Good subject. I split it off to a new thread so it gets noticed.
Now in my 7th year of wintersowing, I don't change much from year to year anymore. Some things I've learned over the years remain constant
-Use large deep containers with some headroom for seedlings. Milk jugs work best for me for most things
-Tomatoes do well in 16 oz cups, adding soil to the top as they grow.
-Contain jugs in larger bins weighed down by 2 bricks. Otherwise they get blown away. Even one brick allows them to blow.
-Once weather warms, check daily for moisture
-When weather gets warm, open sprouted jug
-Keep in morning sun only
-Follow weather forecasts in spring. Cover tenders for overnight frost
I used a lot of older seeds this year. Some show a few sprouts, some don't, particularly annuals. Most that have germinated only have a couple of sprouts so far. Despite a warmer than normal winter season, the majority of my seeds haven't sprouted. It's still March, very early in the growing season here. (I never see sprouts before March). It's way too early to give up on anything here. Many years I haven't even sown annuals yet by the end of March.
Karen
