Winter Sowing
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Winter Sowing

by Jacqueline
(Fredericton, NB, Canada)

What is your opinion on wintersowing/spring seeds in containers then transplanting them when the ground is ready? Some garden websites make it sound so easy - recycled containers, sow them and stick 'em all outdoors for the snow to water them. Is it really THAT easy?

I don't have the space or equipment to start indoors in the spring. I am in zone 5 (maritimes) and thought perhaps this would be the way to go rather than sowing seeds directly into the ground.

Thanks!

Doug says while it isn't "that" easy (I'm not sure what "that" is) :-) it's pretty simple. Many perennials will indeed germinate from a winter sowing into pots outdoors. It's an old trick and I've done it / used it on a lot of varieties of hardy perennials.

Frankly, it's not as reliable or productive in my experience to using some of the techniques on these pages (like the baggy method) but it does work nicely for most. You simply have to protect the seeds from mice/ants and recognize the difference between a weed and a perennial seedling. Before you think that's easy - I once grew out a weed for 3-months in a pot until I twigged to the fact that it wasn't the very rare and hard to germinate plant I was looking for. LOL!

But yes, for the most part it works.

Comments for
Winter Sowing

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winter sowing
by: Anonymous

I have grown Tomatoes and put them out end of feb early March. Grew several varieties and they all came up.I used potting soil. I have also grown many tender perennials and annuals with much success, so I would try the daillias as I am sure they will work. In zone 5 I have put them out in late January and threw March. I have had similar results no matter when I put them out. Good luck I will never fool with those indoor jiffy pots again
winter sowing
by: Anonymous

I too live in zone 5 Mass and love winter sowing. Fun to do in the depths of winter have had 95pct success rate with just about any seeds(annual or perennial).Hardy or not. This year was not as good as the heavy rains may have over watered my pots.I also reused my containers this year and perhaps that was the problem.I have found that I have the best germination rate in the milk jugs I am also a master gardener and find this much better than indoor sowing.You also get to sow so many unusual varieties.
I love winter sowing
by: Beatrice

I tried winter sowing for the first time in 2008/2009, using potting soil as the growing medium and planting in December 2008/January 2009. I did go nuts and try many types of containers, planting the same types of seed in different types of containers, and then assessed which types of containers did better than others. I was able to grow all sorts of perennials and veggies I never thought possible. Some plants did so well they were 3 inches high before I could get them into the ground.

And for me, yes, it really was that easy. I just put them outside and left them there until spring. I don't recommend using water/milk jugs, only because they were too much work cutting then securing. Anything with a self cover worked great (aluminum salad containers, plastic drink cups with cover with a hole for the straw, yogurt containers with clear covers, etc.) When done I just recycled all my containers.

If you save containers the cost is so little to do this I don't see any reason to not try. Good luck!
winter sowing
by: Janet

Anonymous, you've done Tomatoes? when do you sow them? IF you can do tomatoes, I could probably do these Bishops Children dahlia seeds...?
Winter sowing
by: Anonymous

I am a certified master gardener leaving in zone 5 mass. and can't say enought good things about winter sowing. I save roasted chicken containters, salad containers,milk containers all fall and winter and them come late feb/early mar. start planting.I have planted tomatoes ,lettuce, annual geraniums and a variety of hardy and not so hardy annuals and perennials and my succes rate has been about 95%. It saves the mess in my house,the plants do not need to be hardened off and by May the plants are so big that the insects and squirrells dont bother with them. GO AHEAD AND DO IT.
winter sowing
by: Janet

I've done it myself a few times. Last year had 100%germination (only sowed four varieties), this year only about 40%. This year I used the wrong sowing medium-- straight peat moss-- so many of the seeds just got mould. Others were quite big and should have been covered with soil-- didn't do that. The chief advantage from my perspective ( I'm in Zone 8 with almost no winter sun!) is that you don't need inside space for a grow light system. All the actual work involved is the same.

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