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Re: How to Winter Sow Seeds Outdoors

Square Foot Gardening List - http://myweb.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

Very innovative, Trudi. You need to bookmark Tom Clothier's site for 
germination information.
That's at www.anet-chi.com/~manytimes/  You'll love it and learn. Margaret L


At 08:27 AM 7/12/00 -0400, you wrote:
>Square Foot Gardening List - http://myweb.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html
>
>
>           It really is very easy to do.
>
>           First, let me give you a little background as to why I sowed
>the seeds during the Winter. I live in a very small
>           house, a cottage actually and I simply do not have room for a
>light set up, also any window space I have must
>           be fought from the cat and "Prinny" likes to look out on the
>street and watch the world go by, so I have to
>           give her a windowsill. She's a good cat and deserves her place
>in the sun.
>
>           I got hooked on seed trading, and as you all know seed trading
>is like Pokeman......you gotta have 'em all. I
>           had tons of seeds, I had them all. Though I am not a novice at
>gardening I am a novice at growing seeds, this
>           was my second season doing so. Because of my lack of
>experience with growing seeds, and not having a light
>           set up, I always traded for "easy to grow" seeds: I had to
>start them in the windowsill or out on the patio in
>           flats during Spring and Summer which I did the previous year
>with good success too.
>
>           I was thinking a lot last Winter about how I was going to
>start all these seeds, I needed an easy way out. I
>           knew that many seeds needed to be pre-chilled, and I knew that
>many plants will reseed outdoors without
>           our intervention. I thought about this for a few days and put
>2+2 together. I would so them into flats, and
>           take them outside for the Winter, if all went well then they
>would germinate in Spring.
>
>           I am a true believer in "recycle and reuse". I had been saving
>my take-out containers from the Chinese
>           restaurant (not those typical white boxes that have a metal
>handle and white rice inside), I was saving the
>           foil pans that have a separate clear plastic lid, they're
>usually round or rectangular. These containers were
>           just perfect......plus I didn't have to go to a store and open
>up my wallet (hmm, look at all the moths fly out),
>           if I can get away without having to lay down a buck I will. I
>did need soil though and so I went to Walmart
>           and got their brand which is the cheapest I could find.
>
>           Seed selection:
>
>           Take a look at a seed catalogue, most will have some sort of
>notation about a seed's germination
>           requirements, or you'll pick up a few clue-in phrases. Look
>for these terms:
>
>           Needs prechilling (freeze seeds, refridegerate seeds, stratify
>for x amount of days or weeks)
>           Needs Stratification
>           Will Colonize
>           Self Sows
>           Sow outdoors in Early Autumn
>           Sow outdoors in early Spring while nights are still cool
>           Hardy Seeds
>           Seedlings can withstand frost
>           Can be direct sown early
>
>           Look for names that might indicate an origin in a temperate
>climate:
>
>           Siberian
>           Chinensis
>           Polar
>           Alpine
>           Orientale
>           Canadensis
>           Russ (or varient indicating Russian origin)
>           etc
>
>           Think about your own garden, and your neighbors' gardens too.
>Do you find plants that have volunteered
>           each Spring and shown up as seedlings that you didn't sow?
>These are very good choices. (let's say that your
>           orange marigolds have returned in Spring as volunteer
>seedlings.......you can then be pretty well assured that
>           gold, or lemon, or African or French varieties will also
>reseed for you too, when it comes down to it a
>           marigold is a marigold is a marigold).
>
>           I like Park's Seed Catalogue, it has a great germination table
>right in the middle of the catalogue. They have a
>           numbered guide indicating the best germination requirements
>for seeds. I took a yellow highlighter and went
>           down that numbered list and highlighted all the numbers that
>would be appropriate for Winter Sowing, then
>           I carefully went through there list of seeds and highlighted
>the varieties that corresponded to the correct
>           numbers. This is how I chose which varieties I would Winter
>Sow. A lot of catalogues, not just Parks, will have
>           a germination table, or some sort of info like that, look at
>them, study them, and learn.
>
>           To make a flat you take the foil container (of course it's
>clean, washed in hot soapy water) and a paring
>           knife. Stab a few slits in the bottom of the pan, this is for
>drainage. Now fill the pan with soil to about a half
>           inch from the top. Give it a real good drink and let it drain.
>I do this in my kitchen. (I have a sprayer on a
>           hose at the sink and I use this for the watering, works well
>and doesn't gouge out holes in the soil.). After
>           the pan has drained sow your seeds and pat them down. Cover
>them with more soil to the correct depth if
>           neccesary. I like growing plants with tiny tiny seeds, they're
>really just the very most easiest sow. Sprinkle
>           them on top of the soil, pat them down, and that's that.
>
>           Now you need to put the lid on BUT.........and this is the
>very most important step.......take the knife and
>           poke several slits in the clear plastic lid. This is for air
>transpiration. Think about it, you're making a little
>           mini greenhouse. If you don't vent the air that is heated by
>the sun then you'll cook your flat and the seeds
>           won't germinate. You've baked them to death. Okay, put the lid
>on secure by folding down the foil rim. Now
>           the seeds are sown.
>
>           Uh oh.......back it up, I fogot a step that you may wish to
>use, labelling. I didn't label mine as I like suprises,
>           but this concept may pop the heads of gardeners who enjoy
>having everything "just so". Get some freezer
>           tape, or any tape that you know will work well after being
>frozen. Pull off a six inch piece and write on it
>           with a laundry marker (or a sharpie) the variety name. Stick
>it to the outside bottom of the flat. You can do
>           this before or after sowing, if you do it after make sure you
>wipe the bottom of the flat well, freezer tape
>           doesn't really adhere as good as you'd like to a damp surface.
>The label is on the outside bottom of the flat
>           because the sun can't bleach it down there. I haven't yet
>found a marker that won't bleach out in my strong
>           Long Island sun.
>
>           Alright, the flat is now sown and covered (with little slits
>in the top, yes? don't forget!!). Now take it outside
>           to somewhere it will be safe for the Winter. I put them on a
>picnic table top away from my curious puppy. I
>           learned my lesson, I lost a flat of daylilies, the first I
>sowed this way, because I put them on the ground under
>           a bush and the puppy found them and thought the flat was a toy
>and promptly killed it by shaking it to
>           death. After that all the flats went up on the table out of
>her reach. Sad loss, but an excellent lesson.
>
>           Now you just wait it out. When the weather warms the flats
>will freeze and thaw repeatedly as Winter gives
>           way to Spring. This action of freezing and thawing out helps
>loosen the seed coat (you'll often see the term
>           "nick or file seeds prior to sowing" in germination databases:
>this is to duplicate Mother Nature's work, now
>           you don't have to do that anymore).
>
>           Amazingly, just when Winter is about to break, and you're
>still getting nightly freezes, the first of your flats
>           will begin to germinate. When I saw this I thought that the
>seedlings were gonners, but they thrived. I guess
>           the seeds know when it's okay. Now is the time to check the
>moisture in the flats, on an above freezing day
>           open them up and if they look like they need a drink give them
>one. The excess water will drain away. Don't
>           forget to replace the lids tightly.
>
>           As your seedling grow start widening the slits in the covers,
>once a week or so make the slits a little bit
>           bigger, eventually you'll have more open areas than covered
>and you'll be able to transplant the seedling
>           into the garden because they are completely hardened off. I
>have put in seedlings that barely had their first
>           set of true leaves and they thrived in the ground.
>
>           After transplant care is typically the same as for indoor sown
>seedlings, they need a drink, just a little bit of
>           food (10% strength after their first week in the ground, then
>increase slowly as the season progresses. After
>           about eight weeks and a few feedings your seedlings will be
>able to take a full strength feeding.
>
>           Alternate seed flats:
>
>           I have used plastic milk jugs and 2 litre soda bottles too,
>just cut around the middle almost all the way
>           through. Make the drainage slits. Fill with dirt, water,
>drain, sow, cover with more dirt (the same precedure
>           as above). Tape the cut edges together and simply remove the
>cap for air transpiration.
>
>           Cardboard orange juice or milk containers can be used with a
>baggie too. Cut them in half, horizontally or
>           vertically, make the drainage slits and sow your seeds by the
>same method above. Slip the flat into a baggie,
>           tie it closed with a twist tie or a knot and use the knife to
>make a few slits for air transpiration. put a few
>           slits in the baggie at the bottom too (drainage).
>
>           Coolwhip tubs: Make the drainage slits, sow your seeds as
>above. Take a scissors and cut out the center of
>           the lid, leaving about an inch around the inside of the rim.
>Put a piece of saran wrap over the tub, put on the
>           lid. This holds the saran wrap "window" snuggly. Take the
>knife and make some slits in the saran wrap for
>           air transporation.
>
>           +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
>           So that's how to do it, if I remember something that I have
>forgotten I'll post an addendum, but I think I have
>           it all covered. The major principles of outdoor Winter Sowing
>are selecting the appropriate seeds, and
>           providing adequate drainage and adequate air transpiration. Do
>all these and you'll have a success.
>
>           Did all my flats germinate? NO! I had about eighty or so of
>these made and I had eight not germinate. Was it
>           the seeds? was it the method? was it me? I don't know. But I
>did have around seventy flats that did
>           germinate. Outside!
>
>           I forgot to mention that I also used four kiddie pools too.
>These were used the summer before as container
>           gardens (lots of soil, lots of big slits for drainage). I
>simply direct sowed these, and didn't cover them. They
>           got snowed on, the snow melted, it rained while the base of
>the kiddie pools were still frozen and the rain
>           didn't drain. They all were frozen with ice at least an inch
>thick.......aarrgghh, panic Panic PANIC....I couldn't
>           do anything about it. The warmer weather came, the pools
>thawed and drained, and the seeds came up!
>           YEAH!
>
>           That's it. As you see it's not hard to do at all and I sowed
>these flats at my leisure throughout the Winter.
>           Everyone talks about going bonkers in January and February
>because they can't get out and do any
>           meaningful gardening, and there are only only a few varieties
>of seeds can be succesfully sown this early
>           indoors....frustration and gardening fever sets in. While all
>the other gardeners were chomping at the bit I
>           was being self indulgent and playing with dirt and mud and
>seeds at my own lazy bones pace.
>
>           I took a leap of faith, I kept the faith, and I was rewarded.
>I believe in this method, it works, it really works.
>           Too much emphasis has been made on indoor sowing under lights.
>It takes up time, it takes up space, white
>           flies take to the air, damp-off kills your effort, your
>seedlings, your spirit. Did I forget to mention that there
>           was NO EVIL DAMP-OFF? The freezing action killed whatever
>nasties that are in the soil that cause young
>           innocent seedlings to perish so tragically, so sadly. And it
>is sad, you take a lot of time and care, they're
>           sometimes like children, it's really depressing when they
>perish.
>
>           I encourage everyone to try this Winter Sowing method, if you
>want to hold back some seeds the first time
>           you try it that's great. Save some seeds to sow indoors of a
>variety you have placed in a Winter flat, compare
>           the differences in the seedlings, and then the plants when
>they mature. Learn from what you observe.
>
>           Make your life and garden easy, let it flourish with flowers,
>grasses, bushes, and trees you thought you
>           couldn't even consider trying before now.
>
>           Good luck to you all!
>
>           Trudi Davidoff
>
>
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