I ended up with well over 600 plants in 4" pots to set out last year. But I start mine in small individual cells in the GH and move them up after they germinate. That's partly because I refuse to give space to seeds that don't germinate. Mostly annuals, and I found places to put most of them! It's hard for me to wintersow, because I have no place to put the jugs; but I'm going to try to find places to put a few this year. If we ever see the ground again, that is!

Who needs to see the ground? Just shove them into snow, they'll be fine.

I still haven't started wintersowing, but this weather (currently 8° F) definitely puts me in the spirit. I spent a long time yesterday going through my seeds, picking out a few to sow under lights and separate out some to wintersow. I spent most of the time searching for a pack of echinacea which I knew I had.

At least I'm starting to gear up. I'll do some containers in a few days.

Karen

Karen, do you have many types of coneflowers? I have heard several are not to hardy. What does well for you? Also what soil do you use. Promix or something different?

I'm really getting into it now. Lots of perennials still need to go out in jugs. I'm waiting for my last seed order from Swallowtail





Hopefully I'll get some good Delphiniums, Chelone, Agastache and Verbascum from the jugs already out there.

Lookin' good, Teri.

Teresa, I've tried several of the newer, tissue culture ones and they haven't done that well for me. The regular old purple ones have been my best. But last summer, I lost quite a few coneflowers, including old purple ones, to aster yellows. With the mild weather we had all year, including last winter, the bugs were awful. That was my first experience with aster yellows in almost 30 years of gardening here. I hope the deep freeze we're having now kills off the bugs. We're having days in the teens, nightly lows in the single digits.

I'm trying a couple of the newer seed types this year, starting the seeds. At least they're cheaper. Buying those others as plants gets expensive.

Karen

woo hoo party by Teri this spring!!!.. good work girl!!!

Whoa! That's a lot of jugs!

Roses_R_Red said:I'm really getting into it now. Lots of perennials still need to go out in jugs. I'm waiting for my last seed order from Swallowtail





Hopefully I'll get some good Delphiniums, Chelone, Agastache and Verbascum from the jugs already out there.

Looking good, Teri.

The number I see on at least one of your jugs has sparked an idea. Do you number the jugs and then match them to a spreadsheet or other list? That seems like it would be a lot less hassle than writing all the information again on each jug.

I do both. Write the name and a number on each jug, then match them up on a spreadsheet that has all the plant info including its picture.

that's awesome

I do both too so when I peak in, I know what I'm looking for

Good idea! Spreadsheet.

Roses_R_Red said:I do both. Write the name and a number on each jug, then match them up on a spreadsheet that has all the plant info including its picture.

Thanks, Teri.

I really like your plan!

I did a spreadsheet in my early years, but it started to feel like work. That evolved to writing a simple list in a notebook now.

Karen

I type much faster than I write so spreadsheet works for me. (Besides, I can't read my own writing and I like to have the picture next to the info).

I finally started wintersowing today, though I only did 5 jugs.

(Since our current temp is in the 50s, it doesn't seem like I should call it wintersowing)

Karen

I know.. glad I am waiting again .. going to be 56 here on wed

I'm not speaking to either one of you. 50's indeed! Gee, we had a high of 28 today. Positively tropical.

I have 5 jugs cleaned and ready. I don't start to ws for another month though. We have crazy winter weather here. It's been well above freezing for the last week, but tonight it is forecasted to get below -20ºC, which is -4ºF. The cold front has moved in and the temperature is dropping rapidly

oh don't be jealous... we woke up to freezing rain this morning.. Randy is sick already.. with the flop in the weather.. I am sure we all will be sick