Tag: winter sowing

Previously-Posted – Winter Sowing in Milk Cartons

On By TimelessladyIn Previously-Posted7 Comments

I repost this every year. Absolutely the best, and easiest, and least space-consuming way to plant half-hardy annuals and Spring vegetable/leafy green crops.

Winter Sowing is the process of planting hardy and half-hardy seeds in clear or translucent containers.  The containers are sealed with duct tape and placed outdoors in the winter weather. This method of sowing seeds has been attributed to Trudi Davidoff.

Over the next week or two I hope to Winter Sow more of my perennial seeds, and later in the season some of my vegetables, annuals and herbs. A good source of information and discussion about Winter Sowing can be found on the Gardenweb Winter Sowing Forum.

“STEPS FOR WINTER SOWING (My own technique, might differ slightly from how others winter sow.)
1. Poke holes in the bottom of your container with a sharp tool or a hot screw driver. A soldering iron works too, but most folks don’t have one.
2. Cut the container in half, leaving a small tab to keep the two halves connected.
3. Add an inch of potting soil, add about two inches of seed starting mixture to top of soil. Moisten all, let water run out the bottom. Plant seeds. Label the outside of the container with permanent marker. You might need to go back over the labeling before planting time. Even a permanent marker fades in the sunshine.
4. Tape two halves together with duct tape.
5. Place outdoors in a sunny spot. DO NOT KEEP CAP ON TOP. The top needs to be left open for moisture.
6. Check periodically for sufficient moisture.
7. When temperatures warm up, open container in the daytime. Be very careful to check daily that the soil is moist after opening. Soil and seedlings dry out quickly.”

PART II

I’ve added to my cache of winter sown containers. The warm springlike weather of the past weeks helped many seeds sprout. As they are HHA (Half Hardy Annuals) and cold tolerant vegetables, I’m not worried about the possible onset of colder temperatures through the next weeks. The plastic containers work as mini-greenhouses and protect the seedlings from frost. The cold will strengthen them and keep them from becoming leggy and outgrowing their containers. I’ve had a lot of fun with this project. I also set aside a portion of each type of seed so that in the event that some of the containers fail I will have a back-up.

A view of some of the sprouts inside their containers. The above photos show my recycled orange juice bottles. These mini-greenhouses are light in weight. To windproof them I wedge them in among the heavier milk jugs. (I don’t use small containers anymore, they dry out too quickly. I try to use gallon-sized or larger containers.)

A bird’s-eye-view through the top of a milk jug. The seedlings inside are asters.

Two of my mini-greenhouses had indications of the dirt drying out. I placed these inside a plastic shoebox filled with water, a perfect fit, and let them soak up a little moisture through the drainage holes in the bottom. This worked and within a half hour they were watered.

PART III

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Poppies! I LOVE poppies, but I have some problems with poppies too. Number one on my list of loves is the way poppies develop big, luscious looking pods. When the pods begin to widen and split to reveal the color of the flower inside, honestly, I must admit I run out into the yard several times a day to see if the silken petals have opened. There is something magical in the wispy crown in the center of each flower too. Often there will be a splotch or two of contrasting color at the base of each petal. The foliage of many poppy plants glows in beautiful bluish green tones. Yes…I LOVE poppies.

One of the major drawbacks of poppies, at least in my opinion, is how hard it is to grow them from seed. For years I followed the advice on the back of the packets and on the pages of reliable gardening books and sowed them directly in the ground. This NEVER worked for me. Heavy spring rains ALWAYS washed my poppy seeds away before they could sprout. If they did grow, the delicate small seedlings would be beat into the ground by that same rain. The “experts” say poppies don’t transplant well. I agree if they are grown in the house, but I have found a way to get a head start on poppies and that method is winter sowing.

I am also including a post that shows the results of my winter sown poppies: Poppies

If you want to grow poppies this year, and have a milk carton or two on hand, give winter-sowing a try. It only takes a few minutes to create a miniature greenhouse to place outside in the sunshine. Happy Gardening!

Planting – Winter Sowing Update

On By TimelessladyIn Quirkiness3 Comments

My winter sown vegetables are ready to plant. They have done well, developing good root systems as they slowly sprouted and grew. They do not need to be hardened off before planting as they have grown in cold temperatures since day one.

The plants look small, but they will quickly grow in the loose soil of the Square Foot Garden. In a week or two they will double, maybe triple in size.  Planted this week are Arugula, Bread-seed Poppies, Milkweed, Mesclun lettuce, Black-seeded Simpson lettuce, Prize-head lettuce, Giant Spinach, Swiss Chard, Kale, and several varieties of beets. I will also be sowing many of the same seeds directly into the soil for later harvests.

One problem I did have was a batch of arugula and mustard spinach had already begun to develop buds in the recent warm temperatures. I discarded these as they would have had a bitter flavor once they flowered.

Planting – Updates

On By TimelessladyIn Planting7 Comments

Do you remember the sea bean pod I found on Cape May’s beaches a few weeks ago? I culled out four of the small trees that sprouted and potted one up to grow to a larger size. The seedling is most likely a black locust tree, but my daydreams find me still wondering if the pod might have made a seaward journey from the tropics via the Gulf stream to Cape May.

The sea bean seeds are a good example of garden wisdom: nick and soak large seeds before planting. The sweet pea seeds I soaked, and also nicked with a nail clipper, have already sprouted outdoors in the winter sown containers, while those not treated are only beginning to swell a bit.

Here’s an inside peek at one of the milk jugs. The arugula seeds are already growing. Also sprouting outdoors is broccoli, mustard spinach and the sweet peas.

For plants that will only grow in warm conditions, such as coleus, I’m having good luck in the basement. A small heater inside a plastic covered light table mimics a greenhouse and the seeds are sprouting well. They will not need to be thinned since I sowed them with the small seed sowing method.

Planting – Winter Sowing in Photographs

On By TimelessladyIn Planting14 Comments

Imagine growing hundreds of seedlings for your garden without the need to tend them indoors. It’s almost like magic! Winter Sowing is the answer to hands-off seedling success. I’m illustrating my steps to winter sowing with step by step photos. You can find amazing articles throughout the web and videos on Youtube if you need more information. I noticed there is even a Facebook group for Winter Sowing now. Today, I sowed and put my first container outdoors for the 2019 growing season. I planted beets from a dollar store packet that only cost 25 cents. I thickly sowed the seeds to take advantage of both greens and beets. Today in the supermarket one large beet was considered a bunch and was selling for $3.49. Outrageous! Winter Sowing is the brainchild of Trudi Davidoff. Detailed information and links on beginning winter sowing can be found here: Winter Sown

I’ve saved milk cartons in the basement for months.

Begin by inserting a paring knife into the carton 3-4 inches from the bottom, near the handle.

After I make a small slit with the paring knife I cut around the bottom with scissors.

Stop before you cut all the way through, leaving a bit of carton near the handle to join the top and bottom. This makes taping the carton shut easier.

I place the bottom of the carton in my kitchen sink over the drain. I push my paring knife through the carton bottom in four spaced out spots.

I insert the scissors in the slits and twist. This creates four large drainage holes. In the past I used a hot screw driver to make holes, but this process is easier and you don’t inhale toxic fumes from the melting plastic.

I fill the bottom of the carton with 1 1/2 inches of sterile organic potting soil. On top of the potting soil I add an equal amount of organic seed starter soil.

I water this until it is soaked and then let it fully drain.

I sow my seeds and cover with a thin layer of seed starter. If I keep the top layer very thin it will usually wick up water from the layer of seed starter soil beneath it.

I label the top with permanent marker. I have to keep a close eye on the labeling. The letters will fade in just weeks. It’s vital to reapply the marker when the letters lighten or I’ll be guessing as to which seedling is what. Tape the edges together with duct tape and place outside in a sunny spot. The wet soil in the carton bottom has always kept my cartons grounded, even in windy winter weather. I will remove the cap later today or the seeds might become too hot in warmer weather. I usually don’t quit my winter sowing madness until every spare milk carton is filled. You can find lists of which plants do best started this way on the Winter Sowing site. Happy Gardening!

Plants – Looking Down At Things

On By TimelessladyIn Plants6 Comments

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Nothing is growing tall, or looming large, in my gardens now, except maybe, the dried out stems of last year’s blooms. To find patches of green I must look down, a perfect pose to find an answer to Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge of “Looking Down At Things.”  Wild Cress, even in the middle of February is thriving. This small weed, in shades of shamrock green, grows all over my yard and garden beds through the winter. It is a favorite of mine for pressed flower crafts. The foliage is lush, probably due to the insulating Styrofoam pot and rocks it is growing between and near. At this time of year I’m not picky, I take delight in green plants wherever I can find them.

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I was thrilled to discover this small volunteer sprout of Larkspur, growing in winter against the odds. Larkspur need a period of cold for germination success. I will soon plant a milk carton for winter-sowing. Plants that need cold for growth do well when winter sown.

I’m sure the next few weeks will find me in my garden, looking down…and dreaming.

Planting – A Salute to Garden Volunteers

On By TimelessladyIn Planting6 Comments

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Anyone who has read my blog over a period of time knows that I love the garden plants that spring up as volunteers. I found a few volunteer tomato sprouts amongst my roses and blue lobelia this week. (The sprout in this post  stands to the left of the larger plant in the photograph) My best guess as to the original location of the seed was soil I used this year in my winter sowing .

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Happily for me, an empty spot in my Square Foot Garden was the perfect fit for my volunteer.  I dug up the sprout, transported it on my trowel, and planted. It’s a mystery as to the variety, and that makes it all the more fun. Oh the gardening life…what a joy!

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Planting – Thursday Reruns/Winter Sowing

On By TimelessladyIn Plants1 Comment

I’m getting a later start than usual with my winter sowing. Instead of planting just cold-hardy varieties this year, I’m going to try a bit of everything, even my tomatoes and eggplant seeds. Here’s a repost of one of my favorite methods for growing seeds without taking up too much room in the house. If you have any plastic milk cartons or other large clear/translucent plastic containers,  give winter sowing a try. Happy Gardening!

Winter Sowing is an easy way to start your own transplants.

Winter Sowing is the process of planting hardy and half-hardy seeds in clear or translucent containers.  The containers are sealed with duct tape and placed outdoors in the winter weather. This method of sowing seeds has been attributed to Trudi Davidoff.

Over the next week or two I hope to Winter Sow more of my perennial seeds, and later in the season some of my vegetables, annuals and herbs. A good source of information and discussion about Winter Sowing can be found on the Gardenweb Winter Sowing Forum.

“STEPS FOR WINTER SOWING (My own technique, might differ slightly from how others winter sow.)
1. Poke holes in the bottom of your container with a sharp tool or a hot screw driver. A soldering iron works too, but most folks don’t have one.
2. Cut the container in half, leaving a small tab to keep the two halves connected.
3. Add an inch of potting soil, add about two inches of seed starting mixture to top of soil. Moisten all, let water run out the bottom. Plant seeds. Label the outside of the container with permanent marker. You might need to go back over the labeling before planting time. Even a permanent marker fades in the sunshine.
4. Tape two halves together with duct tape.
5. Place outdoors in a sunny spot. DO NOT KEEP CAP ON TOP. The top needs to be left open for moisture.
6. Check periodically for sufficient moisture.
7. When temperatures warm up, open container in the daytime. Be very careful to check daily that the soil is moist after opening. Soil and seedlings dry out quickly.”

PART II

I’ve added to my cache of winter sown containers. The warm springlike weather of the past weeks helped many seeds sprout. As they are HHA (Half Hardy Annuals) and cold tolerant vegetables, I’m not worried about the possible onset of colder temperatures through the next weeks. The plastic containers work as mini-greenhouses and protect the seedlings from frost. The cold will strengthen them and keep them from becoming leggy and outgrowing their containers. I’ve had a lot of fun with this project. I also set aside a portion of each type of seed so that in the event that some of the containers fail I will have a back-up.

A view of some of the sprouts inside their containers. The above photos show my recycled orange juice bottles. These mini-greenhouses are light in weight. To windproof them I wedge them in among the heavier milk jugs. (I don’t use small containers anymore, they dry out too quickly. I try to use gallon-sized or larger containers.)

A bird’s-eye-view through the top of a milk jug. The seedlings inside are asters.

Two of my mini-greenhouses had indications of the dirt drying out. I placed these inside a plastic shoebox filled with water, a perfect fit, and let them soak up a little moisture through the drainage holes in the bottom. This worked and within a half hour they were watered.

PART III

IMG_9719

Poppies! I LOVE poppies, but I have some problems with poppies too. Number one on my list of loves is the way poppies develop big, luscious looking pods. When the pods begin to widen and split to reveal the color of the flower inside, honestly, I must admit I run out into the yard several times a day to see if the silken petals have opened. There is something magical in the wispy crown in the center of each flower too. Often there will be a splotch or two of contrasting color at the base of each petal. The foliage of many poppy plants glows in beautiful bluish green tones. Yes…I LOVE poppies.

One of the major drawbacks of poppies, at least in my opinion, is how hard it is to grow them from seed. For years I followed the advice on the back of the packets and on the pages of reliable gardening books and sowed them directly in the ground. This NEVER worked for me. Heavy spring rains ALWAYS washed my poppy seeds away before they could sprout. If they did grow, the delicate small seedlings would be beat into the ground by that same rain. The “experts” say poppies don’t transplant well. I agree if they are grown in the house, but I have found a way to get a head start on poppies and that method is winter sowing.

I am also including a post that shows the results of my winter sown poppies: Poppies

If you want to grow poppies this year, and have a milk carton or two on hand, give winter-sowing a try. It only takes a few minutes to create a miniature greenhouse to place outside in the sunshine. Happy Gardening!

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Plantings – Winter Sowing

On By TimelessladyIn Planting9 Comments

I am re-blogging a few of my “Winter-Sowing” posts. If you live in an area where winters are cold, winter sowing is for you. If you plant viable seeds and follow the directions, you will find success!

Winter Sowing is an easy way to start your own transplants.

Winter Sowing is the process of planting hardy and half-hardy seeds in clear or translucent containers (milk cartons or kitty litter jugs) The containers are sealed with duct tape and placed outdoors in the winter weather. This method of sowing seeds has been attributed to Trudi Davidoff.

Over the next week or two I hope to Winter Sow more of my perennial seeds, and later in the season some of my vegetables, annuals and herbs. A good source of information and discussion about Winter Sowing can be found on the Gardenweb Winter Sowing Forum.

STEPS FOR WINTER SOWING (My own technique, might differ slightly from how others winter sow.)
1. Poke holes in the bottom of your container with a sharp tool or a hot screw driver. A soldering iron works too, but most folks don’t have one.
2. Cut the container in half, leaving a small tab to keep the two halves connected.
3. Add an inch of potting soil, add about two inches of seed starting mixture to top of soil. Moisten all, let water run out the bottom. Plant seeds. Label the outside of the container with permanent marker. You might need to go back over the labeling before planting time. Even a permanent marker fades in the sunshine.
4. Tape two halves together with duct tape.
5. Place outdoors in a sunny spot. DO NOT KEEP CAP ON TOP. The top needs to be left open for moisture.
6. Check periodically for sufficient moisture.
7. When temperatures warm up, open container in the daytime. Be very careful to check daily that the soil is moist after opening. Soil and seedlings dry out quickly.

PART II

I’ve added to my cache of winter sown containers. The warm springlike weather of the past weeks helped many seeds sprout. As they are HHA (Half Hardy Annuals) and cold tolerant vegetables, I’m not worried about the possible onset of colder temperatures through the next weeks. The plastic containers work as mini-greenhouses and protect the seedlings from frost. The cold will strengthen them and keep them from becoming leggy and outgrowing their containers. I’ve had a lot of fun with this project. I also set aside a portion of each type of seed so that in the event that some of the containers fail I will have a back-up.

A view of some of the sprouts inside their containers. The above photos show my recycled orange juice bottles. These mini-greenhouses are light in weight. To windproof them I wedge them in amongst the heavier milk jugs. (I don’t use small containers anymore, they dry out too quickly. I try to use gallon-sized or larger containers.)

A bird’s-eye-view through the top of a milk jug. The seedlings inside are asters.

Two of my mini-greenhouses had indications of the dirt drying out. I placed these inside a plastic shoebox filled with water, a perfect fit, and let them soak up a little moisture through the drainage holes in the bottom. This worked and within a half hour they were watered.

PART III

IMG_9719

Poppies! I LOVE poppies, but I have some problems with poppies too. Number one on my list of loves is the way poppies develop big, luscious looking pods. When the pods begin to widen and split to reveal the color of the flower inside, honestly, I must admit I run out into the yard several times a day to see if the silken petals have opened. There is something magical in the wispy crown in the center of each flower too. Often there will be a splotch or two of contrasting color at the base of each petal. The foliage of many poppy plants glows in beautiful bluish green tones. Yes…I LOVE poppies.

One of the major drawbacks of poppies, at least in my opinion, is how hard it is to grow them from seed. For years I followed the advice on the back of the packets and on the pages of reliable gardening books and sowed them directly in the ground. This NEVER worked for me. Heavy spring rains ALWAYS washed my poppy seeds away before they could sprout. If they did grow, the delicate small seedlings would be beat into the ground by that same rain. The “experts” say poppies don’t transplant well. I agree if they are grown in the house, but I have found a way to get a head start on poppies and that method is winter sowing.

I am also including a post that shows the results of my winter sown poppies: Poppies

If you want to grow poppies this year, and have a milk carton or two on hand, give winter-sowing a try. It only takes a few minutes to create a miniature greenhouse to place outside in the sunshine. Happy Gardening!

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Plants – Red, White and Blue in the Garden

On By TimelessladyIn PlantsLeave a comment

Let’s keep our patriotism going all year long! 🙂

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I am thrilled with the red mandevilla plants I planted this year. I am growing them in hanging baskets near my porch. They are beginning to send out climbing tendrils. So far, they haven’t succumbed to the very wet weather we have had in the Mid-Atlantic states this summer.

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I love the tall, beautiful shasta daisies that grow in my gardens. They are a very reliable perennial. Every year they come back a little taller and a little broader. Who could ask for anything more?

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Blue Salvia is a favorite of mine and also a favorite of the hummingbirds. I purchased this beauty shown above, but I was also able to grow quite a few blue salvia plants from seed by winter-sowing.

Plants & Praise – Poppies/Winter Sown and Naturalized

On By TimelessladyIn Plant Tips, Praise5 Comments

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I love poppies of all kinds. Over the course of several years, I have faithfully sown the seeds in the spring only to have the heavy rains of April and May beat the small seedlings into sodden destruction. Finally, a year or two ago, I found a way to beat the rain; winter Sowing works for growing poppies. What is Winter Sowing? To winter sow a seed you cut a gallon milk carton, or other large plastic bottle, in half, punch some drainage holes in the bottom, fill with an inch or two of seed starting soil, sow a few seeds, close, duct tape and put in a sunny spot in your garden…oh and of course I forgot the most important part…you do this smack in the middle of the coldest months of the year.

Winter sowing is perfect for growing poppies. I have many new plants spread throughout my gardens, thriving and growing at the present time. I also have quite a few naturalized plants from poppies I grew last year, courtesy, once again, of winter sowing.

Here is a site that will tell you more about winter sowing: Winter Sowing

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I love the blue-green tones of poppy foliage. I also love the anticipation I feel when a bud is about to POP!

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An added bonus for me are the beautiful seedpods.

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Hello Gorgeous!

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I love this portrait I unknowingly captured of a little hover fly collecting nectar from the pink poppy. His or her face is visible, the delicacy of the wings highlighted and transparent against the bloom of the flower. God’s creations continuously amaze me. I must remember to thank him every day for the beauty all around me, the obvious glories that I see, and also the wonderful hidden things I often don’t notice.

Planting – Sowing Seeds Part I/Winter Sowing

On By TimelessladyIn PlantingLeave a comment

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In January of 2012 I wrote of my first attempts at Winter Sowing. The original blog post along with a follow-up post can be found here:

Winter Sowing
Winter Sowing 2012

As you can see from the photographs above and below, I have winter sown many seeds again.

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Garden web has a forum dedicated to winter sowing. The link can be found below:

Gardenweb Winter Sowing Forum.

Here are a few containers I stored by attaching them with pipe cleaners to coat hangers. I then hung them until they were needed from basement rafters.

winter sowing containers

Here’s a terrific site I found just today with plenty of good lists on what to sow and when: Terrific Winter Sowing list for what to sow and when. Take a Look.

If you live in a cool climate area there is still plenty of time to winter sow. Give it a try!

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Plants, Plant Tips and Perspective – Growing Poppies

On By TimelessladyIn Perspective, Plant Tips, Plants1 Comment

Here is a picture of me standing alongside one of my Square Foot Gardens admiring my Bread Seed Poppies. I stand about 5’4″ tall. The poppies are a bit hard to see, they are white and blending into the background. Here is a closer look.

I have written the word poppies in blue right under their petals.

The flowers are gorgeous, and the seedpods are pretty grand too.

I wonder how many hundreds of thousands of seeds I will reap when they are dry.

Plant Tip: Don’t let anyone tell you poppies don’t do well if they are started early and transplanted. I sowed these through the winter in milk jugs, a process known as Winter Sowing. The resulting poppy plants are over four and a half feet tall. I would say my transplanted poppies are thriving. These bread seed poppies are joined by other smaller varieties throughout my garden. All are doing well.

Double Petaled Poppy

Moral of the Story: There are some tried and true ways of doing things in the garden, but always be open to new ideas too.

Planting – Update/Winter Sowing and Square Foot Garden

On By TimelessladyIn Planting5 Comments

My Winter Sowing has been a wonderful success. A few things did not come up, but I think the seeds I used in those instances can be called into question. The seeds that did not sprout were older, and some came from seed exchanges, and I wasn’t sure about their age or viability.

I am sure that I will winter sow every year from now on. I also will use only the larger sized milk gallons in the future. The juice and soda bottles also worked, but the seeds sown in the milk jugs sprouted and grew better. The stars of my winter sowing are the poppies and andrella asters. I’ve already transplanted the bread seed poppies into my Square Foot Garden. Even though they have taproots, they adjusted within a week, and are growing at a quick rate. The annual poppies I sowed are doing even better. I can’t wait to get them into my garden beds. The Andrella Asters are a huge surprise. The seed came from Baker’s Creek Heirloom Seeds. I’ve tried to grow asters in the past with minimal success. The winter sown aster plants are lush and covered with foliage already. I’m so excited about the beautiful asters I’ll have gracing my gardens in a few months from now.

My Square Foot Garden is producing a bounty of leaf lettuces. I am really pleased with the Black Seeded Simpson variety. This was also winter sown and has been planted out for a few weeks. It is a beautiful chartreuse green color and tastes heavenly in my salads. I am planning to mulch around the gardens soon. I am hoping that it will keep some of the critters at bay. This week there was a gang of five rabbits in my yard. Big rabbits, with big chewing teeth, thankfully feasting on the clover in the lawn rather than my garden plants. I am making up more water balloons today.

Pleasures and Plants – First Square Foot Garden Harvest

On By TimelessladyIn Plants, PleasuresLeave a comment

This gorgeous array of salad greens and herbs is a sample of my first Square Foot Garden harvest. The Black-Seeded Simpson and Flame Lettuce leaves were winter sown and grew quickly after they were transplanted into their garden square. The arugula, also winter sown, was planted out yesterday, and had already grown large enough in its milk carton mini-greenhouse to harvest a few of its leaves. The chives have grown in my garden for years, and yesterday I transplanted the clump to a new herb garden, gathering a few spears along the way for my dinner salad. The deep green leaves on the side of the plate are lemon balm. I combine these with slices of ginger root for a delicious and healthy tea. Lemon Balm is said to increase longevity and alleviate anxiety. Ginger is an anti-inflammatory and stomach soother.

To read more about my adventures in Winter Sowing check out this post: Winter Sowing

Plantings – Update Winter Sowing Progress

On By TimelessladyIn Planting1 Comment

I’ve been steadily adding to my cache of winter sown containers. The warm springlike weather of the past weeks has helped many to sprout. As they are HHA (Half Hardy Annuals) and cold tolerant vegetables, I have no worries about the possible onset of colder temperatures through the next weeks. The plastic containers work as mini-greenhouses and protect the seedlings from frost. The cold will only strengthen them and keep them from becoming leggy and outgrowing their containers. I’ve had a lot of fun with this project. I also have set aside a portion of each type of seed so that in the event that some of the containers fail I will have a backup.

A view of some of the sprouts inside their containers. The above photos show my recycled orange juice bottles. These mini-greenhouses are light in weight. To windproof them I wedge them in amongst the heavier milk jugs.

A bird’s eye view through the top of a milk jug. The seedlings inside are asters.

I noticed two of my mini-greenhouses had indications of the dirt drying out. I placed these inside a plastic shoebox filled with water, a perfect fit, and let them soak up a little moisture through the drainage holes in the bottom. This worked perfectly and within a half hour they were thoroughly watered.

Planting – Winter Sowing Seeds

On By TimelessladyIn Planting6 Comments

Winter Sowing is the process of planting hardy and half-hardy seeds in clear or transluscent containers (milk cartons, 2 liter soda bottles, juice containers.) The containers are then sealed with duct tape and placed outdoors in the winter weather. This method of sowing seeds has been attributed to Trudi Davidoff.

The above photograph is a record of my first attempts at this process. Over the next week or two I hope to Winter Sow more of my perennial seeds, and later in the season some of my vegetables, annuals and herbs.

A good source of information and discussion about Winter Sowing can be found on the Gardenweb Winter Sowing Forum.

I’ll update my success with this method as the season progresses.