I want to try ws this year. I saved a ton of tomato seeds this year. 🍅

I read some articles and it sounds easy. Then I can here! It looks way more involved. And I cant find answers about timing with my zone.
I read January somewhere but ok keep seeing March in the threads. Sun or shade? Getting mixed signals.

So 6a please send me your send me your processes and routines. I'll keep posting my steps hopefully this winter goes well.

I don't want to wind up with tons of plants in my kitchen. They will all die.

Your profile doesn't say where in Ky. you live. I'm basing my answer on WSing in Cincinnati.

You can start in January, which works especially well for seeds that take a long time to germinate, or need a long cold stratification, or alternation freezing and thawing. This includes most perennials and hardy annuals.

However, tender perennials and annuals might do better if you wait until closer to spring to sow. The problem is if you sow in January and they sprout in an early warm spell in late Feb. or early March, the seedlings might freeze and croak when the freezing weather inevitably returns. You can cover them with a sheet on cold nights, but life is easier if you wait to sow until closer to spring.

Karen

OOps, sorry. You profile says Mi not Ky.

So tomatoes might not be a good plant?
I heard somewhere to do your natives. January is a good time to start?

Yes, tomatoes do great. Please re-read my post. I didn't say they wouldn't work, just that they might do better if you wait until closer to spring to sow them. I'd recommend sowing your hardy annuals and perennials in January and February, tender ones in late Feb. or March, depending on your weather.

I said
"However, tender perennials and annuals might do better if you wait until closer to spring to sow. The problem is if you sow in January and they sprout in an early warm spell in late Feb. or early March, the seedlings might freeze and croak when the freezing weather inevitably returns. You can cover them with a sheet on cold nights, but life is easier if you wait to sow until closer to spring."

Karen

I put tomato seed out about Jan 1st. Once they germinate I may bring the jug in on frosty nights. In March-April. But I'm a coward.

I had no idea this could be done with the exception of great success with onion seeds planted this way in January in an aluminum pan with a cover. I have always had a problem with enough heat and light indoors during the winter months to get many planted. I am also in zone 6a so we can try together! I am confused about the hardy vs tender annual vegetables (not flowers). I saw the lists:

-WinterSown Vegetables and Herbs (which are the tender annuals?)
-Hardy Annuals Suggested for Winter Sowing (there is a subtitle that says "tender annuals are recommended for sowing a few weeks before your winter season ends", but isn't the list supposed to all be hardy? Also, these are all flowers on the list, no veggies)

It sounds fun!

EVery gardener must try WS at least once, but you learn by doing.
TOmatoes dont WS up here or you get germination in June and green tomatoes in September. TRy a few things as WS and learn from there.

From the pod cast. I have heard native flowers, and tomatoes. Maybe pepers I would have to go back and listen.

I have some flowers I am going to try and start. The seeds I collected this year are pepers, tomatoes, basils, Mellon, garlic, marigolds, cone flowers, lavender.

So I'm gonna give it a go. I kill things indoors. I cant wait to see how some of your plants turn out.

I am also finding mixed information. The podcast says if you wait till spring (around March) its not ws. She said throw them out while theres snow on the ground in tbe dead of winter. So I'm gonna aim for january. 😳😬

I've been researching this a little more and have started the containers. I am going to plant per this list from a site:

Zone 6 Growing Guide
December: Perennial flowers and hardy annuals.
Broom Flower
Fleabane
Fountain Grass
Lily-of-the-Nile
Red Hot Poker
Sea Pink
Verbena

January: Most herbs and plants that require stratification.
Agrimony
Basil
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Garlic (mine was already planted in October)
Hyssop
Kale
Madder
Onions
Peas
Sage
Spinach
Swiss Chard

February: Frost-tolerant vegetables.
Beans
Beets
Bok Choy
Lettuce

March: Tender plants.
Corn
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Melons
Peppers
Pumpkins
Sweet Potato Slips
Tomatoes

I don't grow all of these vegetables, but I just copied her list for you. Also, on her website she said something that I agree with: if you are just beginning and are not sure what to plant and when...experiment! Grow some seeds your traditional way with lights and heat mats and some seeds outside. I love the freedom of this advice!

For my two cents, its not when you WS, its what you do with tender plants (like tomato-peppers) after they germinate. I bring mine in under cover on frosty nights. To go back outdoors in the morning.

If I have that happen, I leave them outside but close the lids and throw a sheet over them.

Karen

I'm going to winter sow again this year although I said last year that I wasn't going to do it again. I just can't help myself. I'm not going to put out as many jugs as I did last year. I am also going to mark them better so I know what is in what jug.

I have tons of flower seeds but I am mostly looking forward to WS some of the Daylily seeds I got from a member a few years ago. I don't grow peppers or tomatoes from seed. I just buy the plants in the spring. I start all my other vegetable seeds directly into the raised beds in rows in the spring after the last frost.

I am looking forward to hearing how everyone's winter sowing goes, and I will report on how mine are doing.

I just read some books about using soil blocks to start plants, and I am going to try to incorporate that idea into the milk jugs so that transplanting will be less stressful on the plants. My DH is helping me to make those soil block forms over the next few days so that we can start next week with the onions.

Today I put out new WS jugs. Rosa rugosa and type 1 iris. Both can stand the frosts.

I finished my winter sowing. I planted 37 containers holding 75 different kind of seeds and one with a bee and butterfly garden mix. I don't expect everything to grow. I am just anxious to see what does grow. Some of the seeds I planted are: Daylily, Canna, vining flowers, coneflower, Lupine, Delphinium, Poppy, Zinnia, Hibiscus, Hollyhock, and some I am not sure what they are. This year I have marked the containers so that I will know what is in each one, I hope.

@Jeanne: YAY! That is a lot of work. I see that you have milk jugs and soda bottles. I ran out of milk jugs just yesterday. I planted vegetables only, and I am excited to see what happens too! Mine are along a south facing garage wall in a raised bed. We will see...

Tip: my husband suggested writing the contents of the container on the outside and inside of the flip top with the thought that inside won't fade. My only problem with writing on them is that I want to re-use them next year and after cleaning will have to sort thru a heap of them to find the veggie that goes in them again! I will probably only try using plastic knives written on the handle next time.

Maybe this is not a popular thing to do...winter sowing...not many posts. It is really an interesting concept that I want to experiment with. We just made some winter hoops also.

Hi Frugalgramma, I have done this winter sowing several times AND am still doing it. I don't get 100% success but oh well. I have lots of seeds and am impatient to plant them in the spring out where weeds may also grow so I do the winter sowing. I think I have labeled them pretty good this year so I will know what is in each one when they start to sprout. We'll see.....I have finally realized that I can not depend on memory (if you know what I mean).

I started wintersowing in 2006. It was extremely successful for me! Now, my garden is full and my seeds are all old. I've been spending a month in Florida (mid Jan to mid Feb.)for the past 4 years, so I haven't gotten around to wintersowing... That said, it's a GREAT method.

Karen

Thanks Karen for your experience. I hope you are enjoying your time in Florida. I have never been there but have cousins that live there. Maybe someday I will go down for a visit. I will put that on my bucket list.