I've been a member of GW for years, but just found this forum a few days ago. So I've lurked and read Trudi's website, and I am ready to jump into winter sowing with both feet!

I've gardened for years, but have never had much success with starting seeds. (It's usually hit or miss with germination, seedlings get too spindly, and I don't have the indoor space to set up lots of lights.)

I am super excited to try winter sowing. I hope I have half as much success as some of the posters here. I'm hoping to rejuvenate a lot of existing gardens, expand some new areas and do so on a budget! This seems like a viable option of creating a lot of plants for little money.

Just before Thanksgiving, I found boxes of seed packages that I've had for years. I was ready to toss them, but something in me said, wait a while. I'm going to try some of my older seeds (as well as some ordered ones). Can't hurt--and I was going to toss them anyway, so no big risk I don't get a great germination rate.

Looking forward to this winter project! Thank you folks for your inspiration!

Patch

Ditto what you said about growing seeds indoors. This is a lot more fun + a huge improvement + it's fun + it allows you to get dirt under your fingernails in January & February + the plants are amazingly hardy.

If you need/want perennial seeds, let me know. I harvested enough from last year's WS plants to plant my own botanical garden and this year's harvest was even more spectacular!

I'm going to do some planning and container-hoarding for the next month, then after the holidays, I'll begin preparing my seeds for their foray outdoors. I figure it will be a great January/February project.

I may have some questions along the way. Stay tuned!

Patch

Germination rate may be a little lower with older seeds. But if you get a few nice healthy seedlings, you're ahead of the game. The longer seeds sit unused, the more resistant they become to breaking dormancy. But the cold stratification plus later fluctuating temperatures of warm-cold spring temps really does seem to overcome that dormancy. You might be shocked to see some really old seeds sprout, which might not happen inside under lights. And wintersowing is so much easier AND no damp-off.

Karen

Trudi

You will find all the help you need here, lots of encouragment as you wait for your seeds to germinate (and you'll experience some envy as sometimes folks in colder zones get germination before us southern New Englanders)and people here are willing to answer any questions - no such thing as a stupid question!

Start looking for paint pens and tape in additon to scavaging containers!

In addition to the paint pens, get yourself a large bag of potting mix into a area where it won't be frozen by the time you are ready to plant. LOL

Nan--Latitude-wise, I'm in the middle of the state, and so far east I can walk my dog in Rhode Island. We're all practically neighbors.

As far as supplies go, I have about 1/2 dozen milk jugs that I plan on rescuing from the recycling bin before the Saturday trip to the transfer station. I plan on saving future jugs from now on. I have a HUGE rubbermaid tub of potting soil in the potting shed. I'll bring that into the house a week before I start this project, so it will have time to thaw if it's frozen by then.

I plan to plant a lot of the seeds I have (old or no), but Gardenweed, I may take you up on your offer if I don't find enough that are relatively recent.

I do need pens. In perusing the forum, I see a lot of you like Deco paint pens. Can I get them at Michael's? I have a bunch of Sharpies, but the reviews seemed mixed on their lasting abililty.

One of my main concerns about this project is where to stash my "pot ghetto." I'll need to keep them either on a table on the patio, or on my open front porch. I'm afraid I may develop an aversion to the plastic clutter. Any advise about how to deal with that?

Linda

But you will love your little plant babies. Every nice Spring day you go out and see a few more little green sprouts, and get a little thrill.

I keep my containers out of sight from the street and neighbors. The winter-sown containers, which are the seeds that need or do better with cold stratification, are in the back, the east side of the house, and they get am sun only. The spring sown seeds which are heat lovers, annuals, veggies etc. are in cups and get put on the south side next to the deck, and they get more sun until the trees fill in.

Welcome, and have fun!

I think vertical is the way to go. I'm really really trying not to buy too much for this project, so I will see what I can rig up or purchase cheaply for going vertical.

I like the idea of uniformity. Even if I recycle milk jugs, I will take some inspiration from Gardenweed and make my containers and neat and tidy (especially the labeling!)

If I go vertical, I assume I'll have to pay more attention to watering as the bottom containers may not receive as much rain and snow as the top containers.