I've come across a few threads about winter sowing. Living in the Artic i do have a choice in how i get ready for spring planting, but with the summers here you never know if its going to snow in the middle of summer or be blazing hot. This is how i get my seeds to weather to the conditions here. Come spring thaw, only the very strongest of the strong will have survived an thats what i want an need to be able to garden here in the Artic. Heres what i do first: First get all your supplies ready, i use butter tubs, ice cream tubs, in 3 and 2 liter sizes, long planter trays for my veggies or just about anything that can withstand a winter. Take one container and take off the lid, cut out the center of the lid and just save the edge that seals. like in the pic. use the centers of those lids to make great name sticks for your seeds, so you know what you have just planted come spring. Plastic wrap to cover the tubs and the lid edge to seal the plastic on. next cut holes into the bottoms of your containers, not big ones but a few slices from scissors or an knife will work. fill with your soil, sprinke your seeds, and water but not to where it gets soggy. just enough to help the freezing process. When i do sprinkle the seeds on i immediately stick a name stick in it so i can remember what i have just planted. when you start to do this an you have 50 or so tubs going at one time, its a huge memory saver. lol. Now take out the stick, an wrap plastic wrap over the top an down the sides an seal with your lid edging. stick the name stick back in thru the plastic and your done. by putting the stick thru the plastic your are also letting air come thru, an also the water from the elements to help in the freezing process an in spring the thawing process. now take them outside an just set them in a spot that is out of the way of walking traffic an your done until spring an your new seeds have started to sprout. This is just a start for me, there will be plenty more going out as the winter season progresses. but i think now with some pictures it helps to see what is going on. I did plant in those containers, wild sage, hyssop, and chamomile,, and in the long container is antique pink roses, (i have no idea what the name is, it grows here) its where i get my rose hips from. but that is just a start. so happy sowing to all!!!!
That is basically what I had planned on doing this winter, except for the 'snow' part but we didn't have enough cold to make it possible. I have sunflower seedlings in the bloom house that started coming up back in Dec, I transplanted them from the ground to a large pot. If those snow pictures are from this year, it's good to see that the artic finally got snow this winter.
Sorry your not getting the weather you want there. but i guess we all make due with that we are given.. yep this was done yesterday. we are finally getting snow an just in time to co-operate with my plans,,,lol. altho i have done alot more today an last night, its just now we are getting severe storms an raging winds. more snow all week for us. well okay for the next 3 months anyways,,lol.
I planted out some perennial seeds last fall. I'll start some annuals inside next month. I uses margarine tubs and lids too. But I usually start them in peat pods.
Thank you so much for your detailed explanation of your winter sowing Biita. Many of our members will be grateful for the information you've provided. I can hardly wait to see all the seedlings coming up through your soil. Please take piccies of them when they emerge won't you? Oh .... now my hands are itching again to get back outdoors - sadly it is torrential rain outside so I'll have to sit on my hands - again.
That how-to-description is so easy to understand that I might try it. Thank you Biita. I've got itchy fingers too. I think we've got sunflower seeds. The temp is back down to 2 deg C - 36 deg F today, and there was a murmur that we might get some snow this week-end. We shall see.
Wow, that's interesting. I would think that the containers would freeze solid, along with the seeds, and that they would rot. Thanks for the tips...I'll have to give it a try with some of my perennial seeds.
this is basically the way I do it. I do like your idea of making name sticks from the tops. I have some name sticks that I have made. But your way would be so much easier. Thanks for posting.
i'm glad you all like my way. it is easy, and as long as you put holes in the containers on the bottom, all the water drains when it needs to. Thanks for reading.
Now the waiting begins. I stuck out 2 containers today, Husband shook his head........... I said winter time fun at its best....... I dont expect any life in them till april.
Just look at that! Biita that is an excellent "How- To" presentation. It is just the thing for arctic dwellers, but I can see that it is easily adaptable for folks in the warmer climes as well. Supurb work. Thanks very much.
Snow isn't the important part of it,, it just helps to keep the cold in as an insulator so to speak,, its the freezing that you want. so in climates that has a good freeze, for a few weeks or so. or even one week of on and off freezing this will work. i put alot of seeds in those containers. about 50-80 seeds, and i expect about half that to maybe sprout. but thats okay because those are the plants that will survive sudden weather changes that happen here or anywhere really.
Biita Although I didnt get that formal, I just used a juice 2 quart jug and a freezer container that had a clear top.. Like you , I scattered lots of seeds. I had lots. Perennials......and made holes at the bottoms. I dont expect life till april. However it is fun. Thanks b
