wintersown.org--free veggie/flower seeds

[tashak]

I forget which poster and gardening forum website led me to www.wintersown.org, but I'm grateful--sent in my zone, reference to their website, and #10 2-stamped SASE, and today I got the SASE back with 7 clearly labelled packets that seem appropriate to my sometimes shortseason zone, looks like 9-15+ seeds per packet, 1 of mixed heirloom tomatoes, 2 heirloom tomatoes new to me, 1 flower, 3 other tomatoes. Worth the stamps, even at the new rate, and a quick response.

Too cold and windy today with oncoming storm to try their winter sowing in ziplocks or soda bottles, but interesting idea and instructions on their website.

Littlechickenfarmer and others, you might be interested in this.

Have any of you tried this wintersowing in the past?

[Steph]

I am thinking about trying it this year. It sure would make thing a lot easier. I think I am going to try some directly in the ground and cover them with milk jugs with the bottom cut out and see how that goes. I can just remove the cap during the day and replace it at night.

[tashak]

Problem I've had here with milk jugs, even with two sticks through handle anchoring them in the ground, is that our sometimes strong winds tend to blow them.
Maybe this year I'll try both the anchoring sticks through handle into ground and also the flaps of bottom covered with rock.

[strmywthr3]

I'm trying wintersowing for the first time this year. since the milk jugs are full of dirt, nothing is really needed to anchor them down. We've had some pretty strong winds lately and they haven't even blown over.

[Nemophila]

I'm also trying wintersowing for the first time this year. I started with a combination of milk jugs and 2 liters and since I was worried about the wind too, I duct taped my five 2 liters together. The wind has been absolutely crazy today, but nothing has moved so far.

[flowerpower]

I only started 2 things so far- Yarrow (pastels and red) and hollyhocks.

[Jean]

I have around 20 pop bottles and/or milk jugs started for wintersowing since the first week in January. Have some more to add when the seeds come. Mostly herbs.

I have them on the south side of a chainlink fence, and have tied some plant support tape around them.

About 3/4 of the way up, I cut around the jugs/bottles and leave about an inch, so it forms a hinge. One of the best hints on the GW wintersowing forum is a fastening hint -- punch two holes with a punch (or you could make a slit) on the opposite side from the "hinge" and above and below the cut and fasten it with a bread wrapper wire.

Makes it easy to open and close, to check on, and to water, if necessary.

Jean

[bluelacedredhead]

Tasha; Flowerpower,
How was the wintersowing experiment last winter? Will you be attempting to grow more this coming season??
I'm interested in trying it this year. Thought I would do a search to see who on here has done it in the past. Most of the members on this thread are no longer active, with the exception of the two of you..

So???? Feedback Pleez...
And if any of the current membership has tried this method, I'd love to hear your experiences as well...

[tashak]

tomatoes (heirloom, hooray) did better than the flowers and herbs. (I was so enthusiastic that I did lots of ziplocks with my own seeds.)
I've saved the ziplock bags for reuse this winter/spring.
Well worth the postage; I'm glad I did it.
But our Dec.-April here is so variable, frost/freeze/snow and maybe a couple extended warm spells in between...this year I'm going to wait to try it again until actual winter, and if they come up too early I may bring them inside if there is enough space. Large bags definitely worked better than small ones.
Always short of space (with any minimal or better light) inside, and do want to bring in a volunteer tomato, maybe couple peppers/chili peppers, and the two best eggplants. (Part of the space problem is that I do double and triple window curtains/window quilt style, trying to conserve warmth, and sometimes clear heavyweight plastic outside the windows due to last two or three years' winter utility price increases so that really cuts down on light inside. Best windows face west, which is direction our strongest winds come from, just to complicate things.)
Slightly OT: didn't notice any real difference in the plant seedlings started inside with the newspaper's reddish-orange plastic bags around the seedling pots and those without that plastic.
I wonder if mrtomatoexpres does wintersown, or if he has a lighting setup inside.

[mrtomatoexpres]

thanks tashak :) my boss lives in eastmeadows,ny

[flowerpower]

I forget which poster and gardening forum website led me to www.wintersown.org, but I'm grateful--sent in my zone, reference to their website, and #10 2-stamped SASE, and today I got the SASE back with 7 clearly labelled packets that seem appropriate to my sometimes shortseason zone, looks like 9-15+ seeds per packet, 1 of mixed heirloom tomatoes, 2 heirloom tomatoes new to me, 1 flower, 3 other tomatoes. Worth the stamps, even at the new rate, and a quick response

I also thought that wintersown was very generous with the seeds. It's also nice to see that they pay attention to where you live. My friend and I live in the same zip code & we received the exact same pack. Ours was totally different than Tasha's. There was one pk mixed heirloom maters and the rest were flowers (I think :confused: ).

Blue, I have to figure out a better place to put my containers. The deck was way too windy. I would like to start more perennial flowers this way. I don't really have the window space either- too many houseplants. lol

The yarrow was just fine, but the Hollyhocks were a bust (as usual). I cannot get those to grow for anything. I started more in June and got 2 seedlings which were promptly eaten by the bunny. I am going to toss a few on the ground this week and see what happens.

[Joan]

I've been following the gal who started winter sowing, Trudi and she really sounds like she knows her stuff. I also plan to try it this year because she claims 100% germination. However, I also plan to start some seed inside under lights. I think she has several different sites which you can link to when you go to winter sowing.
How come other people always make it sound so easy to me and I toil!

[finnteara]

For anchoring the gallon milk jug to the ground when you cut the bottom out, cut a 1 1/2inch tab on two sides and fold out. Then fold the tab in half outward and drill an 1/8inch hole and slide a 10inch wire bent over like a tent peg through the hold. A coat hanger will do. The rest of 1 1/2inch bury in the soil. If its very windy peg all four sides.

[johno]

I guess mini hoop houses with plasic covers are accomplishing the same thing on a larger scale?

[mrtomatoexpres]

iam going to try this with my aunt in vegas

[bluelacedredhead]

I must be overtired tonight. This isn't making sense. But perhaps tomorrow, when I'm home, I will read through it again and hopefully, be able to try this process in the Winter of 2006..
Seems like there are enough people here who have been successful at it to help me with my questions...

[Sandbar]

On WinterSown.org, there seems to be TWO seed offers:

Six-pack
Tomato

Anybody else notice that? Should I send in two offers?

[tashak]

Hmm...they've updated their site this year, some new stuff including the two offers this year. Gonna check my stamp supply and number 10 envelopes.
Thanks for bringing this to the board's attention (re two offers this year).

[Joan]

On the one envelope first line you also put tomato offer for 2nd set of free seeds.

[Jeannine]

I'm thinking about doing this as well this year. In the past I have done the seedlings in the house and have not been overly lucky....I over water or underwater or something and I only get a few starts for the garden. I'm a little sketchy on the jug thing myself, we have some serious wind issues here as well....time to brain storm!

Jeannine

[finnteara]

Sorry, on the milk jug instruction. After cutting off the bottom of the jug, cut 2 parallel slits about 1" apart and 1 1/" deep up two sides. Bend the two tabs out at a 90 degree angle, so when you bury the bottom part of the jug, the tabs are laying flat on the ground. Bend the tab in half to reinforce it. Drill your hole and spike it down. This should make it wind resistant.

[Jeannine]

Super! Now I get it.....boy do I feel silly! Thanks for the clarifications!

Jeannine

[April]

I've been wintersowing for 5 years plus. I use and re-use styrofoam cups and ziplock baggies. My germination rate is over 85% with fresh seed. I use this method for native plants, but it's applicable to exotics, too. I plant in mid-december usually, but I have winter sown in mid February, too.

It's an old as mother nature way of getting more plants. By sowing them in containers, you have more control over the seedlings you get, and where they go.