Finally - I got to this project I've been looking forward to. A dozen milk bottles, a dozen packets of seeds, and a bag of dirt. It felt good to get my hands dirty again. Even if it was in the kitchen sink.
I found this method of planting at wintersown.org, My Skinny Garden, and A Gardening Year and am giving it a try for the first time this year. I have read that it works great for perennial flowers like black-eyed susans, coneflowers and hollyhocks.
I wondered if it will work for any vegetables. I tried dill and onions. I hope to find another bottle or two and try some lettuce later.
I can't wait to see what comes up. I'd love to have a garden full of flowers this year. They get pretty expensive to buy.
Here's the list of seeds I planted:
Delphinium Magic Fountains mix
Delphinium Fantasia mix
Hollyhock Zebrina
Rudbeckia Irish Eyes
Rudbeckia Indian Summer
Shasta Daisy Alaska
Purple Coneflower
Wild Heliopsis (I collected)
Wild Tansy (I collected)
Dukat Dill (I collected)
Onions, White Portugal
Onions, Sweet Yellow Spanish
winterplanting
S&P
Congrats on your first year of wintersowing! This is my second year. I planted Green Ice lettuce on Feb 8th and today I was surprised to see green in the container! No sprouts yet on the flowers. We have had several sunny days lately and that is all it takes.
ReplyDeleteI would be careful with the wild tansy....it can be invasive, at least where I live.
That's great to know that lettuce is good for winter sowing. I'm sooo excited to try some myself. On Tuesday, its recycling day here and I'll go collect a few more bottles (in cognito).
ReplyDeleteI know you're right with the tansy. But its so pretty. Maybe I'll give it away or plant it in my back border, if it grows.
Thanks for the comment.
Hello! Just found your blog, I really like it!! And the winter sowing looks like fun, I have read a bit on the wintersown.org site and think I may try it myself... I have been saving containers for a couple weeks now - I should have enough to do something with tomorrow... All the snow here in Columbus, OH the past week is really bumming me out - I need to do something "spring-y" lol. Good luck, can't wait to see how they turn out!!
ReplyDeleteIt does feel nice - to know I have seeds out there, in dirt, getting ready to sprout. Even if they're under snow. Its the first step of the planting season. Can you believe this weather?!!
ReplyDeleteI share your excitement about wintersowing - this is my first year to try this as well. And I have broccoli, cauliflower and poppies sprouted in their containers already!
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll be as pleased as I have been so far. It's just amazing to see something sprout in spite of ice, snow and temps in the 20's or even lower. Good luck with this - and I look forward to seeing your successes posted later on!
I'm so impressed that you have sprouts already under ice and show. Very exciting.
ReplyDeleteHave you got a flat roof?
ReplyDeleteA few of us who live in the city of Chicago are trying to grow heirloom vegetables on our rooftops in cheap homemade earthboxes. In response to huge environmental problems, it's a small but rewarding way to push back. Also, we think they're a great way to build connections in a fragmented social/political landscape.
Not selling anything, I'm giving "it" away.
Here's the , alongside the pics is a little how-to guide with plenty of links.
I am very thankful I ran across your blog today. My green thumb has been growing stronger all month. A year ago the weather (in Oklahoma)was much nicer and I had my garden prepared before the end of the month. I now have more hope, and that tingly feeling I get when I accomplish something great, just by implementing the winter sowing project you complete years ago. LOVE LOVE LOVE the idea of getting a head start. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDelete