Winter sowing week 8 update - Plus two reveals 🌱 

Thanks for visiting

Thank you. Wow, what a great place you live. I visited Vancouver and Victoria a couple years back and would love to go again. Thanks for stopping by. ☺

I haven’t even started my tomatoes and peppers. Really need to get to those. 😁

@@MonicaKatie Well, in my limited experience, the soil has to warm up before they will really start to grow anyway. Not sure what kind of growing season you have, but here in south MS, we have quite a lengthy season. Hope you have a great week and God bless.

Thanks ☺

Great results!!! I have over 30 jugs and all have germinated but my calendula and agastache 🤷🏻‍♀️I’m hoping they wake up soon. Zone 6a NE Ohio. This is my first year so I’m looking forward to your transplanting video.

@Michael - yes, temperatures this year have been warmer earlier than last. Glad you have a greenhouse as an alternative.

@@mindyrutkowski3124 some seedlings just take a bit longer. I’m sure they will emerge in the next couple of weeks.

@@MonicaKatie Last year I thought I was too early, this year too late lol. I'll try for the middle next winter.

Very nice! This is my first time growing bachelor buttons. I know they are cold hardy but this is great info that they can withstand such cold weather. I probably can plant them real soon. My columbine usually takes long and I typically have low germination 🤷🏻‍♀️. I’m surprised my calendula isn’t further along. Thanks for stopping by 😊

Yup, those containers will likely sprout a little later but won't give up on them. The seeds you gave me are doing great so far. You should still have time to do winter sowing but I know you do quite a bit of indoor seedlings so from that regard you will be ahead of me.

@@MonicaKatie hhehe im running out of room inside, and have a lot that needs to go in the ws containers to save my sanity.

I don't think I'll ever have to plant chamomile again. It just came up all over the place. 😆 Not mad about it though 😉

Interesting that you don't have luck with winter sowing. Echinacea can be a bit tricky. When winter sowing echinacea they do need to be started outdoors in late January to give them enough cold stratification. Also echinacea for me has had a 50% germination rate with winter sowing. Last year I planted a fresh bag of 25 seeds and only 12 germinated and they took a while to get going. You do have a very nice greenhouse. If I had that available I would totally be using that. Lettuce and spinach is super cold hardy and have fast germination so I can see why that worked well. Happy growing my friend. ☺

@@MonicaKatie thanks Monica. I perhaps try the wrong stuff. What's one thing that you suggest that I can try next year? Thanks.

I’m sure you will have success. Thanks for stopping by. 😊

Thanks 😊

Last year I winter sowed delphinium and they germinated for me. Probably just takes a bit longer for them to emerge. I’m surprised my calendula isn’t further along. Thanks for stopping by. ☺️

Oh, I’m so sorry 😞. What zone are you in? I wouldn’t give up just yet on any that didn’t germinate. I usually wait until May or June to call it quits on those that nothing came up. I usually use the potting soil of those that didn’t germinate at the bottom of my flower pots. Unless you are using the soil for seed starting I don’t see a need to pour boiling water.

Thank you so much, that is so nice to hear that you enjoy these updates. I have not fertilized them because I used potting mix in the containers so it should have enough fertilizer until I plant them in the garden. Hope that helps 😊.

@@MonicaKatie yes it does! Thank you!!

In some cases perennials can take longer but not always. Really depends on the plant as some just need a longer cold period and moisture to germinate.

This is my first year growing bachelor buttons but I have read that they should be pinched back when the plants are 4 to 6 inches tall. So I do plan on it maybe a couple of weeks after transplanting?

Too much sun only becomes an issue when the weather starts to warm up above 70 degrees farenheit. At that time you would need to open the containers - but when you first open them you don't want them in full sun for too long. You will want to give them a day or two to acclimate in part sun once you open since they were protected a bit from wind and direct sun. For clear plastic containers, full sun can be an issue when it warms up as the plastic can be like a maginifying glass and fry the seedlings. If you are concerned I would recomment moving them to a location where it only gets about 6 hours or morning sun. The afternoon sun is very strong so would not recommend containers be placed in mid to late spring where it is getting blasted with hot afternoon sun.