WINTER SOWING

 WHAT IS WINTER SOWING?

Winter sowing is planting seeds outdoors in a protected container during winter. The container remains outdoors until the seedlings emerge in the spring.

There are benefits to winter sowing. When you direct sow in the ground, the seeds are at the mercy of Mother Nature. They can be washed out in downpours; eaten by animals; desiccate in the wind; or rot in the soil. They are more protected in a container and the spring seedlings do not need to be hardened off before planting in the garden. Winter sowing is ideal for those with limited indoor space for seed starting. No special lighting or equipment is required for germination.

The best time to winter sow perennials and annuals is generally December to March depending on the weather conditions in your area. These seeds receive a consistent period of moist, cold temperatures before germination occurs in spring.

You can provide a protected, cold environment in a DIY mini greenhouse for seedlings. This can be a family-friendly activity for parents and children.

INSTRUCTIONS

Clean container — Wash and rinse with mild water/bleach solution (1 Tbsp. per gallon) milk jugs or suitable (material that lets light in) containers. Discard the top. The opening allows rain and melting snow to keep the soil moist.

Cut container — If not using a container with a hinged lid, measure 5” up from the bottom and mark around the sides. Lay it on its side and cut all the way around, leaving about 2” (under the handle, if using a jug with a handle) so that the top hinges open. Children can measure and mark.

Create drainage - Cut 1/8″-1/4″ diameter holes by using a knife, screwdriver or nail to poke 6 to 8 holes and 4 to 6 holes about ½” up from the bottom on the sides. This is important--if you don’t make drainage holes, your seeds will drown! If using a container with a hinged lid, poke a few holes in the top of the lid, too, to let rain and snow in.

Add soil —Use a potting soil mix that's light and drains well. Do not use garden soil or compost and avoid mixes that feature water retention or moisture control properties. Put the soil in a tub and pre-moisten it. Soil should be moist like a damp sponge, light and fluffy and drain well. Fill the container with 2 to 4" of a potting soil mix¹ that's light and drains well.

Sow the seeds — Space them a bit closer than on the packet but at the listed depth. Be sure they are covered. Seedlings can be thinned after germinating in the spring.

Seal the container – Close the hinge, seal the cut edges with duct tape, and leave the top open.

Label the container - Label with the type of seed and date of sowing with a permanent marker.

Set outdoors and leave! – Site the container in an area that receives winter sun. Do not place the container on a covered porch as the seeds require the moisture from the rain and snow. They should experience all the weather conditions they would in nature. Place containers in a milk crate if conditions are windy. Forget about your containers until the spring when the seed germinate.

¹ If you are using toilet roll or paper seed pots, put an inch of soil in the bottom. Fill the pots with soil and set them in container, fitting them in tightly and firmly down on the soil. Fill the soil up to the tops of the tubes. (See eBlog on paper seed pots  )

Spring Care

In spring, once the weather starts to warm up,  check on the moisture inside your mini greenhouses. Check for condensation or lift the containers for weightiness. If some of your containers have condensation but others don't, it is a good bet that those that don't have condensation could use a good drink of water. Also, if some of your containers are lighter in weight when compared to other containers it is a good bet those lighter containers could use a drink, too.

The easiest way to water your containers is to soak them. Put a couple of inches of water in a bucket or large plant saucer and set the container into the bucket of water for approximately 15 to 30 minutes until the container has absorbed as much water as it is going to. Don't worry about over watering, the excess will drain out the bottom holes.

On warm spring days, open the container to keep the seedlings from getting too warm. Close again (no need to re-tape) if evenings are cool. When seedlings are tall enough, or reach the top of the container, and have grown their first few sets of leaves, it’s time to plant them into the garden. They should have a good root system but remove carefully as roots may be tangled together. Some plants will need to wait until after the last frost date (May 12 for Franklin County). Cool weather crops, such as lettuce, can be planted out 4-6 weeks before then.

When seedlings are ready to transplant, be sure to bury the tube in the ground so the edge is below the soil surface. 

Spring Watch for winter sowing

Other resource: Penn State Winter Sowing

CKagan, Master Gardener

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Spring Garden Tips

We had a few mild days and started either thinking about working in the garden or actually doing some chores. Here are some tips for Spring.

Survey the garden and landscape. An important part of planning is having information about your garden.  Note what light is available – full sun for 6 or more hours each day during the growing season, part sun/shade, and full shade. For some plants it is important to know if the site is wet or dry. Make note of what bulbs and perennials need to be divided.

Get your seeds! Last year there was a seed slam as gardening interest exploded during lockdown. Whether you order seeds or go to the garden center, look over your plans and get your seeds now. Look for plants that are listed for Zone 6b, the Franklin County USDA Hardiness Zone. Hardiness zones are areas with the same temperature - the coldest zone is 1 and the warmest is 10.

Sow any seeds you plan to start indoors. This will give you about 6 weeks before the last threat of a late frost (average is May 12 in Franklin County) and planting outside. Penn State’s Seed Starting Demystified article has good information.

 

Get a soil test. Since garden soil is the container for your plants, have it analyzed through Penn State. They are available for $9 at the Extension Office, 181 Franklin Farm Lane, Chambersburg (8:30-4:30 M-F). Find out if the soil needs amended and, if so, what it needs. Soil tests information.

Buying plants. Often the plants we want, especially annuals, are already out at the nurseries even though it is too early to plant them; however, later the selection will be small. If you buy them ahead of time you will need to babysit them until May.

Tune-up your tools. Shovels, spades, trowels, hoes, pruning shears, loppers, and hedge clippers should be sharpened. Clean garden tools now and after each use. Check for loose handles or screws. Make sure there is easy access storage for the garden season.

Do garden clean-up. Perennials and grasses left standing can be cleared. Remove fallen leaves over spring bulbs so that sun can reach the emerging foliage. Remove mulch from roses, azaleas, and other tender shrubs. Be prepared to recover if a cold-snap hits.

Prune dead and damaged branches from trees and shrubs. Prune only what you can reach. Leave big tree pruning to professionals.  Delay pruning spring-flowering trees and shrubs until after they have bloomed. For example, do not prune forsythia until after it has bloomed.

Plant cool season crops. Once clean-up is done, and before working in the garden, make sure the soil is not wet. Working soil when it is wet destroys soil structure and causes compaction. When the garden is dry enough (feels crumbly like chocolate cake), it is planting time. Cool season vegetables such as peas, onions, shallots, leeks, salad greens, cabbage and broccoli be planted. Some are available as transplants and other seed-sown. Penn State Extension has a list of planting dates for common garden vegetables. 

Check your soil temperature. Plants are sensitive to temperature below ground, too. Use a soil or meat thermometer and take the temperature at 2-3” deep around 11 a.m. Try to get readings over a period of four to five days. Transplant local warm season crops at 60° to 65° F. These include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, cantaloupes, watermelons, pumpkins and squash. A daily soil temperature reading is available for Franklin County from Cornell University.  More on soil temperature at Garden and Life Notes.

CKagan, Master Gardener

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