It's been such a weird winter with a lot of warm days thrown in. I've put off my wintersowing because I was afraid that things might sprout too early if we got a few warm days in a row then get killed off when it gets cold again, as it will.

Not sure what to tell you about your sprouts because I've never had any this early. Maybe if you throw a blanket over the sprouted ones at night?

Maybe someone else has been through this and will post. I'm kind of curious, too.

I got sprouts too. I definitely got to move my containers. It's going to get warmer this week.

Honestly, I think we're all baffled by the weather this year. Even for veteran wintersowers, this is really uncharted territory.

Maybe winter will never come this year...

Karen

I wintersowed a dozen soda bottles on Xmas day. I had NUMEROUS sprouts by January 15th. I, too, have been concerned about what to do with all of these early sprouts. Part of me isn't worried, since the dozen bottles were all sown with perennials. As of right now, only the Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens) sprouts are large enough to begin planning a container ugprade.

So my plan is, to move the Candytuft sprouts into styrofoam cups at some point this month, in February. (This will only happen after slicing the tops off the soda bottles for more gradual exposure.) I will leave the sprouts outdoors once replanted in the cups, unless we get freezing temps, which is unusual here in the south anyway. In a worse case scenario, I can bring the cupped sprouts indoors overnight if necessary.

Now whether this will work or not, I don't know, but I had to make plans for something, due to the unusually warm winter we've experienced and the size of the sprouts.

I'd have to agree with Karen about being baffled by this winters' weather. Because ours has been so mild, and completely unstable, I had put off my WSing until now, but the temp yesterday was 47, today it's already 48, without even much night fluctuation.

I know it'll get cold again; have a storm front coming in today, but I'm starting to think I'm going to end up with flats under lights downstairs this year like it or not!

So wish me luck, off to sow I go!

Jean

I've only sown 9 jugs of perennials, and I have no sprouts so far. And I do have them in full shade. In a few weeks, when they would normally begin to pop, I'll move them into morning sun.

Also, I think everything I've sown was several years old so not so fresh it can't wait to sprout. I didn't expect wonders anyway.

Karen

It depends on what the plants are.
If they are perennials or cold hardy annuals such as batchelor buttons or poppies they will be fine.

If they are tender annuals like Salvia, a hard frost will kill them.

altho anything is possible, I doubt that we in NJ and surrounding are going to have a hard frost this year. Unfortunately - cuz it means ticks and fleas are going to be out of control.
If a hard frost is expected, I would protect them with a blanket or row covers.

I lost my salvia one year due to this situation - I sowed them too early, they sprouted during a warm spell in Feb, then came a freeze - but that was in a normal winter!

I've been reading a lot of weather blogs to try and get a hold on what I should be sowing when. Most of the blogs say that this warm weather pattern, which is caused by el Nina, is going to continue into at LEAST mid-march, and possibly into may.

I agree with ellenrr - I don't know if we are going to get a really hard frost, unless the el nina pattern goes away in mid-march and we get a freak late snowstorm. Anything's possible, but at this point I think I am going to start WSing some of my tender annuals and see what happens, and cross my fingers for an early spring and an early gardening season!

Thanks for the update Amy - good to know. We're chilly now but will have 70's here this week and our temps have really been fluctuating (hot then cold then hot ..). Last year had a pretty severe late April snowstorm, though in zone 7 I can pretty much move things against the house to keep from really freezing. I also only plant in milkjugs and indulge in putting a whole lotta soil in them so they can grow on a bit before needing transplanting (yes, does cost for the soil, but my new beds can use more soil). As others have said, most things in zone 7 will be fine.

Here is a link that might be useful: my blog

What if I keep my WS'ed containers on our enclosed but unheated patio? I can keep them in shade until they sprout, but will just the covering prevent loss of more tender annuals if we do end up with some late freezes? Or would a blanket cover be advised? Anyone?

I'm not too concerned about most, but I am seeding coral hummingbird salvia this year and really don't want to lose it! Until ellenrr specifically mentioned annual salvia, I had it in mind that it would be one of my hardier ones! I've grown a number of annual salvias with no problem, but this winter just plain has me guessing!

Sorry to say it, but I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking like this! Experience doesn't count for much this year it seems!

Happy Sowing & Growing!
Jean

Jean, others have kept their WS containers in enclosed areas but you need to be more careful to see that they get watered as needed and enough light to germinate and grow.

For tender annuals if the unheated patio doesn't get below freezing they should be OK. If it freezes there then the seedlings might need a blanket or other cover. If it is a light freeze and they are still in their covered containers they might survive without any other covering.

Many people will not take the chance and will add extra cover to their tender annual containers or put them in a garage.

We still get frosts here until the last part of May and most of my tender annuals have sprouted and are still in their containers during light frosty nights. I might remove the tops during the warmer part of the day but replace them during the colder evening/nights. I don't moved them into my garage or add extra covering to any of my covered containers.

If you have extra seeds you could experiment and see what works for you.

Ok thanks! I'm a full zone warmer than you if not more, so I may just try 'letting them be' out there. The room is quite large, think large unheated hoophouse! It's a patio enclosed with both clear & opaque panels. I've been keeping house herbs & houseplants out there during summer & hardened off indoor started seedlings last year. We'll just see how it goes then.

I just discovered that two of my containers are starting to sprout (Ipomopsis rubra and Dorinicum "Little Leo"). We've been having some warm days but it does get cold at night here (below freezing). Mother Nature is unpredictable and she's really showing it off this winter.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Thats a good question. I just recently put out some wintersow and its possible the same thing will happen here. Mine are mostly salvia. Although we are supposed to have nights in the 20s for the weekend.