Anyone Else Doing Winter Sowing?

[AlwaysByMySide]

We're going out of town for Christmas, but when we get back, I'm going to start my winter sowing. I have a collection of 2 liter bottles and juice bottles that are ready to go, and will probably have to raid the recycling center for some more when we get back. I'm also doing some in newspaper pots that Farmer Cathy posted about (last year, I think?) I'm getting ready to put in my last seed order, and get everything ready in the meantime, so that when they come in, I can just pop them into the soil, tape 'em up, and get 'em out.

Anyone else getting going on their winter sowing?

[changingseasons]

Are you starting seeds already for the spring? I'm a total newbie, so I would love to know more!

[lmonter]

If I didn't have so much else going on, I would. But alas. I may get to start some things indoors in Feb, we'll see. That'd be something that'll keep me busy while I'm trying to go into labor.

Although fwiw, I did some comparing between winter-sown via milk jugs, indoor seed starting, and direct-sown with some things last year, and the direct sown goodies by far did the best, despite me being in a chilly zone 5. It took a while for them to catch up once the weather sorta finally started to cooperate, but then all bets were off - my bulbing onions kicked some serious rear end especially (oh, and the marigolds!). It was cool, especially since I didn't have to transplant squat.

[AlwaysByMySide]

I did tomatoes winter sown, and under lights, last year, and they did about the same (and the winter sown ones cost me $0 in electricity). I also did a bunch of flowers last year and they did great. I am planning to have a smallish plant sale in the late spring, so I'm going to winter sow them in styrofoam cups and sell them that way as well.

changingseasons - wintersown.com is a great resource (and they offer free heirloom tomato seeds!) I just take juice bottles and 2-liter bottles and cut them in half, fill the bottom with soil and one or two seeds, spray with water, duct tape the top back on, make sure the lid is off, and throw 'em out on the patio.

[hdeering]

We just got back from Christmas vacation and we're going to work on our winter sowing this coming week! We're very excited. I'm glad to find others are doing it too.

[gbutterflykissesm]

I just sent my boyfriend to the hardware store to check out pricing on items to make a small hoophouse over the garden with pvc, plumber's hose, and plastic over it all. Not tall, just enough to keep the soil warm.

This weekend I covered the garden with black weed/landscape fabric so hopefully that will warm the soil.

AlwaysByMySide, the juice bottle idea is great! So I assume you start them in there and then move them to the garden once it is warmer?? Or do you leave them in the bottles?

[annethcz]

This looks interesting. I think the website is actually http://www.wintersown.org/ though