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Wintersowing in situ
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Posted by token28001 zone7 NC (My Page) on Fri, Aug 21, 09 at 7:53
| Or, wintersowing in place. Has anyone tried this? Scatter the seeds on the ground where you want the plants, they use a cloche to cover them? I figure that in my zone, I can sow seeds directly on the ground and protect them. They'll still germinate with protection and I won't have to plant them out later. I'm thinking of using this method for plants that resent being transplanted, datura, poppies, larkspur...
It should work, right? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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I like the idea. Makes sense to me but what are you thinking of covering them with that wont get blown away during the winter?
Maybe shove the top half of jugs into the ground? |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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| That's the idea. Dig out the native soil, fill the hole with good potting mix, then cover with the top half of a two-liter bottle, pushing it deep into the soil. I can even use some stiff wire if needed to hold it in place, pushing that down into the soil too. Then, sprinkle the seeds through the open top using a funnel. It would mean less seed waste, and hopefully germination would be just a little slower than in containers. |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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Yes, token. I have done that for several years.
I WS only Petunia and some other plants that I covet.
Trudi has details on that on her website. I like to WS in situ because my garden is so stuffed with plants, it is difficult to insert new seedlings.
I just spread some soil over the exsiting planting area, sow seeds.
Mist it, then cover the area with sheet plastic with holes for ventilation.
I use bricks, rocks, or some clear pots or large bottles to use as tent poles so that the plastic sheet does not touch the ground. Easay as pie.
A cloche is nice too.
Check out Trudi's website. There are several suggestions given. Have fun. BTW, I scatter all kinds of extra seeds, including Larkspur seeds as they ripen.
And let them germinate at will.
That is why my garden does not look the same twice, although the main structure is there. Larkspur is very easy to direct sow.
I also have Datura volunteers this year.
The seeds must have dropped. Poopies are hit or miss direct sowing, so I do the WS in situ instead. Have fun. |
RE: Wintersowing in situ2
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| Thanks pitimpinai. I knew someone here would have the info. Never occurred to me to check out the wintersown site for this information. |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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- Posted by ajpa z6 se PA (My Page) on
Fri, Aug 21, 09 at 9:35
| I was just thinking of the same thing recently (put seed in ground, cover with bottomless water bottle). Where on wintersown is it -- can't seem to find it? |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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| Can someone tell me what "situ" stands for? I can't figure it out. Thanks....Can you tell I'm new? |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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- Posted by pvick z6B NYC (My Page) on
Fri, Aug 21, 09 at 9:59
| "In situ" means "in place" - token explains in the first sentence of his original post. (Welcome, luv_n_life!) |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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| Absolutely - that's how I do my california poppies - I put some seeds down - about six or seven in a small circle - and I cover them with a plastic container (encircling the seeds) and put a rock or whatever to make sure plastic container doesn't fly away. It works fantastic - when the greenery starts to get large - I remove the cover. Token - you know, as well as I do, that here in NC any california poppy greenery that is showing can last throughout our cold winters - and by early, early spring you will be the first to have poppies blooming. Reason I do this? #1 - I don't like transplanting poppies;
#2 I like the poppy foliage throughout the winter #3 since poppies bloom so early and when finished look ratty, I remove them (not collecting any seeds (sorry..) and use that space for zinnias or "whatever" Try it, you'll like it! Carrie :0) |
RE: Picture of Poppies 'sown on ground with container over'
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| Poppies bloomed very, very early last spring - before anything else and then were removed to make space for wintersown seedlings (zinnias, daisies, etc.) 
Carrie |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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RE: Wintersowing in situ
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Sounds like a good plan. I would like to try that.
Only one problem.
My husband is not going to let me stick plastic containers all over the yard.
His OCD would kick-in so bad. LOL |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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| Oh Gosh, Duh! Thanks pvick. |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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| I used the square tops that came with a salad bar at the grocery store - you could hardly see them from a distance because they were flat - when the seeds germinated, I removed the tops - so they are only on for a short time (if you time it right ;0) Carrie |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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That's is a beautiful bed, carrie.
And thanks for the tip on salad container tops. I hadn't thought of that.
That's better than what I was doing.
I was using tops from Boston market food containers to support a plastic sheet. Welcome to the WS forum, luv n life.
Stick with us.
You'll a great time.
:-D |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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RE: Wintersowing in situ
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- Posted by karendee 5Wst. of Chicago,IL (My Page) on
Sun, Aug 23, 09 at 11:09
| If anyone wants some larkspur seeds to try this let me know... I am collecting tons of them. I have 2 baggies full so far. The pink I have less of because only one pink plant made it. the rest are blues, purples and white. I think this is something I know I will do this year.I will have to save some conainers. I also have some alyssum seeds I bought that I might do this with. It seems easier for some seeds since transplanting the seedlings might be difficult. Karen |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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| If it works for Carrie, it will work for me. Thanks for the pictures. I love the CA poppies. I might have to try them with my red peony poppies this year. I've got tons of blue larkspur from a Texas gardener too. And nigella. And....I forget. :) |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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| Alright, now I am rethinking how to sow my poppies. I haven't had any troubles with transplanting them - yet if I can get earlier blooms then it is most definitely worth a try. Hey Karen, I may take you up on your offer of larkspur seeds. I will email you when I have more seeds to offer for trade. -StLGirl |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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| Ok,I have the large plastic sweater containers,i would like to use this 'Situ; method,when would i place the seeds on the ground?In the snow,then cover them with the container? I tryed to direct sow last year,the mice and chippies ate all my seed,:0(, they were sooooooo happy. Not sure how to do this one?Help please.
cAROL |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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| I love the idea of sowing the seed where you want the plants to grow. I have a slope where I have placed 72 cement blocks to hold back the soil from eroding. Do you think I could possibly fill each block with soil and sow seeds in them? Would I need to cover each opening with something during the Winter? I could possibly use the top portion of a soda bottle. Please share your ideas of how I could accomplish this. |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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| daisy - trowelgal - (a member of our forum here - but hasn't posted in a while) has done that, I believe. Every once in a while, we email each other - I can ask her to take a look at the forum and respond to your question. Carrie |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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| Thank you Carrie. I would appreciate that very much. Daisy |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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Hi Daisy,
I used cement blocks to border my garden for years. When I first put them in I filled them with leaves and soil so they created their own composted, rich soil. Then I planted low growing pink baby's breath, a perennial. Didn't have to do anything in the winter as it always returned in the spring. I think the top half of soda bottles would work fine. I still have some open stones around a tree and this spring put a variety of ground cover sedums in them and they are completely covered with green. They will go dormant over the winter but come back just great next spring. The blocks heat up with the sun so often the plants germinate sooner and die out later with the extra warmth. Good luck with yours.
Trowelgal/Tina |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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I did that with my dsown squash. I used the top half of two liter bottles from my other wsown things and bits of bent wire hangers to hold them down.
I used the same type of cloche for my little toms when I planted them out.
I'm putting in a big pic so you can "see better".
 |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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| So you do this in the fall, right? |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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Depending on how full the blocks are you could always cover them with plastic bags with a few holes poked for air, possibly a few rocks to keep the edges held down.
My covers were used after the winter sow season when it was warm enough to direct sow my melon's but still a bit cool at night. 1morehosta, I bet you could sow some poppies and put an upside down plastic bin over them. Poke some holes for air and water and stick a rock on top and you would be all set. A lot of ppl also direct sow poppies in the early spring when you still have snow. That might get them settled before the squirrels are up, not sure about birds though. |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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| Thank you Trowelgal/Tina and Floodthelast for your excellent advice. I am going to give it a try. Your suggestions of using perennials like Baby's Breath and Sedums is a great idea - once I get them established, they'll be back every year. |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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- Posted by karendee 5Wst. of Chicago,IL (My Page) on
Sun, Sep 20, 09 at 12:02
| I am starting to really like this idea... I may have lots of soda bottles all over the place with seeds planted directly in the soil... Sounds like I can cut down some planting out as well! I am thinking of doing this for my pumpkins in the spring time. they need some protection at first but they grow very fast! Karen |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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hey token, we i was talking about doing that but with a square foot garden thing going on, last year. only with something over the top. i just couldn't get the exact thing for the top of it??! i like the idea of the 2 ltr. ***big smile***
my thought was 6 ml plastic stapled down on the sides, and i'd poke holes in the top. **grin** but i'd have to hold it up somehow. so i was working on that. so i like your idea much better!!! LOL **big smile** ~medo |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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| I'm new to the WS forum and love this idea. Several people mentioned using milk containers, soda jugs, other plastic containers to cover the seeds when you plant in situ. Has anyone used floating row cover - that white spun fabric that you use to protect plants? I am growing lettuces and several types of greens (kale, chard, spinach, mustard greens, cabbage, broccoli) this fall, will cover the plants with floating row cover (AKA garden blanket) when the temps drop. Has anyone tried this? Pam |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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| No, pam - - but it sure sounds like a good idea to me - I have plenty of them and may even try it sometime - will report back if I do. - - Thanks for the idea Carrie |
RE: Ooops
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| Uh Oh - - After posting the above I realized something. If you used any kind of cloth - once the seeds germinated and grew, you would have to be careful they wouldn't be smothered by the cloth. Maybe the cloth is good BEFORE the seeds germinate and grow to decent sized seedlings - but after that I would use something to avoid crushing.... Does that make sense? It's late and I may not be wording this right. |
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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| Carrie: Floating row cover comes in different weights - some are light as tissue paper but offer less protection. I ordered Reemay from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (link below) to use with fall planted vegetables. For tender lettuce, I may use hoops made of PVC pipe bent over beds, just a few inches tall, and clip the row cover fabric onto the hoops with banker clips. Some winter vegetables are tough so you can lay the fabric over them and use staples or rocks to hold the fabric in place. Since I've never winter sown anything, I may start with perennial and hardy annual seeds. After reading posts here, I'd love to try annuals. From what I've read, people sow seeds in winter - January and February? I imagine this depends on where you live. Our coldest temps are usually in January, but we get warm spells (60's and 70's) in Feb and March. Our last frost is usually mid March. This link explains how to use floating row covers for vegetable crops - it keeps the temps higher, protects against insects, allows water and sun to come in. I learned about this technique in "4 Season Harvest" by Eliot Coleman - it's used extensively in The Netherlands and Belgium. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Using Row Cover to Extend the Season
RE: Wintersowing in situ
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- Posted by mcbdz 8 Louisiana (My Page) on
Mon, Nov 2, 09 at 12:12
Bump for newbies to review some ideas.
Pattie |
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