lifting the lid?

9 years ago

I am in NC and want to start wintersowing over the holiday just before January. Sometimes we get warm days in January though and I am unsure when I should lift the lid of the container -- is there a general guide of temperatures when I should lift the lid? I have a coldframe with an auto vent that automatically lifts up when it gets over 65 degrees inside the coldframe - should I perhaps use my coldframe as a guide and raise the wintersowing container lid when the coldframe starts going up? Of course my coldframe doesn't have any ventilation and I will be making vent holes in the tops of my wintersowing containers, so maybe I won't need to lift the lids as soon as the coldframe does ... thoughts?
Nicki

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Comments (3)

heavenlyfarm
9 years ago
Nicki,

I took off some of my lids and opened them up sometime in March when we had warm days but let me tell you, when you have many containers and have to close up on cold nights, it becomes a complete hassle!!! I found that the ones I didn't unseal and open up till after the last frost in May did much better and were bigger(warmer temps in those containers?)

As far as ventilation holes, I read that on a website or two about winter sowing but most of the others, make no mention or say they aren't needed. Again, I was panicked and did a few with the holes till I said "screw it" and just did drainage holes on all the rest!

They did fine and I lost a lot of annuals and some of the perennials from opening them up too early I think...We had a bad winter here and I had to go outside and cover them up with blankets during the snow/cold nights to prevent further deaths of my Annuals...I lost all my zinnias varieties from purchases and trades!! lol that is a death I will remember forever!!! LOL

These are purely my experience first time winter sowing but I hope they help!!

~michael
southerngardening24
9 years ago
I remember opening my containers in the mornings and closing them back up in the evenings like it was yesterday. That was around the end of march and it was alot of work. I also covered them with blankets and sheets on nights of predicted frosts. You can feel through the opening if your containers are too warm inside. Your climate is probably close to mine unless you are way up in the NC mountains. Your coldframe probably warms up faster than the containers so I would keep an eye on them and maybe around 70 degree weather open them up since the temps inside the containers will be warmer.
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caryltoo Z7/SE PA
9 years ago
One or two warm days (70s or so) won't hurt your plants if you don't open them up. I don't even worry about opening them till we get prolonged warmth or days in the 80s. As long as they've got enough water they'll be fine covered, and protected against cold nights.

Michael, I had your experience two years ago -- I opened them up too early and while I didn't lose any a lot of them didn't thrive. Most plants like it warm. Barring really weird, warm weather I'm not opening mine until April, but in North Carolina that would probably be more like late March, unless you're in the mountains.

Caryl