Thank you Allison

That's great, Jennifer! Now that you've seen how well wintersowing can work, and how much easier it is, you'll want to start all your seeds that way.

Karen

Today I drilled drainage holes in my (previously) sealed containers. I haven't been able to get them potted up or in the ground yet and they were desperate for water.
Next year I think I'll go back to containers with drainage. I've had great germination in sealed containers, but the timing's just off for me. Here, it's still too cool and wet to plant much of anything out yet.

Here too, Chelle. I did tomatoes at least a month ago and only 2 seeds have sprouted. And the sprouts haven't grown at all.

Nothing outside seems to be growing much in the cold. Even established perennials in the ground are slow to wake up this year. I really need to do some work outside in my yard, but it has been too cold for me. I have a few things inside my house which I haven't hardened off yet- it's been too cold.

We finally have a warm 10 day forecast, with 5 days in the 70s, starting tomorrow.

Karen

So looking forward to this warm up the next few days!

me too!!

Me too, Jennifer. One of my florescent tube lights died. I have to either replace it asap, or get the plants outside for more light. Looks like the outside option might be OK if the forecast holds true.

Karen

some of mine are so overgrown they were getting burned on the bulbs.. so happy they can go out

Yes, I've had a few of those too, Allison. Several of my echinacea seedlings have been singed on the lights. A couple of coleus, too. Sometimes they grow a lot overnight, and when I look the next day... fried leaves.

Karen

the plectranthus plugs I bought are huge.. swear they grow an inch every day.. that light is mounted under my table can't raise it anymore unless I jack up the table

Wow. Are they in cells, or bigger pots?

I dug up and saved 3 dragon wing begonias last fall. One is huge, the other two alive but barely. It's still too cold to move them outside. When they hit my lights on the tallest shelf, I chop off the top of the plant.

Karen

cells overgrown for a while.. ran out of room inside.. have to deal with it now

I figured when they get outside.. I will cut the burnt tops off.. and stick them in the ground somewhere to root... not ready here just yet.. but soon.. been hardening off everything during the warmer hours

We haven't had decent enough weather to harden things off, except a few days here and there. It has either been cold, or raining, or too windy. Hopefully I'll make some progress in that department this week.

Karen

Ok so it is going to be in the 70s here for three days. I want to avoid frying my seedlings. All my WS jugs are in full sun on west side of the house. All my jugs are vented so to speak, I did not tape them. So the tops are just flopping there by the hidge. Do I need to pull them back all the way?

And if pull the tops back all the way do I need to worry about the seedlings getting sunburnt? Or are they somewhat immune to that since they have been WS here? If I need to move them to a shadier area I'm in trouble. I have A LOT to move

They'll dry out faster on warm sunny days, but as long as they're open the extra heat probably won't harm them.

I dislike weak leggy seedlings, so I've cut away the upper half of all of the jugs that have sprouts now and I've placed them where they'll get sun, rain and a little bit of breeze for most of the day. They're shaded by evergreens in late afternoon. If it calls for storms, I bring them back under cover.

Thanks Chelle,

Right now it is very hard to imagine my jugs drying out! We have had so much rain. But I realize eventually I will have to water. I planted them with Miracle Grow Moisture control on the bottom and promix on top. I hope that will help with a little less watering.

I am not opposed to cutting the tops totally off at this point. I just didn't know if they would sunburn. I've already sunburned by poor geraniums I overwintered.

I keep my jugs on my NE facing deck. In winter they get only brief exposure to direct morning sun. As the season progresses and days lengthen, they're exposed to a little more sun each day. That seems to work well for me.

Karen

My original plan was to keep the jugs more on the north side (East is not an option for me) But because it was so cold and wet for so long I set them up on the west side. I CAN move them to the north side. I just was hoping to avoid that as it is like 150 containers!

How did your seedlings fare, Jennifer? Did you have 80"s and all day sun the past couple of days, too?

We have had 70's and sun for past 3 days. All sprouts have done just fine! Still don't have to water most stuff. Thanks for asking!