Each year I sow many of my tender perennials and annuals in flats. The long rectangular under the bed type of containers work well for these. Holes are drilled in the tops and bottoms for drainage and air/water. It is easy to move flats in and out of the container as needed.

I and others have collected containers from community recycling centers. Ours are gated and locked except for posted hours and I ask for permission to remove containers.

I used trays of 2.5 inch pots and also gallon nursery pots. More details in the linked photos.

Gotta watch moisture levels. in the smaller pots, ProMix worked way better than MiracleGrow (which didn't retain moisture as well). My carrying trays for the pots all had good drainage, and the I had the over bags clipped in a way that let moisture get in but kept it in once it got there. Still had to water a bit during dry times (like when we'd get those weird dry heat waves in the middle of winter!)

Here is a link that might be useful: Winter sowing in nursery pots

lgslgs/Lynda, wow, you work hard. Where do you get those nice plastic bags? They look bigger and heavier than ones that I can buy at the grocery. I see the sweater bags but it's the other ones, of course, that I am asking about. I want some! Thanks

Hi River-
I bought a case of bags from Uline. Link below - not sure what size it was that I bought, but the flat base of the bag is just a bit larger than my trays.

Here is a link that might be useful: gusseted bag

Hi lgslgs/Lynda,

Wow, you are fast, too. Thanks for the info!!

I've done wintersowing using foil roasting pans as "flats". Not the big turkey roasters, but smaller (about four inches deep, maybe 18 x 12 inches, and they come with a clear cover). I got about 4 or 5 seasons out of them, with care. Might be a cheaper alternative than the "official" nursery-supply flats.

Also, if you have a freecycle group near you, post an ad for milk jugs. I had several people in my community supply me with jugs a few years running. And don't be shy about taking a walk on recycling night! Just bring a length of rope or twine with you and gather milk jugs as you walk!

:)
Dee

LOL, Dee. I take a drive around the neighborhood sometimes either the night before or the morning of recycling day. It usually yields a number of gallon containers (although I did have to ask my sister to stop crushing hers :) and 2L soda bottles, which are very easy to use as well.

Caryl

I am going to try that this year with my petunias. I always have them self sow in my summer containers, but I never know which seedlings are from which plant. This year I've collected seeds in the fall to sow into open containers separately since they seem to grow better for me that way. My WS closed container grown petunias where behind the open sown ones and never did flourish.

I've had good luck asking my local coffee shop to save milk jugs for me. I made arrangements to pick up milk jugs at the end of the day each day for a week, and I got enough milk jugs to cover all the sowing I planned to do.

Awesome ideas! Thanks to everyone for sharing their creativity and ingenuity! Much obliged....
Susan

At the end, I had 22 milk jugs, and 10 flats of 36 spots each, planted about 17 milk jugs today and 7 of the flats. Waiting on a few more seeds, but cross my fingers, first time winter sowing.