have a sheet of ice under about 3 inches of wet sticky snow! The weather man says the storm will be lingering today!

I have includes a picture of my WS. So cross your fingers and hope they survive!

I do have some good news! My DD and I are involved in a 4H project with daylily seeds and some have sprouted. I also have some Butterfly pea vine and Mina Lobata seeds sprouting in the house!
I hope you all have a good day!

Karen, those had escaped my eye! Hope some piggies got some this year to offer in the next swap :-)

Shirb, considering your zone, I'd imagine its quite normal not to have sprouts yet. Next month I bet you'll see plenty :-)

Please do some hoping for me too, Neal. Thanks Carrie. Think I'm going to start my zinnas indoors soon, so I get them faster.

perenniallyme, I'm confident you'll be seeing sprouts soon.

I just came in from separating my sprouted containers from those that haven't. Out of 130 sown so far, 56 have sprouts! Hollyhocks, Helenium, Scabiosa, Lupines, Linaria, Money Plant, Sidalcea, Leeks, Dill, Parsley, Echinacea, Kiss me over the Garden Gate, Thermopsis, Calendula, Wallflower, Caryopteris, Clarkia, Chrysanthemum 'Primrose Gem', Agastache, Vitex, and several varieties of Dianthus, Digitalis, Rudbeckia, Penstemons are all sprouting nicely!

Well send some of your weather up here please!!!!

Gemini: Sorry to have muddied the waters about Blomma's ice plant seedlings. Thought she'd WS'd them. My bad.

Angie