I am so excited!! I am going to try and do the winter sowing thing this winter, I'm really excited and really nervous to,I've been collecting containers all summer long so I hope I have enough, I think I will do about 30 or so out side and some inside just in case, I'm really not sure when to start them because I don't want them to pop their little heads out to soon and die on me, People sent me some really nice seeds this summer and I don't want to loose those for sure,If you all remember last year I had seeds in every room in the house, My hubby got a little crazy but the seeds done well. LOL I'm having trouble trying to find out what seeds to do and what not to do,I don't know what seeds need to be cold or not. And the couple of seed books I have doesn't say, I live in zone 6 some winters are really bad and some aren't to bad. So what to do. what to do!! I thought I would take all my little containers and and sit them in a little wadding pool I have, Do you all think that would be ok, Maybe that would keep them all in place.So many questions and I don't know anything, I been reading a lot though. :-? :?: Thank goodness for all of you. I really appreciate all your help, Orange Begonia ( photo / image / picture from margie12u's Garden ) I send you all flowers for all your help. Thank You Margie
I read an interesting article last winter about seeding flowers in cut liter bottles left outside (the tops were put back on after seeding). For those plants that need cold to germinate it had worked well for that individual. I am trying some native tiger lily scales just using pots in a covered rack. Don't know if it will work, but figured it was worth a try. Hope it works out for you, and can't wait to hear about the results.
The good thing about internet is that if you search you'll probably find, even information about winter sowing. Good luck with your projects. I've sown a few seeds outside, but only for plants I'm positive will take the cold during winter. Some plants actually demand a freeze-thaw-freeze-thaw-etc. winter to germinate.
Any plant, whether an annual or perennial, that easily self-sows in your zone or ones that require stratification thru the freeze/thaw cycle of typical winter weather will work for winter sowing. You will just have to search by individual plant.
I over winter a lot of seeds in cold frames. Seeds often have chemical protectors called inhibitors. Those inhibitors protect from too early germination. Just remember to leave a venting space so they don't overheat!
