Why Your Winter Sowing May Fail and What To Do To Ensure Success! Avoid These Winter Sowing Mistakes 

Hi there, So true, even as experienced gardeners, were always learning. Every time we pick up a new piece of information about something new, we can use those tid bits for the next time we try. Eventually all the tweaks equal some success!

Wonderful!

Hi Rebecca, Exactly! Such a great method. Thanks for watching.

Your so welcome Pat, and thank you for watching. Oh yes, I shared that in one of last years video. The toothpick works great!!

Glad it was helpful, You're very welcome!

Agree 100% just subscribed 😊

You're so welcome!

You're so welcome Jolie, hope they are helpful!

Thanks so much Mary!

Glad it was helpful!

Glad you enjoyed it!

Thank you so much. Glad it was helpful. 😊

You are so welcome Robyn!

You're so welcome Carol!

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching.

You're so welcome Heidi, Thanks for watching!

My pleasure! 🌱

Hi Guys! Yay for trying WS'ing again! Hope you have much success this year! Thanks for watching.

That is a great tip! Thank you so much. I have used coffee filters on the bottom of planters, but never thought to use them in my winter sowing containers. Thank you!!

Glad it was helpful!

You are so welcome! Glad it was helpful. Thank you for your kind words.

Glad it was helpful!

Glad it was helpful! That was my goal, to have enough helpful videos on this process in my winter sowing playlist so that it would be a good reference spot.

Your so welcome! Those slugs are such pests!! I had a hard time with them mowing down seedlings last year.

Thank you so much Sharon for your kind words. Thanks for subbing.

Thats great Pam! Hoping you have lots of success come Spring!! Yes for sure, our weather can be so whacky! I agree, no more indoor starting for me either.

I’m to the point of dreading indoor seed starting-Love WS’ing! I’m sitting here with 35 jugs in living room, all marked with tags and seed pkt in each waiting for soil. We are having extremely warm weather of upper 40s and rain predicted with at least 1 night at 46*F. I’m waiting until the 15th or 20th and will fill and put out then as future cast appears to show temps evening out. Been too warm all January and February Z5a WI. Starting late March for tender annuals. Experimenting with onions, peppers and tomatoes to see how they produce starting in WS. Not sure if onions will have enough growth by summer solstice. If I can figure that out definitely not doing any indoors.

Hi there! That makes 2 of us. I can't wait for Spring, and sprouting seedlings and plants! Please send some of your sunshine back here to MA ok? ;)

Welcome from Ireland Marbeth!! I picture beautiful green countrysides in your country. I start all of my containers over Feb, Mar, and beginning of April. Depending on the seed I'm starting and how cold tolerant they are. Thanks for watching!

It really is fun to experiment with seeds. Thank you!

Good luck Deb, and have fun!

Hi Michelle, I discussed this in these 2 videos: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-T1bmA4bTK2Q.html and this one: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4NBT4z6png8.html

@@HookedandRooted Awesome!!! I just grabbed a few more seeds after watching them :)

Thank you!

Hi Emily! you are so welcome, so happy to help, and I appreciate your kind words. I think even in a warmer zone, the "winter sowing" method may be effective as you are essentially just creating mini greenhouses. The think to keep an eye on which you already said, is checking for sun and moisture. Ensuring they don't get too hot so they don't wilt/die etc. Please report back on how you make out, I would be so curious to see how things work for you in a warmer climate. If you have any seeds that benefit from "cold stratification", (you can google the seed to find out), you can always throw the seeds in the freezer for a couple weeks to "mimic cold". Hope this helps. Thanks for watching and for your support!

Hi! I might have missed this, but what is the best soil to use for winter sowing containers?

@@michelletetreault9428 potting soil.

Good stuff!

@@HookedandRooted ok, now there is an example similar to what I posted a comment about. If they germinated already, I’m not sure about DC, but I believe they still could have subzero temps yet. Depending how long it would stay cold for, I’m not sure if just covering them would be enough protection. It’s just a weird weather pattern we are having and I think I will just have to wait a bit to start. Highs and lows have been too extreme here Z5a, WI.

Thanks for sharing your experience Kittie!

Hi Marie! Ahh how nice that you can sow seeds year round in Australia. Sounds lovely!

Hi Dusty, I'm glad you are enjoying. Yes I agree the weather has been so different in recent years. Yes the wintersowing method works well for some. I haven't tried it yet. Winter sowing with Elizabeth has a channel here on RU-vid, and she uses this method. I think winter sowing can be done at any point in winter. The only time you would need to be concerned with a polar vortex affecting your seeds, is once you have germination. At that point tender seedlings should be protected.

@@HookedandRooted yes, early germination is what I’m concerned about. Thanks for your thoughts. I did find some info on web through Dave’s Garden and MN and there was mention of keeping the containers sheltered somewhat to prevent too early of germination. It’s been so warm this week the unheated greenhouse reaches 90*F. I can imagine how warm the jugs will get especially when it will not drop to freezing on some nights. I’ll wait a bit as the forecast shows leveling temps.

Update on results last year- Well, I waited to about 2nd week of Feb and it still didn’t help as most did not turn out. I noted observation that the seeds in a few looked to be ready to sprout not long after setting them out and a few days later we had snow. I didn’t set them in partial shade and should have 🙄. The gallon bags were also a no go for me as they dried out too fast and even though I had dowels in them they collapsed frequently. I have been searching for more answers as we are having a record breaking warmer than last year winter. It’s Feb 2nd and we have been in upper 30s to 40s since 3rd week of January and this weekend 50s and throughout next week and possibly beyond.-not normal. They predict early spring and Accuweather says my location Z5a, WI will be 3+ degrees warmer this spring. I just seen a video (?Garden Geek) that confirmed my suspicion on what happened last year and suggested to set the containers where they only get morning sun. I’m going to try this again and set them on the east side of house. However we have had several nights above 32 degrees. We are under some kind of heat bubble. Sigh, I have no idea why I set them in full sun nestled in raised bed last year, but it was the wrong thing to do. I guess maybe I thought the temps were stabilizing at that point. Our spring weather sometimes takes awhile and the lower elevation doesn’t help. I almost threw in the towel last May when we were not warned of a freeze on the last weekend. It was so Hot in May and I had the garden loaded. The heat advanced growth on many plants especially the fruit and killed some. The local winery is up high and they lost 95% of grapes. There was no warning and no one suspected it. For that lesson I will not start and set out seedlings too soon unless I’m prepared to cover them every night through to June. I know to cover WS if they are sprouted, but they only appeared to look like they were going to sprout last February 2023 and I think that snowstorm did them in. My WS was terrific in 2022. It’s a whole new way of gardening. Hope this helps anyone dealing with these fickle temperature swings. I know I’ve never witnessed anything like it in my life. I I believe areas near large bodies of water are more protected from temp swings and spring is earlier. The only good thing I heard is the El Niño weather pattern is weakening. We have been in extreme drought, but was a blessing that forced me to learn and install irrigation and it was the best money spent on gardening ever. Love it! 👏🏼👏🏼

Hi Sherry! Thank you so much for your kinds words. I do have irrigation, for the lawn. Which in recent years we haven't been using much due to us being in a drought and not wanting to dry out our well. As for the flower beds, when we had our irrigation installed, they put sprayers in our beds. Which as plants grew become covered and just became unaffective for watering. My husband has since turned off the sprayers in my beds, and I have used a hose when there is a long stretch of dry hot weather. I would love to convert the beds to drip at some point, but thats' a project for another time.

@@HookedandRooted well honestly that excites me to hear that lol. If a garden can look as beautiful as yours without it then I have hope 😃❤️🌺🪴

Hi Dawn, The seed packet instructions in my experience only accounts for seed starting indoor, and for direct sowing outdoor after last frost in your area. Winter sowing can be done anytime after the winter solstice. I prefer to start my seeds in February here in my zone 6. That has worked for me over the last few years. I have never winter sowed bulbs. Caladiums are warm season bulbs. My guess is that they would turn to mush in the cold, and damp soil. I would hold off and plant warm weather bulbs directly in ground or in pots once chance of frost has passed. Thank you so much for your kind words, and for watching. Take care!

Hi Mary, the seeds will germinate outdoor once the temperatures are appropriate for the seeds. The rely on mother nature to tell them when to germinate. The seed packets give a general range, and that typically refers to an indoor growing situation, or direct sowing outside once the weather reaches the temperatures are as listed on the seed packet.

Hi Tammy, this process of winter sowing is hands off. Meaning once the containers are set up, you will set them outdoor in a sunny location and let nature water them. You are only misting or watering in the seeds upon sowing them, and then once you seal them, they should have enough moisture build up in them from condensation. Then you rely on the rain and snow to keep them watered outdoors.

I have been putting coffee filters in the bottom of each container because I heard that, too. Definitely have slugs in my yard, but none in my Winter Sowing containers last year. 🎉🤞 It seems a bit unbelievable to me, but easy to try and it seems to work.

great idea!

I also like the use of coffee filters layered in the bottom of my planters to help prevent some soil from running out while watering.

Hi there! Thank you so much! I would say if your trays don't have drain holes, I would remove them from the trays. If you have a real heavy rain and aren't able to drain the trays right away, it could cause the containers to get water logged. Yay for some success! Thanks for watching.

@@HookedandRooted you are Absolutly right I’ll check and see if these are open weave right now🤓🤔

Great news there are on open weave yay and noticed a primrose in bloom and snowdrops 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻a difference a day mskes yesterday no blooms 😎

Hi Shannon, Winter sowing typically involves taping around the milk jug and setting it outside to let it germinate once the weather signals the seed its time to grow. When creating the jug you water it in, then seal it, and the sealed jug will form condensation, and keep the seedlings moist. Along with rain, and if you get snow where you are. Its possible your method will also work, if you keep watering it regularly as you would any other plant that is growing.

Hi Anthony, You would need to provide watering if you dont get enough rain. Just keep the containers moist, but not too wet. Similar to how you would treat a plant out in the garden. You just don't want to allow your containers to get too dry or else your seeds may not germinate.

It shouldn't matter much, of course the warmer the container, the faster things will germinate. Therefore those tender seedlings that are growing would need to get protected if you experience a large temp swing in one day that gets too cold for them.

Hi, that is very possible. In warmer zones, you might have to try during the coldest part of your year, possibly late fall through say February? Thanks for watching.

Hi Karen, I don't grow coleus. Blue fescue and coneflowers can be done now. Dill, I would wait a month or so to start.

Hi Doug, Its very dependent on your climate. If you garden in a cold region with snow and freezing temps, it works better than in warmer gardening regions.