Firsthouse, I remember you posted pics of sprouts coming out the jugs and your nice green balmy-looking backyard in February when we were buried in feet of snow! I was very jealous, lol. Oh dear, you have since had a freeze and got frozen babies??

Yes we had a crazy horrible winter and got pummeled with snow for six weeks, but it has eased off since then. Most of the snow has melted the last couple weeks, and we are having pretty average late winter weather. Average is good.

Once in a while mother nature plays a dirty trick on us - but really, that cold last week of February was only the second time in many years I can remember those cold temperatures that late in winter. And our afternoon temps that preceded that storm weren't nearly as mild as yours plus we did get snow.

I covered susceptible seedlings and cuttings (upended buckets, tablecloths), moved some pots into my carport and covered those too. I didn't have any annuals sown, and I 'think' all else is OK, jury still out on melianthus and a couple of others.

I remember the pictures of your plants too, it's a shame you lost them. Our entire winter has been kind of 'off', below normal temps many days, way too much rain even for here. I have a clematis order (3) coming next week and the ground is too wet to spade. My roses aren't pruned yet, I'm still in my winter coat - and getting impatient for Spring.

So maybe I shouldn't whine quite so much because there are many with weather problems. I guess it's just that I was excited that WSing worked! I got so enthralled by my sprouts, my plants, the possibility of actual landscaping and color (we had a large dirt spot for 16 mos!) that I just got...got ahead of myself and the weather.

So, I know what to do now--in case of warm then cold, must cover the new nasturtiums, the sweet alyssum, the peas! The bottles I had over some of them blew away with the blustery wind.

Hooray for an easy fix: grow more :)

Firsthouse, oh no - what a terrible loss.. pout :(

I am concerned but..Not so much yet, however this weekend it is going to be hot, hot, hot - unseasonably hot! I already have a ton of sprouts, seedlings, and a few with their leaves coming out of the lid - as you did. After the recent rains, and the previously warm weather, these guys and gals are gonna be ready to move on - but it is not after my frost date, and I don't have a lot of ground ready (I do some.. and plan on using it accordingly.. as needed..)

My question is.. how long can I keep them in these containers? I did not plant the seeds thick, in fact - many milk jugs have 8-10 and 2 liters around 5-6 , depending on the plant. So, they should .. have room for a while - shooting for April 15th, around here uncle sam brings us the heat, and how! I used a homeblended soil - adding worm castings and bone meal and some soil (always at least a third.. usually more). If they can't survive, are most of perennials tolerant to being transplanted more than once?

I was so thrilled to read about this phenomenon, and as soon as I finally took the "Leap of Faith" as Trudi referred to it as, I have .. well, - enjoyed, ALOT. Planting seeds of flowers I have no idea what they are, or how to grow, but - they are growing - WHAT NOW??!!??

Thanks in advance - Crazed Wintersower in NC

Are these mostly perennials? They should be fine with light frost if that happens once planted since they've germinated outside. As far as how long they can stay in the containers, partly depends on how much root room is there - can you see through any of your containers to have an idea?

The things firsthouse lost were more tender plants, and that was one unusually cold weather system too. We got it first, and they were even saying on our news it could go as far down the coast as she is, possibly even taking snow with it.....so a newsworthy event.

It sounds like you have healthy seedlings - but at the same time you've used a pretty nutritious mix for them they may not have needed. Pushing growth isn't always a good idea especially for perennials, it's roots you want in the early stages, top growth later. I use a soilless mix without fertilizers, add some (water soluble, much diluted) later on.

Hey Morz8 - Yea, I think it is mostly perennials, I am normally a herb and veggie kind of gal, but couldn't do too many of these in Jan - so, did a lot of flowers that were on the zone 7 germ list for Jan sowing. I used 1/4 amounts of the nutrition for this batch, compared to what I use to start seeds indoors. It is mainly 1 part compost, 1 part vermiculite and 1 part sphagnum peat moss. I ran out of compost and had to use some topsoil, this is when I added a little nutrients -

I truly have over 200 containers that have sprouted, and between trying to prepare some beds outside, and repot all my tomato, pepper, and herb seedlings I started indoors - I hope it can wait...

Is there any good way to tell 'when' they are absolutely ready to be released from their containers.. or else - before the or else? All is well now, but again, from what I saw in the containers this past weekend, am excited - yet overwhelmed with what I am going to see over the next few summerlike days..

It may not be so much about covering them if they are in the ground should cold weather come - more on the lines of buying time... I wasn't really expecting to have so many plants mid March.. not sure what I was expecting, but wow - this is truly unexpected! haha... thanks!

Yeah. It's called spring ;-) A few of my calendula sprouts look like they've rotted in the cold wet soil.

It must have gotten really cold there. Nasties will usually tolerate a light frost for me. But have faith, nasties usually are pretty easy to grow so you have time to start more.

I haven't started any tender annuals yet, but I did sow a few tomatoes. Today and tomorrow supposed to be near 70 degrees, then we get cold again. Lows at night are still in the 30s some nights (currently 39).

Karen

So to add to the crazy weather, first it was 80 degrees in January, then we had possible snows in February, now it's like the second coming of Noah's Ark! We are having ten days of rain which we never have either. My sister in NJ says that California must suffer like the rest of the country....

My overcrowded milk jugs need planting out but the mud is just too much for me!

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