June 9, 2024

27 thoughts on “VIDEO: Introduction to Winter Sowing Method of Seed Starting

  1. Experience should be the answer. If a lot of people do something the same way, presumably it works for them. It doesn’t matter if there reasoning is that how it always been done. Correcting an apparent working method by reading a book without multi season testing isn’t really useful.

    Outside of some herbs and flowers that work best with stratification, I personally wouldn’t plant seeds so early. If it works for some people though, a change of method only makes sense is the person suggesting it has experience successfully doing it a different way. This doesn’t seem like the case here.

  2. I have a veggie garden for myself but I also garden for pollinators. I have 5 different areas for just the pollinators and use winter sowing to start perennials that need the CMS (cold moist stratification). Depending on what you are growing you may need a good 60 days or more of CMS. Some perennials require the freeze, thaw, repeat multiple times. When you start winter sowing depends on what you are trying to grow. Illinois here z5b for those that prefer zones.

  3. Yes! Perfect outdoor project for today as spring fever is really getting me! Just found an unused $100 gift card too! Thanks for the video! ❤️

  4. Not a good video at all. Your raised bed gets direct sunlight which is not recommended for sewing seeds and you never even mentioned making air holes. Someone will see this video and end up losing all their seeds because you never provided the info. This will only discourage new Gardners and your instruction will have been a waste of time, money and energy and only providing discouragement and failure. The path of least resistance equates to poor harvest. So disappointed. You never once mention what specific success this brought you. Have you even ever done this method yourself? So disappointed in this video.

  5. Seems to me you wouldn't want to Winter sow if there was a chance that there would be an early thaw with a period long enough for the seeds to sprout followed by a return to sub freezing weather. I think this would kill the sprouts wouldn't it, and all the time you spent would be lost.

  6. What I do also, zone 8b, when I plant spring cabbage as an example- I space out the transplant seedlings & cover them with a clear beverage cup at night as a mini greenhouse. We may have temps up to 60 during the day but freezes at night. About 3pm, I’ll water if necessary & put the cups over the plants with a rock on top of the cup. It keeps the soil & plant warm enough during the 3-4 hours at freezing temps. If the night temps get below freezing for longer then I also add a frost blanket. I do this so I can get the plants to harvest before the early summer heat kills the cabbage.

  7. Denver 2B here, great method, will definitely be trying this! DO you think crops will be ok under the cover even if temps drop to 5 below? What types will work best with this? I see you have spinach seeds there, but what about brassicas, lettuce, radish, etc? I wouldn't try this with tomatoes or basil, obv, but what else would work with this down to subzero temps?

  8. The reason some of us have to winter sow in containers is snow lol. UP michigan here, we get significantly more snow and colder temps then you in the mitt. I have 3+ feet of snow right now, I couldn't access my soil without damaging preexisting perrenials on my property with a plow or snow blower etc. I will have standing snow in my yard until mid to late April and my soil won't be workable until around the first of May. Our springs are hard and fast up here. Snow melt for me on lake michigan (with heavy tree cover/wind block) is may first-last hard frost is May 21st. Three weeks isn't a long time to be able to establish much of anything "in advance". Your method is NTWS and also doesn't allow for air flow or precipitation to fall within your dome as their isn't any drainage holes in the lids. The milk jug creates a small biome greenhouse that warms faster than the ground and is what allows for faster germination and growth. It also allows for stratification off seeds you didn't sow in fall like lupine etc.

  9. That is absolute ideal for me I do not have the room to sow indoors, I buy full tomato plants at $6.00 each last year, my friend gave me Jersey Devil seeds and I would love to try this method, I too am in south east Michigan, I sure will try it, thanks.

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