Winter Sowing

[lynpenny]

Laurie some people can drill and then there is me. I always seem to have a problem.

 

[Melissa]

I can drill with two hands, but then, how am I going to hold the bottle. Maybe our drill is just too big and heavy. Or maybe I am just a weekling with spaghetti arms.

 

[Melissa]

Checked on the WS today and all the bottles were still moist and still draining well after the "big melt" here. The containers in the see through container were getting dry so I watered them a bit. We are going to get rain here tomorrow so will go out and check the bottles again to make sure they are draining well. Kale, you have made me paranoid!!!

 

[Roe]

I did some WS last year. It was my first year doing it. I've learned from my mistakes last year. I'm gonna try it again this year. I saved a bunch of gal milk jugs that i'll use this year. I'm just waiting for my seeds to arrive. I can't wait to get going as I have no luck with indoor seeds.

 

[Melissa]

Good luck with it, Roe. I hope they all do well for you. Be sure and take pictures to share with us and let us know what you plant and how they do. We want to learn with you!

 

[Gloria]

After reading here, I decided that I would try this winter sowing. About 8 or 9 days ago I put some cabbage seeds and a moon flower vine seed in plastic containers and taped them shut. I have cabbages growing!! I am so pleased!
I accidently turned over the container with the moon flower seeds so I just left it. Today I was checking and poured the soil from the container. The moon flower seed had sprouted and I was surprised at how warm the soil was.
Today I started a dozen more containers with seeds. I'm hooked on winter sowing now..thanks for all the info.

 

[SandiB]

Hey SmellyMelly
I am in Zone 5 and started some wintersowing...started small amount for now.

*Hollyhocks: Chaters Double
White x2
Black x2
Althea Rose
Country Romance
Indian Spring
*Morning Glory Tree
*Gold Chain Tree
*Yellow Trumpet Bush
*Lantana
*Lucifer
*Castor Beans
*CypressVine
*Hosta (huge
I tried w/s last years and had some sucess...want MORE sucess this time!

Wish me luck!
=)

 

[Melissa]

Good Luck

Sending good luck your way, Sandi!! I hope you get lots of strong healthy seedlings that turn into big beautiful plants with lots of lovely blooms!!!

 

[Melissa]

I have sprouts!!

I have sprouts!! Pictures to come soon!!

 

[Melissa]

First Sprouts

Here are a few of my first sprouts

Poppy Red Mix

Carnation Giant Mix

Dianthus Sooty

 

[Kale]

No sprout yet but I'll be back...been busy of course I have much more then this ot say *LOL but for now...
CONGRATULATIONS!
Smelly Melly

Kale

 

[Mainegal]

awesome smelly, i never got any done, elbows and hands were bothering me too much from work that i didn't get anything done at home, oh well next yr

 

[Kale]

Sandi,Did your Cypress Vine germinate yet! Mine did and was growing under the newspaper cover after 6days when I checked...
Doesn't look too good. I'm trying to straighten them out *LOL I have them indoors. I'm also trying HollyHock indoors.Large burgundy...
Castor Beans are crazy....be careful!
I was in love until I noticed at least 7 houses on the block had them from the lady that was growing them in her front little garden patch.She stated they just show up every year every where and her neighbors love them!
They are fascinating and Id love to grow them but ... I cant pull them out the next year after they reseed everywhere.I will be in a block jungle because nobody would pull what nature brought *LOL
Do you harvest the beans for oils or something?
Very interesting plant,attractive too Big too.
Would love to see pics once it takes off! I go to visit the block that has them all over the place *LOL





Smelly Melly, Seedling time! I guess they are doing fine!
Keep your eye there.... What are you low temps now? We have had a good week so I started some .I have been packed with time consuming grrrrrrrrs
Today I was scrapping my garage so I can re- paint it ..fun.

I think you are a little Sproutling! Are your Carnations Perennials?!

How will you separate them! Looks like everyone germinated!*LOL
I cant seem to get them out of the milk container.Do you just carefully plop the whole thing in your hand and gentle lay it on a table and sort?
Are you going to transplant them into their own pots or can you direct transplant into the ground?.I tried not to sow too many seed in each container but my hand seemed to continue after the first few seed fell into the pots*LOL

I just got these done.I have no room whatsoever upstairs I have to find a way to get more of that room*LOL
I have a list longer then that to go but I will have to wait .I have to direct sow outside in its place.But I have to remove the leaves that came after my fall clean up cleaned a few wheel barrows full but still not clear of leaves . Another 3hours or so left of work.I'll have to get back to it later this week or weekend.

Making labels is the time consuming pain too bad we can't just wish them into existence!*LOL I only put numbers and letters (personal codes that I keep in my book*lol) on mine I would pass out if I had to write names*LOL

Oh I have to get a few pics of my new set up !*LOL
Outside,At first I was using my large table then has a better idea (I think...yes, I'm sure )


Kale

 

[Melissa]

Kale, I won't do anything with them for several weeks....by then they are much bigger and easier to handle. I just sort of break them apart and put in the ground. It has been pretty warm here.....getting some rain and with it some cooler temps. They will be fine in the bottles. They were sprouted last year and then we got a pretty good storm with ice and snow and it didn't phase them. I love the water bottles!! I got alot more sprouted but have been too busy to get picks....its been dry so I have had to water them all which takes quite a while. By the time I get home and do that...not much light....will try to get some pics this weekend. BTW....I got some bareroot roses and one of them is a double delight....at least I hope it is...alot of time those bareroots are mislabeled. Will post what I got in the rose thread when I have more time...I got 7.

 

[Melissa]

finally got a list

I worked out in the yard for 9 hours yesterday and my body is crying from top to bottom....mostly bottom...lol!! While out there I made a list of WS that has sprouted so far. Here it is:
Prairie Glow False Sunflower
Green Envy Echinacea x 3
Summer Skies Delphinium
Baptisia Blue Indigo x 3
Hibiscus Large Pink
Red Geum
Guardian Lavender Delphinium
Ruby Star Echinacea
Hibiscus White
Delphinium Blue Mix x 2
Ice Ballet Butterfly Weed
Canterbury Bells x 3
Purple Foxglove
Clementine Red Columbine
Black Knight/Galahad mix Delphinium
Yellow Geum
Blazing Star Purple Liatris
Purple Licorice Agastache x 2
Rudbeckia Mayo
Yellow Mum x 2
Hollyhock single mix
Summer Sun False Sunflower
Greenapple Columbine
Coreopsis Limerock Ruby x 2
Early Sunrise Coreopsis
Sunburst Coreopsis
Lavender Dianthus x 2
Carnation Giant Mix x 2
Roman Camomile x 2
Hollyhock Large Red
Hollyhock Double Mix
Sweet William Mix
Dianthus Sooty x 2
Flax Blue
Lupine Mix
Red Peony Poppy
Poppy Red Mix
Pink Peony Poppy
Sweet William Pink

Looks like I better get use to being sore. Wish transplanting them was as easy as wintersowing!!

Does anybody else have seedlings? Share your blessings PLEASE!!

 

[Mainegal]

Wow you have a nice mixture SM
I never got any done this yr. Will save the seeds for next yr and I might plant some outside once some of the snow melts and the soil warms up some

 

[Kale]

Smelly Melly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think you need help*LOL

I have to type my list up, I have it logged in my notebook
I was going to get on it now but... It is late, will take me over an hour so..Maybe tomorrow

I have been consumed with lots of situations, didn't get to ws like I wished.
I am working on it.
I have about 90 pots,no germination.
I have lots indoors.I was going to post that in HERBS somewhere...
I have several veggies germinated too ..Indoors.

I love your list, have some of them too.
Where in God's green world will you plant them all!!!
And.....you are SPROUTING already!
OHHHHHHHHH Unbelievable I can only wish! We are still in the freezing temps overnight!

Jump rope for a few minutes or ride a bike or just jog in place before you go out *LOL
I was scraping my garage then house for 9hours...Wish I were ws ing instead!!!!!!!!!!!!
Catch you soon to go over your listssssssssssssss

Bless you... You should be SPROUTLING!
I thought I was bad *LOL

That is and was alot of working outdoors!


Kale

 

[Gloria]

hibiscus

This is my first attempt at wintersowing and I didn't do much but I will say..I love it!!! Here's a red leaf hibiscus I have growing in a 2 liter pop bottle.

 

[Gloria]

I also have cabbage, basil, bush cucs, petunias, peppers, chives, garlic chives...that have sprouted. I am hooked on winter sowing now and next year my list will be almost as long as Smelly's!!! Thanks for enlightening me to winter sowing with this thread.

 

[Melissa]

Absolutely beautiful, Gloria!!! Congratulations!! Isn't it amazing!! I got about 80 bottles sprouted. My friends are so excited to get their little gift bottles from me...lol...keep bugging me about them...lol!! I got too many seeds per bottle and need to thin mine so I will have alot of gifts. I think I need to let them get a little bigger before I start handling them. I told them that good things come to those that wait. Get with me in the fall and I should have alot of seeds to share with you for your wintersowing adventure.
Mel