Very Nice Pictures! I like the organization. You are planting some interesting flowers.

Like the cardboard - I've done 2 things in a jug when I know I'd recognize 2 very different looking seedlings. The cardboard will help seeds not wash or migrate from one side to the other. Nice. Does the sharpie on the outside hold up for you?

Thanks, Ladyrose, this is my 6th year to wintersown, so it's gotten more organized over time.

Fairygardener, it's not a Sharpie, I use a paint pen. I used to use Sharpie's, but to keep it from fading, I had to write on a piece of electrical tape.

{{gwi:368098}}

Now that I use paint pens, I don't need to spend the extra money on colored electrical tape.

organizing? what's that? That's not in my vocabulary. LOL
Duane.

Sowed 15 more containers today:

Basil, Mrs. Burn's Lemon
Basil, Lime
Basil, Red Rubin
Basil, Super Sweet Chen
German Chamomile
Lemon Grass
Thai Red Roselle
Okra, Red Burgundy (yeah, I know, I really should start this one inside, but my peppers are using all available space there)
African Daisy Mix
Helenium autumnale
Scabiosa, Ace of Spades
Strawflower, Monstrosum Fireball
Strawflower, Tall Double Orange
Strawflower, White & Yellow Mix
Strawflower, Earthtones Mix

That brings me up to 54. I only have a few things left to sow though, stuff like Nasturtiums, Portulaca, and Zinnias. It doesn't look like I'll reach the 100 mark this year, but that's okay. My beds are all pretty full, and I've sown more than enough for the planters on the porch, and any empty spaces in the beds.

Oh, almost forgot to mention that I found the first tomato sprouts last weekend. Last year, it was the 2nd week of May before any of them germinated. I'm hoping that's a good sign for this year's tomato crop.

Bonnie

You are going to have some killer BLT's and salads with that tomato, lettuce and basil collection. Yum.

Do you tape or otherwise fasten down the hatch you cut into the milk jug, or just fold it back into place? I'm still experimenting with different methods of prepping jugs.

Edie

Hi Edie! Thanks for stopping by : )

The first year I used milk jugs, I tried taping them with clear plastic shipping tape, but once there were sprouts in there and I needed to open and close the window the tape came off. The second year, I tried soldering two holes, one in the flap, and one below, and using a twist tie to hold the window closed. By year three, I just quit worrying about it at all, LOL. Just seemed like too much effort, and I wasn't sure if it really made a difference anyway. When we get a lot of wind, I do have to check on the containers though, as they will dry out a little faster with the flap not sealed. The flip side is that the sprouts are not as likely to fry on a warm day, since the unsealed flap allows for some ventilation.

We had snow, sleet, rain, and hail at various times throughout the day today, so I am dreaming of those BLT's you mentioned!

Bonnie

Though nowadays I mostly use 2Ls or jugs with the window with a baggie over it when I did/do use the flap I also do not tape them. Just push them closed. I like that the flap can be propped open on the back of the jug next/behind for ventilation and quickly pushed back down if the weather is cool or frost expected.

Beautiful penmanship, Bonnie and great photos.

Thank you, Mnwsgal!

Took a couple of pictures today of some wintersown sprouts.

Both jugs of peas are starting to sprout now.

{{gwi:368099}}

Simpson Elite Lettuce sprouts

{{gwi:368100}}

I sowed three different reds, so can't remember which lettuce this is, but it looks like it wants out of there!

{{gwi:368101}}

It's been so warm and dry lately, that I've been wondering how I'm going to get everything planted out before the serious summer heat arrives. Yesterday was overcast, and there was rain in the forecast today, so I have been a busy bee!

Yesterday, I moved around some self sown perennials to fill some empty spots, and today in addition to digging grass out of the main flower bed and cutting the front yard, I planted out the lettuces, and peas, and a couple of varieties of poppies. Had one more jug of poppies that I had hoped to get done, but the rain arrived before I could finish.

Burpeeana Early, and Super Sugar Snap Peas:

{{gwi:368102}}

Lettuces

{{gwi:368103}}

This one had to be divided into two HOS to fit on either side of the irrigation tube.

{{gwi:368104}}

{{gwi:368105}}

{{gwi:368106}}

{{gwi:368107}}

My 5 year old daughter was my helper today, and we put the leftover sprouts in "her" pots on the porch. Here is her Pots O' Lettuce:

{{gwi:368108}}

Also planted out today were California poppy - white, and California poppy 'Firebush'.

I'm confused how you don't use tape or maybe how you make that window. How do you get your germinated sprouts out?
Everything looks so nice and healthy. What potting mix do you use? Gosh, you grow a lot..thanks for sharing your pictures. Do you not put any type of plant markers inside the milk jug?
I see your red electrical tape..good idea if you don't use any markers inside. Such neat, legiable handwriting on outside of jugs. What brand of paint pen did you use?

Do you make any air circulation holes around the neck area of the milk jug? I can't see any in the pictures. Doesn't look like you have enough drainage holes in the bottom. With as healthy as your sprouts are looking, whatever you do works like a charm! Maybe the high altitude has something to do with it.???

Good Morning, Pippi! I'm going to try and answer all your questions, but let me know if I miss one : )

* When I go to plant out, I take a scissors or garden snippers and cut the entire top half of the milk jug off, and scoop the sprouts out with a small trowel.

* For potting mix, I make my own from a combination of premade potting mix, seed germinating mix, and perlite.

* No, I do not put plant markers inside the jug, but I make sure to write on the bottom half of the jug, so when I need to cut off the top, I'll still know what's in there.

* I bought the paint pens at Walmart in their crafts section. Don't remember the brand.

* No, I don't make any holes in the neck area of the jug. Since I don't use tape to seal the window, the jugs get plenty of ventilation.

Here is a shot that shows the window a little better:

{{gwi:347915}}

* Each container has over a dozen holes in it. If I put many more holes in there, the containers would dry out too fast, but that may be because I live in a desert like climate. If you live where it rains a lot, you might need more than that.

Hope that helps some.

Thanks for stopping by, Pippi!

I think Dem-Pa(Don) cuts his jugs that way and I wondered the same about how to secure that flap..Guess with all the jugs arranged so close together, the flaps aren't likely to come open. What happens when you get a lot of high winds? I'm always interested in how to learn new methods of wintersowing. Where do you buy " seed germinating mix?" That's a new one on me. What ingredients are in that product?

Hi Pippi! You are correct that the jugs being nestled together keeps the flaps in place. Also, I place my jugs on the patio on the east side of the house, the least windy location on my property. There's also a 6' wooden fence around the backyard, which also cuts down on the winds there.

The seed germinating mixes I've used are made by either Jiffy or Schultz. They might be label seed starter mix. They are organic, and contain peat moss, vermiculite, lime, and a wetting agent. They usually have it out when the seed displays are first put out in the spring.

Sowed 15 containers today. Well, actually it was 16 things, but I had to double up on the last container.

Here's what was sown:

Black Cumin
Cilantro
Basil, Fine Verde
Summer Savory
Parsley, Big Italy
Parsley, Extra Curled Dwarf
Dill
Lemon Catmint
Black Eyed Susan Vine
Nasturtium, Tip Top Apricot
Nasturtium, Copper Sunset
Marigold, Lemon Gem
Zinnia, Zahara Bonfire

Portulaca, Happy Hour Red
Portulaca, Happy Hour Lemon

These last two containers probably won't germinate. My 5 year old daughter was helping me sow the seeds, which she did very carefully, but then as she was walking across the backyard to put those two jugs on the patio, she tripped and the contents went flying. I don't have any more seeds or I would resow, and they are so tiny that even though I put the dirt back in the jug, the seeds are probably buried too far to germinate. A small price to pay for being able to pass on my love of gardening to the next generation!

Bonnie

Potted up a few of my wintersown tomatoes yesterday. Usually, I just plant them directly in the ground, but since I planted two types per container this year, I didn't want to cut the top of the jug off, if one side/variety hadn't sprouted yet.

Here's what they look like today. They should be a decent size by the time it's safe to plant out in a couple of weeks.

{{gwi:368109}}

The germination wasn't as good this year on tomatoes as in the past, so I may still have to pick up a plant or two from a local nursery.

Hi, Hi!
While I'm not new to wintersowing veggies, I AM new to WSing plants and flowers!

Could you post some pics of your garden when it's in bloom, so I can get an idea of the types of flowers you posted and how they go together?

Thanks!

P.S. I have a landscaping plan in hand, and am acting as my own General Manager (sort of...). At some point, I may ask you assistance in how to WS some of the bedding plants called for in the plan, if that's ok with you and the others on this post.

Thanks Again!

Linda

Bonnie...I should be thinking more of how I'm going to dig up some perennials for the upcoming plant swap instead of wintersowing in 2013..I keep saying that I'm not going to WS next year but I'm really not completely happy with the hodgepodge look on my flower beds..I think this WS becomes an addiction!

Another question for you..since you seem to use several seed starting products, what is the amount of each product that you mix together?

Your plastic plant ID tags, I've seen in garden centers..what do you do with them when the growing season is finished? If you didn't like a particular plant or it didn't do survive..use spray paint over your handwriting..so you can use them over. I've done that and let it dry real good and you should be able to use it again. I even do this with the mini blind markers. Found a brand new mini-blind at Thrift store and bought it months ago so I will have it for 2013..Using up others that I have left over from previous years..I just spray paint them and reuse them too.

I'm dying to go out into the garage and get one of my gal jugs and try preparing it like yours..but neighbors probably wouldn't appreciate me being outside making noise at this late hour. Our garage door sticks and DH has been putting off fixing it for a few years. Guess I'll try my hand at fixing it or call our PPD and he'll have to pay for them to fix it.