I'm in zone 5a and I early spring sowed all my tomatoes and vegetables. I am thinking late March but I can't remember exactly. They were smaller at first but did fine! And of course much easier. I grew about 20+ varieties of tomatoes for fun and good eating, most in pots.

I'm in a facebook group for Twin Cities winter sowing, and some of the members started WS because of the tomatoes. Seems things that self sow naturally if you let them do fine.

Hammerojustice said: I didn't think you could winter sow a summer crop

I W/S tomatoes a few years ago, they started off slow just like some of my annuals but caught up once it stayed hot for the summer. I am thinking about W/S all of mine this year.

I don't do other veggies so I can't say for sure but I know peppers like the warmth so they may not do so well.

Yes, peppers need warmth to germinate. I like starting them indoors, where they will sprout on top of my stand up freezer. I've found it's just warm enough for them up there and they don't need light until after they sprout. (Some people even start them on top of their hot water heaters in the closet.) And if you have a south facing window to put them in after they sprout, they will grow there until it's warm enough to put outdoors.

It works for me.

I just started some tomatoes and peppers yesterday. The tomatoes are on the kitchen counter under the cabinet lights. Hubby is thrilled (not) that the sowing has begun!

I ws my green pepper seeds and I got some peppers from them and since I don't need too many it worked out for me. I do start seeds, cuttings, tubers etc under lights, but only have so much space, so decided to ws all edibles and just get what I get!

Or the Winter Sower's group on FB, headed by Trudi Davidoff who coined the method and has been teaching it profit-free for 22 years
https://www.facebook.com/group...

This member in MD posted her "wintersowing journey" from seedlings to mature tomatoes from last year:
https://www.facebook.com/group...

Val that ws group on fb has helped me so much! Super your including the link for everybody interested!

I'm not on Facebook so can't check that out but the winter sowing forum looks interesting 😊
I got this idea that I wonder wat would happen if I set my jugs with the tomatoes in under some plastic (I have hoops an plastic over a row in the garden for early lettuce) wonder if they'd start any sooner? U wud probably have to watch temps an make sure u bring em in if it dips to low.

They could get going sooner and have a hardier start. But if they get growing and weather forecasts a freeze you may want to bring them in till temp warms like you said. It is fun experimenting!

Here's a link to an article explaining the process of the winter sowing method - https://upstategardenersjourna...
I encourage anyone here that's into this method to follow this forum - https://garden.org/forums/view... It seems like it could use some fresh contributions!

vma4922 said: Or the Winter Sower's group on FB, headed by Trudi Davidoff who coined the method and has been teaching it profit-free for 22 years
https://www.facebook.com/group...

This member in MD posted her "wintersowing journey" from seedlings to mature tomatoes from last year:
https://www.facebook.com/group...

Thanks so much. I have already joined that group. I'm not sure if I can do tomatoes this year as I don't think I'll have enough jugs.... I have 36 tomato varieties I want to start this year... plus 2 or 3 ground cherry varieties... so I don't think I'll be able to get another 3-3.5 dozen containers before the end of winter.... but maybe next year... ;)

And I have asked a few questions in that group already, so thanks! Appreciate it

@Hammerojustice think outside the box I have more containers that aren't milk jugs than are.
Juice containers, soda bottles, tupperware containers, take out containers and so on and so on.

I planted 15 or so varieties of tomatoes in one large planter. Cut the bottoms out of yogurt cups & used them to keep the varieties separated.


& as Ronnie said, think outside the box...or inside, even. One year I got desperate & used a cardboard box for a container. Worked fine, but I learned not to try moving them. But if it will hold a couple inches of dirt, it's fair game for me.

Oh, we don't drink soda... I have 18 gallon jugs, 2 2-Liter soda bottles, 14 OJ containers (~1/2 gallon), and 11 20oz bottles I found at work.... I don't know if I want to try that many with tomatoes just yet though as some I don't have enough seeds to try again inside should it not work... and I'd rather they all be ready at the right time this year... lol