peapod
gardener
Zone 4, acidic soil, and sandy loam that I have worked on for 4 years. Fixing the bad stuff.
Posts: 175
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Post by peapod on Feb 13, 2009 1:11:29 GMT -5
I am not sure if this thread belongs in this area...
If not please fell free to move it.
I have read some on winter sowing. I have started minimal seeds for winter sowing.
One thing that I am interested in is if anyone has ever started seeds in the dead of winter(Living in zone 4 or any other zone), and what were the results.
Here is what I have started mostly just to see if it works.
20 varieties of tomatoes, One seed each or in some cases 2 seeds.
This one will amaze me if it germinates
Eggplant a few varieties, this is what I am very curious about. Most eggplant are very sensitive so I'll see if this takes or not.
A few peppers. Some hot and some sweet.
Brassical family too, I think Broccoli, Cauli, Cabbage. No brussel sprouts or Kohlrabi.
If you have any experience with this great.
thanks
Peapod
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Post by flowerpower on Feb 13, 2009 5:59:25 GMT -5
I hope you have good luck with the winter sowing. So you have all these containers outside? The only thing I really start early are lettuce and carrots. I will put seed in pots as soon as I can. They come up whrn the soil temp is right.
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Post by greeneyes on Feb 13, 2009 9:20:03 GMT -5
I am in zone 5 and I have had much success with winter-sowing..Last winter I sowed kale,spinach,parsley,bunching onion,pak choy,cabbage and various flowers...I still don't have the nerve to try tomatoes and peppers that way though I have been assured you can winter sow them..I would try more than 1-2 seeds of them though ,tomato and pepper seeds don't seem to have 100% germination rate even when started indoors.
First year wintersowing I only tried parsley,poppies,sweet william and yarrow..I always had trouble to get them to germinate for me,so i just took all i had of them and sowed them..I figured what the heck,i can't get them to grow for me whether indoors or in ground sowing so what would i lose if they don't germinate....Total surprise!!!They all germinated and did very well...It sold me on wintersowing for the seeds that are difficult for me to grow..
Anyways,what i wintersowed last year was great,I just wish I had sown more kale..I'm growing same things this time but adding eggplant and podding radish to the list...I might try some tomatoes just to see if they do any better than the ones i am starting indoors..
Good luck,Dawn
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Post by ottawagardener on Feb 13, 2009 9:59:01 GMT -5
I'm US zone 4 and I have luck with the hardier stuff and self seeders. I am going to try brassicas this year. As for tomatoes, I'm going to try some sub-artic because of the short season and some cherries that usually self seed. Winter sowing definitely increases the amount of sowing space I have!
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Post by bunkie on Feb 13, 2009 10:55:54 GMT -5
hey peapod, i'm trying winter sowing for the first time too this year. i've planted a container or two each of everything all have listed above. not brave enough to try peppers yet, but am trying a few tomatoes. i've read a lot about it on other forums and on trudi's site here... wintersown.org/ |
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Post by ceara on Feb 13, 2009 10:58:04 GMT -5
I'll be trying a bit as well once I get all the trades and gifts in the mail.  Can't wait! |
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Post by hiven on Feb 13, 2009 17:07:36 GMT -5
I am (finally) sowing my pepper, chili, aubergine & globe artichoke seeds this weekend...my fingers are terribly itchy to start . |
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Post by flowerpower on Feb 14, 2009 7:51:56 GMT -5
I think everyone's fingers are getting itchy. lol  |
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Feb 14, 2009 9:06:14 GMT -5
I didn't have the opportunity this year to do any Wintersowing because of our move. Last week, I wondered if I should try a little bit of it this late in the season as an eggsperiment...But then I realized that I had just sent the few soda bottles that I might have used to the Recycling..DUH Next year  |
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Post by ottawagardener on Feb 14, 2009 9:51:39 GMT -5
Yes! Do it now Bluelace. I still have some stuff to put outside. If the seeds you are thinking of need cold stratification, there should still be enough cold weather on the horizon to meet that need. If not, then nothing really starts happening around here until March anyhow (contradict me please if you have evidence to the contrary).
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Post by ottawagardener on Feb 14, 2009 9:56:49 GMT -5
Forgot to add: I wet my plants blog recently posted about her wintersown success from last year. She lives round these parts. Came to my house yesterday with ther alluring boxes of seeds. Thankfully I managed to give more than I recieved. Did I mention that I have start putting plants on my rooftop? iwetmyplants.com/2009/01/12/winter-sowing-results-of-2008/Oh and she's a very punny lady. |
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Post by Penny on Feb 14, 2009 10:15:05 GMT -5
Wow, really Telsing, you've gotta keep us posted on how it goes ok.
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Post by ottawagardener on Feb 14, 2009 16:31:56 GMT -5
I will and I'm sure that I wet my plants will too. She's very organized!
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Post by Penny on Feb 14, 2009 17:31:16 GMT -5
Perfect, i have always been curious about it too.
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Post by johno on Feb 14, 2009 20:29:10 GMT -5
I wintersowed some Purple Coneflower today! I tried wintersowing the last year or two, and it seems flowers of many sorts do well. The best containers I've found for wintersowing are the ones roasted chickens come in, they have an extra tall top that seems to make a big difference. Probably why milk cartons work so well. I used clamshell berry containers last year, but didn't follow Trudi's advice and tape the excessive vents. This year I will tape them...
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Can't wait!
