and

I'm a fairly new gardener.

So I started last weekend with 7 containers. But I already have questions.

I planted veggies:
Beets, Carrots, Spinach, Romaine, Broccoli, Celery, and Turnips.

so Question: How thick do you sow 2L or milk jugs? spaced like pepperonis on a pizza? Or go to town and dump the whole packet like my 9 yo does? Or something inbetween?

My house faces east so I put it on my front deck behind some bushes. I got another 7 jugs prepped for flowers:
Hollyhock, Money Plant, Columbine, Coleus, Pansies, Daisies, Snapdragons, Marigolds, Forget-Me-Not, etc

Should I go for it and plant whatever? I also want to plant tomatoes, red peppers, and hot peppers (now, later?)

I have too many questions, lol.

If you got this far, congratulations! Have a virtual cookie on me.

Julie

Marigolds will sprout quicker and will be at risk if there is really cold weather. I wait until April 1st to wintersow Marigold.

Lettuce, spinach, arugula, and pak choi do really well winter sown. I sow these around March 5-6th and get nearly 100% germinaton by March 20-22.

Peppers and broccoli grow too slowly for me by winter sowing method, I do these indoors only. I start the broccoli Feb 25 and setting out in cold frame around March 25. Peppers are started indoors first week of April and not put out until soil is really warm.

I agree not to sow too thickly. You will have to tease out the individual plants for transplanting. I don't like to disturb the roots so much, so I start all my veggies in 6-packs, 2-3 seeds in each cell, put the 6-pack in a cold frame or even in a milk jug. Then after they sprout and get bigger, I can transplant the whole cell in a bigger pot without having to rip the plants apart from their neighbors. Everyone has their own style, you will develop what works best for you. The first year is for experimenting and having fun. Learn from what works and what doesn't. I keep a very detailed log so I can look back.