Photos for anyone who isn't yet convinced that winter sowing is a great way to start seeds. I don't even cover containers anymore, just sow heavily, line them up near the house and ignore until ready.



Columbine and perennial flax




Lavender



Cheyenne Spirit echinaceas

You should try annuals a month before you plant them out. I used milk jugs for those and you end up w some hearty plants!

ScarletTricycle said: You should try annuals a month before you plant them out. I used milk jugs for those and you end up w some hearty plants!

Yes, those work great! I've switched to an all perennial flowers garden, but in the past did a lot of hardy annual and vegetable winter sowing. Can't recommend it highly enough. 👍

Beautiful How much longer do you leave them in those containers (time or pairs of true leaves)? And do you transplant directly from those containers to the ground?

daveid1966 said: Beautiful How much longer do you leave them in those containers (time or pairs of true leaves)? And do you transplant directly from those containers to the ground?

I don't rush to plant them out if the seedlings keep looking sturdy. If I have way more seedlings than I need, I thin them in the container to give the rest more space. Then I start watching for an overcast week with gentle rains predicted for several days and plant into a nursery bed part of the garden to grow where I can keep them well weeded and watered if needed. For perennials, I move to their final location mid-dummer to fall, or maybe the next spring. It all depends on how chunky the seedlings get, if I have clear spots in the main garden, and how the weather is shaping up.

FormerGWzoneLyndaWS said: I don't rush to plant them out if the seedlings keep looking sturdy. If I have way more seedlings than I need, I thin them in the container to give the rest more space. Then I start watching for an overcast week with gentle rains predicted for several days and plant into a nursery bed part of the garden to grow where I can keep them well weeded and watered if needed. For perennials, I move to their final location mid-dummer to fall, or maybe the next spring. It all depends on how chunky the seedlings get, if I have clear spots in the main garden, and how the weather is shaping up.

Thanks. I honestly believed that when opening any jug, perennial seedlings would be much larger than what your photos show, seedlings that would be rubbing against the top of the jug 😇. Thanks for enlightening me.

Uncovered like that, you are just sowing at the right time for stratification which is great. But it isn't "wintersowing" as the concept is sold.