Thank you Jennifer, Caroline, and Karen. I will use the potting soil that I have in the bag. I was wondering about the manure being too harsh for the seeds. I will be sure to let you know my outcome in the spring. I hope to get started on this WS later this week. We have a rain/snow mix coming Wednesday through Friday. So I will be staying indoors and will have time to get it started....

Jeanne

Did some winter sowing outdoors and even started a few spring annuals indoors. So excited to finally begin to start the cycle again, what in the world do people do with their lives who don't garden?

I think they actually have real lives, but as a gardener, I wouldn't really know :-)

Karen

I think they watch more TV

Hello everyone, I have done winter sowing in the past, but had not done it for several years. I've been inspired to start back this year, as an inexpensive way to to grow some plants that I want add to my garden.

Here's the list of plants that I plan on winter sowing. Some of these are from seeds that I collected from my garden, the others from seed packets from one of our local nurseries.

Columbine Dorothy Rose
Columbine Lime Sorbet
Columbine noid yellow bloom
Columbine noid purple/white bloom
Delphiniums Pacific Giant Mix
Lupines Russel Blend
Lupines Pixie Delight Blend
Stock Giant Imperial Blend
Louisiana Iris seeds- yellow and blue
Daylily Wilson Spider
SI Caesar's Brother
SI Butter and Sugar

Outside ,,, Wintersow , a few ,, Getting started ,



All kinds of seeds

Yay Jim!! I just bought dirt for mine....but I have to wait for it to dethaw. gives me more time to find more milk jugs

I finally got my bottles out there last weekend just in time for the snowfall. This my third year and I keep it very small (only 10 jugs) since I have very limited time to care for seedlings. For the first time I am trying several different clematis varieties (3 different types of integrifolia and 2 types of vitecella) from seed. Based on my readings of how to start them I am expecting very limited success but you never know. I can't wait to see everyone's results as we pass from winter into spring.

Hi All!

Getting ready to do the bulk of my ws'ing this weekend. This is my 4th year and it's still exciting to get started. Last year I received a lot of seeds from a giveaway on another site, so I grew things I may not have otherwise. This year I was fortunate to receive seeds from a gardener who grows a lot of interesting and some unique plants, that may or may not be easily started from seed. So I'm very excited to see what grows.

Felisa, I'm ws'ing clematis this year for the first time as well (clematis: addisonii, glaucophylla, viorna) and I've read probably what you've read. I'll be interested to see how we both make out. Hopefully we'll see some growth this calendar year! You're so wise to limit what you sow.

Has anyone used the new Extreme Sharpie on their jugs this year? I'm wondering if it's actually any better than the normal sharpie.

I was not able to find the solvent for those Sharpies.

Only these:

Product Name: Sharpie Fine Point Marker,
Sharpie Ultra Fine Point Marker, Sharpie Extra Fine Marker,
Sharpie Chisel Tip Marker,
Sharpie Twin Tip Marker, Super Sharpie Marker,
Super Sharpie Twin Tip Marker, Sharpie Mini Fine Point Marker,
Sharpie Micro Marker, Sharpie Grip Marker, Sharpie Retractable Fine Point Marker,
Sharpie Magnum Marker, Sharpie King Size Marker, Sharpie Liquid Tip Marker.

Solvent Mixture:
Butanol (71-36-3),
Propanol (71-23-8),
Diacetone Alcohol (123-42-2),
Ethanol (64-17-5)

==

Product Name:
Sharpie Professional Marker,
Sharpie Industrial Marker,
Sharpie CD Marker.

Solvent Mixture:
Butanol (71-36-3),
Propanol (71-23-8),
Diacetone Alcohol (123-42-2),
Ethanol (64-17-5)

Neither of those mixes is especially aggressive on plastic. I was hoping to see some Xylene in it. When I was trying to get ink to stick to plastic D&D dice, Xylene was the magic ingredient.

Toxic, though.

From the ads, it sounds like "Extreme" Sharpies mainly add some UV resistance against fading.

LC I brought a big bag of starter mix in from the garage , frozen it was also , center stayed frozen and still was the last I looked ,
Small bag is still "out there "

Most I will recognize , The plants I might not I have been using straws , with a slip of paper , with name , folding the end of the straws and sealing with a small bit of Duct tape ,
The paper inside still degrades some from the elements , but the jugs are not permanent anyway , etc , some last , some do not , If I wanted to make them more permanent I could spray the label with loctite , last about 8 to 10 yrs that way , Takes forever to dry solid ...


The few flowers that are out there I will recognize mostly , I am not selling these so not a big deal ,,
I like the clay stone markers also ,,, The tombstone flower bed ,,, etc memory . ceremonial , all that ,,

To label my winter sowing I cut soda cans in strips then write in sharpie on the unprinted side. Doesn't last forever but I only need it to last til transplant time.

SC Buttercup ,, the waterproof laundry marker , I have a few

I use paint pens that I get from Michael's to label tags and containers. It lasts a few years.

Today, I got 17 containers planted. I've got 4 more to go. I didn't plan on doing so many, however, between the seeds I collected last year, and a few seeds packs that were bought, the winter sowing jugs keep increasing. I'm really excited about getting back into winter sowing.

I only have my jugs folded instead of taped and the lids are on instead of off , so far they have stayed together ,
my concern is the way it frost patterns here in a little while
The frost even breaks containers when it falls directly on the container , I left the lids on , as anything that will break the plastic ,is a terror on the little leaves of seedlings
As for the heating ,with lids on , after it warms a little ,off they come ,

Looks like you all here are getting a good start on wants ,,

I did my first ws for this year yesterday. I got 6 milk jugs planted with seeds I have collected, mostly from my own plants. One with Monkshood and one with orange butterfly plant. The other 4 are unknown seeds. I am looking forward to seeing what they end up being. Some of the seeds came from a trip we took, and I robed from some interesting plants that I came across. I got the drain holes and vent holes poked in 12 more jugs so they are ready to start planting today.

I also started germinating seeds in damp paper towels on paper plates so I can see if the seeds will germinate. I also planted up a few of the ones that did germinate. I have one seedling growing so far in my new small greenhouse I put up in the garage. I think it is a Blanket Flower seedling. I am anxious to see how my attempt at growing under lights works for me this year with my new little greenhouse.

Jimard I was wondering why you had done your jugs that way. Makes sense to me. I'm still prepping jugs in anticipation of seed delivery. I have both veggie and flowers ws'd. Right now I have

yellow rose
passion flower
Amish paste tomato
super beefsteak tomato
George detsikas tomato
broccoli
portulaca
petunias
blue mist bush
catmint
Coneflower
English daisy - Red pomponette
Mother of Pearl poppy
Hungarian blue poppy
Celosia spicata - pink
Drumstick allium
Veronica - pink
Grape hyacinth
Red Crepe Myrtle
Cherry tomato
English thyme
Rosemary
Black cumin
Raspberry

What am I waiting to plant? Lol, tons.

6 different Snapdragons (I even pulled up mine to make room)
5 different Celosia's
3 different salvia
Carrots
Lavender
Strawflower
Geum
Basil
Cumin
Cukes
Daylily
Monkey grass
3 different dahlias
Rudbeckia
Alyssum

This list can go on and on, lol. But I'm ready. I love ws'ing since it gives me something to do. I probably will also sow way more than I need but I don't care. I always find a way to make it work even if my hubby has to til more.

Karen One plus of folding the jugs so far , is dew and rain water seep in to the soil from the edges .
Ground temperature effects are similar to planting in the ground that way ,
anyway that is so far ,
I don't want to use smaller containers but might have to , lot to plant .

Karen ,, that is a list of nice plants you have

Might be boiling my garden earth from there to get fill for annual containers ,

gardenglassgems Good hopes with the greenhouse

Jim do they blow open? I threw all my caps away