Sunday, March 20, 2011
Winter sowing works!
Last month, I sowed some broccoli seeds in a juice container, outdoors in the middle of winter, as suggested by Alison @Bonney Lassie. I never thought to do this, and was a bit skeptical at first. Wouldn't the snow and cold ruin the seeds, I thought? Low and behold, look what I saw in the container today. Yup, that's right people, it's a broccoli seedling! TOTALLY awesome! I am soooo going to do this every winter from now on! It was so easy, you just sow the seed as you normally would in a plastic container like a milk jug or juice bottle, and leave it outdoors in a semi-covered area so it's not rained on or snowed on. And ta-da! Come spring, germination happens. Guess what people, Winter Sowing R O C K S!
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So cool to see sprouts! They should grow strong and healthy now. Winter sowing seedlings often grow nice and stocky, rather than spindly, like they often get indoors.
ReplyDeleteI hope you try this next year with lots of other seeds. In fact, you can do more now, we just call it Spring Sowing, done just the same way.
Be careful with those broccoli sprouts now, too. If it's a warm, sunny day, they could overheat if you don't take the cover off. And don't neglect to bottom water them too.
Congrats on your sprouts!
Yep, it works pretty good....I haven't tried cole varieties, though...
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your experiment! Good to hear that it worked!
ReplyDeleteWow, that is really cool! Doing it outdoors means saving space indoors to start other things..Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI tried winter sowing once, but most of my seeds failed to germinate. I think it's just too dry here. I might try some early spring sowing next year though, when I can be home to watch them. I've never figured out why winter sowing means you have to put the seeds inside a container. Wouldn't it work as well to sow them in the ground, where you want them to grow, then cover them with a milk jug or plastic container?
ReplyDeleteIsn't that just the kewlist! This was my first try at winter sowing. I did seeds that I was not successful at with other methods, parsley, chamomile and Echinacea. I have sprouts of all of these for the first time! I thought the Echinacea was a no-show, but just yesterday I saw sprouts of that one too. Whoo-hoo. Catherine of a Gardener in Progress was where I learned about wintersowing just this year.
ReplyDeleteDeborah in Washington (the state) doing the dance of joy with you.
Count me in! I'm sowing 2 batches for outside today. I am sooooo close to being able to harden my stuff inside off ( 2 more weeks), that I am looking forward to putting away those lights and getting the space back - I'd hate to start all over again, so the new batches are going out toDAY - that is if I get off this computer LOL, glad that worked so well for you.
ReplyDeletePretty cool! I will have to try it!
ReplyDeleteDid you have the lid screwed on the top of the container?
Glad it worked.
ReplyDeleteDid you have to cover the seedlings over the winter?
ReplyDeleteYAY! I LOVEEE winter sowing! Congrats on your broccoli seedling!!!
ReplyDeleteYes, that totally rocks! And I'm jazzed about trying it!
ReplyDeleteNice!! I have never had much success with that method myself.
ReplyDelete