I love reading about all of your experiences, keep sharing I am learning so much. One quick note on the potting vs seed starting mix I wanted to clarify: Seed starting mix is specifically formulated to support seed germination rather than ongoing growth, as it typically contains minimal nutrients. Most commercial seed starting mixes are sterile and nutrient-free, ensuring they provide a balanced environment for sensitive, newly sprouted seeds that can be affected by water and nutrient imbalances. For winter sowing, I suggest using potting soil rather than seed starting mix because it offers superior drainage and retains moisture more effectively-crucial for managing the temperature fluctuations of winter. Seed starting mix tends to dry out too quickly and may not adequately support larger seedlings as they grow, making potting soil a more dependable option for outdoor winter sowing. I use the vermiculite to help support water retention and the biggest reason is to help prevent fungus growth and help with dampening off. I forget to mention this last bit in the video. 🥰
2 years ago I got tired of stacking up packs of lettuce, mustard and spinach seeds. About mid January, I went out to a raised bed, ripped open the packs of seeds and planted them in a few rows. It proceeded to sprout, then snow for about 10 days. I live in Northern Ca in zone 8b/9a. These seeds loved it. I had cut and come again greens for at least 4 months until it got too hot. Just throw some seeds in a raised bed, a lot will grow! I did the same with some poppy seeds and thought they weren’t going to sprout but ages later, they did! Throw some seeds out and let nature handle her business! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
I’ve been winter sowing a few years now I the Portland area. If you add a coffee filter on the bottoms of the containers it helps in keeping the slugs out. I’ve lost a few babies in jugs to slugs .
Oh my gosh this is brilliant! I will go back and tuck some in my tray bottoms. You know slugs are so annoying for us here in the PNW, this is such a smart trick. Thank you for sharing this with us! 🤗
Cheaper yet is plant them in the garden and cover with jug top. Copying nature-the poppies, marigolds, nigella, sunflowers, rutabagas, ect all do it and turnout great. I’m just setting a cover to protect and mark different varieties.
You are too kind, thank tou so much. I love this feedback, I always want to make sure my knowledge and thoughts are coming through in a concise way. ❤️🥰
Thank you for this video on Winter seed sowing! I have been wanting to try this for a while since my house space is minimal and you make it sound doable💚💚💚
Yay, that makes me so happy to hear Gayle! YEs don't let space stop you, just find a little area to tuck them away in that gets full sun and you should be good to go. 💞
I did it for the first time last winter and had great results. I did make the mistake of over seeding in the gallon jugs, so some things struggled a bit from overcrowding before I could get them planted. My favorite method was to use 4” pots under old storage totes; I could uncover them easily if we had some extra warm days. Have fun!
I just started some echinacea, verbascum, and hyssop yesterday. I was actually curious about starting snapdragons this way and glad you shared this video. I have some Chantilly, Madame Butterfly, Maryland, and Costa snaps from Johnny’s I need to start. I’m in Oregon too, 8b. 😊
Oh yay Kate!!! All of the snapdragons you have are beautiful and if they can grow in a period of cold they will be huge compared to the ones we grow out in spring time. It's still an experiment because I haven't done them this way, but theory is similar to planting them in the fall and planting them out before our frost. Keep me posted on how it goes for you. 🤩
Thanks, great tutorial! I tried Winter sowing in milk jugs for the first time last year, and I am a believer! I am in Zone 9b, and I planted Rudbeckia, which still has flowers here in January. I’ll try a different color this year, as well as gomphrena.
Thank you Francesca!! I LOVE that you had such great success with it, I get sooo excited to hear back how much people enjoyed winter sowing!! I’m so jealous you still have Rudbeckias, they are such beautiful flowers. 🤩
Great idea ! I did it last year in jugs, my fix will be to not put so many in...separating was terrible...ill try my 4' pots in a tray but need to buy the tall tops❤❤ Great content as always! Keep it coming, and thanks❤
Thank you lovely! I’m right with you, I do not like thinning seedlings. 😆 I guess because I end up trying to save all of them so it turns into a whole thing. 😂
Aww yay!! Yes mid-Jan is perfect! I cant wait for you to winter sow. Let me know if you ever have any questions along the way. And of course, thank you for being so supportive and being part of my channel. 🤗
Hi Claudia and Sergey 👋 Such great information. Thank you for sharing this. I haven't done much seed starting... Just tried a few things last Spring. Have a great week. Always, Jen
Thanks, Claudia. I have been thinking about doing this for a while now and was afraid it was too warm in my zone 8a SC garden, but now I'm going to go through my seeds and start some!
YEs Stef! Are you guys technically in your winter months too? If so I would start now, maybe no later then Feb. I'm super curious how it goes for you, keep me posted on your results if you end up doing it. 🥰
I just started following you. I live in Woodinville, Washington zone 2b. I'm going to try doing the roll method. I watched a video and it really saves space.
Thank you so much for following and being here. ❤️ I LOVE that you’re trying that method. I haven’t done yet myself but what I love about it is yes it saves space and it seems like it would be so easy to separate all the seedlings. I’m so curious about this, let me know how it goes. 💞
Great info. I’m in zone 10b and always looking for ways to “winter sow” when I don’t have a legitimate winter. I just filled a tray with seeds and hope!💚
Thank you. I have never winter sown before. I have always tried to get a milk jug from a friend and did not realize that the seed starting kits came with large domes. I ordered several while I was watching you and I can hardly wait to start. The kits come tomorrow and I will start my seeds right away.
Oh my gosh Julia I am so excited for you, truly. Make sure to tape down the lids like I did so they don't fly off, and remember to leave them vents open if it has them. I cant wait to hear about your results! 💞
loved the video. very helpful and i will be trying this. might not do so good but it is worth trying. never have really good luck with sowing seeds. but, they always say keep trying. thank you for sharing with us. and wish me luck. lol thanks
Sonie I thought of you when I filmed this video! I remember you saying you didn't have luck with sowing seeds, but maybe this method will work better for you. 🥰
I'm also in the PNW zone 7A. This is my 2nd year gardening planning to try Seed Snail with hopes to grow extras for my neighbors. I'll build a neighborhood produce stand for those on our private road to exchange produce and plants.
This is amazing!!!! I love when you build a community around plants, flowers, and veggies! I hope you have the BEST success with all of your seeds! Keep me posted on how it goes! ❤️
Hi Claudia, I learned winter sowing a few years go from Ester, on her Gardening adventure channel. She has amazing videos on this method. Had great success 🇨🇦 zone 7a. My greatest concern was wind blowing my containers over.
Ohh thank you sharing this Linda! 7a is a great zone for winter sowing. Did they ever blow over? Maybe putting them closely together and tie them together? I had the same concern when we have winder gusts, so if I see its getting windy I will move them closer the house so the house acts like a shield for them. 🥰
Joyce I've heard gramma grass is EXCELLENT for winter sowing. I ordered a packet as well. I want to start adding ornamental grasses in our garden starting the gramma. I'm excited for us. 😆
Hi Claudia. I did try this method with the milk jugs last year. It was so fun to watch them come up! I did quite a few. I love blackberry lilies and they came up the strongest, I was surprised and pleased. I’ll be seeding some again, I don’t have lots of space left so I will be choosey. I want to try Blue Grama Blonde Ambition grass this year. Are you familiar? It’s gorgeous to me. It’s unique looking, I wonder how it would hold up as a filler? Botanical Interests sells the seeds, as well as others.
I love to hear this Denise!! I never thought of the balckberry lily. I think I’ve seen the seeds offered by Botanical Interest too, how were they in the garden? I LOVE gramma grass. I think they would do great as airy filler in arrangements. I plan on winter sowing some too. 🤩
@ They’re perennials so I’m hoping they come back just fine. They should. I love ‘orange’ and they are are a freckled orange, their seeds are gorgeous to me, as they dry out. I bought a live plant a few years back but it didn’t come back? I think it dried up at some point. I’ll be more attentive this summer. My yard is wide open, full sun 🙃 I wish I had shade.. but of course I’m working with what I have.
I wish I could start snapdragons in the fall. I'm in zone 5b-6a and we get well below zero in the winter. Wintersown, they seem to take too long to mature and then peter out in the July heat.
Oh bummer... Well have you thought about starting them in the fall planting them out in before your frost, then putting a caterpillar tunnel over them? It may be a little bit of an investment, but that would work.
@InTheGardenWithClaudia I would love to, but I'm in a condo complex. Lucky that I'm an end unit (3 sides to plant on) and have a large-ish side yard with a bare mulched hill that I have been adding plants to over the years.
I ran an experiment last year. Sowing in milk carton, (jugs), did not work for me. What did work for me was sowing in trays, ( I think Usa calls them flats?). covering the tray with a lid and putting the tray into a cold greenhouse. I had so much more germination with that mthod. Outside the germination was really poor. Happy growing 🙂
Oh I love this! I think the milk hugs work great for so many people but I love the idea of just using trays, like I did and similar to what sounds like you did. I’ve been checking every couple of days on them, somehow it’s even more exciting then the seeds we start in doors. 😆
Hi friends in the UK, I can’t wait to come back and explore more of the UK. ❤️ So although we garden in similar climates there are some variances. In terms of winter sowing you can really start anytime between December and Early March depending on the flower or veggie. If you have the time now I would begin. 🥰
Why not use seed starting mix , isn't that what its for, and why add vermiculite? I just use regular potting soil that already has vermiculite in it, buy large bags and use it for everything after all we're doing this to be cost effective, never have tried this before vut I'm saving containers now and can hopefully find seeds this time of year , will most likely have to order from seed catalog, thx for this very informative.
Hi Barbara, it’s such a great way to start seeds, I can’t wait for you to try it out. 😍To answer your questions seed starting mix is specifically formulated to support seed germination rather than ongoing growth, as it typically contains minimal nutrients. Most commercial seed starting mixes are sterile and nutrient-free, ensuring they provide a balanced environment for sensitive, newly sprouted seeds that can be affected by water and nutrient imbalances. For winter sowing, I suggest using potting soil rather than seed starting mix because it offers superior drainage and retains moisture more effectively-crucial for managing the temperature fluctuations of winter. Seed starting mix tends to dry out too quickly and may not adequately support larger seedlings as they grow, making potting soil a more dependable option for outdoor winter sowing. It also has more nutrients that I think support our seedlings better in these environments. I use the vermiculite on too because it helps again with moisture retention and helps prevent fungus and dampening off (I forgot to mention that last bit in the video). Let me know if this helps. ❤️
I love reading about all of your experiences, keep sharing I am learning so much. One quick note on the potting vs seed starting mix I wanted to clarify:
Seed starting mix is specifically formulated to support seed germination rather than ongoing growth, as it typically contains minimal nutrients. Most commercial seed starting mixes are sterile and nutrient-free, ensuring they provide a balanced environment for sensitive, newly sprouted seeds that can be affected by water and nutrient imbalances.
For winter sowing, I suggest using potting soil rather than seed starting mix because it offers superior drainage and retains moisture more effectively-crucial for managing the temperature fluctuations of winter. Seed starting mix tends to dry out too quickly and may not adequately support larger seedlings as they grow, making potting soil a more dependable option for outdoor winter sowing.
I use the vermiculite to help support water retention and the biggest reason is to help prevent fungus growth and help with dampening off. I forget to mention this last bit in the video. 🥰
2 years ago I got tired of stacking up packs of lettuce, mustard and spinach seeds. About mid January, I went out to a raised bed, ripped open the packs of seeds and planted them in a few rows. It proceeded to sprout, then snow for about 10 days. I live in Northern Ca in zone 8b/9a. These seeds loved it. I had cut and come again greens for at least 4 months until it got too hot. Just throw some seeds in a raised bed, a lot will grow! I did the same with some poppy seeds and thought they weren’t going to sprout but ages later, they did! Throw some seeds out and let nature handle her business! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
I’ve been winter sowing a few years now I the Portland area. If you add a coffee filter on the bottoms of the containers it helps in keeping the slugs out. I’ve lost a few babies in jugs to slugs .
Great idea to get rid of slugs 🐌 🐌
Oh my gosh this is brilliant! I will go back and tuck some in my tray bottoms. You know slugs are so annoying for us here in the PNW, this is such a smart trick. Thank you for sharing this with us! 🤗
It's brilliant, we have to try it. 😆
Thank youuu!! The slugs in the PNW do not play around 😭🫶🏼
I live near Seattle and slugs are relentless. This is an amazing idea. Thank you.
Cheaper yet is plant them in the garden and cover with jug top. Copying nature-the poppies, marigolds, nigella, sunflowers, rutabagas, ect all do it and turnout great. I’m just setting a cover to protect and mark different varieties.
Oh I really like this idea!!!
Smart cookie! That is a great idea! 🤝
Yesss!
@ lol, just getting lazier 😊
My garden is covered in close to 2’ of snow. No way could mI start anything out there. MI, zone 5
You are a natural teacher! Lots in great info and your thoughts are nicely put together!♥️♥️
You are too kind, thank tou so much. I love this feedback, I always want to make sure my knowledge and thoughts are coming through in a concise way. ❤️🥰
Thank you for this video on Winter seed sowing! I have been wanting to try this for a while since my house space is minimal and you make it sound doable💚💚💚
Yay, that makes me so happy to hear Gayle! YEs don't let space stop you, just find a little area to tuck them away in that gets full sun and you should be good to go. 💞
I did it for the first time last winter and had great results. I did make the mistake of over seeding in the gallon jugs, so some things struggled a bit from overcrowding before I could get them planted. My favorite method was to use 4” pots under old storage totes; I could uncover them easily if we had some extra warm days. Have fun!
I just started some echinacea, verbascum, and hyssop yesterday. I was actually curious about starting snapdragons this way and glad you shared this video. I have some Chantilly, Madame Butterfly, Maryland, and Costa snaps from Johnny’s I need to start. I’m in Oregon too, 8b. 😊
Oh yay Kate!!! All of the snapdragons you have are beautiful and if they can grow in a period of cold they will be huge compared to the ones we grow out in spring time. It's still an experiment because I haven't done them this way, but theory is similar to planting them in the fall and planting them out before our frost. Keep me posted on how it goes for you. 🤩
Thanks, great tutorial! I tried Winter sowing in milk jugs for the first time last year, and I am a believer! I am in Zone 9b, and I planted Rudbeckia, which still has flowers here in January. I’ll try a different color this year, as well as gomphrena.
Thank you Francesca!! I LOVE that you had such great success with it, I get sooo excited to hear back how much people enjoyed winter sowing!! I’m so jealous you still have Rudbeckias, they are such beautiful flowers. 🤩
Great idea ! I did it last year in jugs, my fix will be to not put so many in...separating was terrible...ill try my 4' pots in a tray but need to buy the tall tops❤❤ Great content as always! Keep it coming, and thanks❤
Thank you lovely! I’m right with you, I do not like thinning seedlings. 😆 I guess because I end up trying to save all of them so it turns into a whole thing. 😂
I’m excited to try this method. I’m in Boise so I’m waiting just a bit. mid- January. You’re inspiring!! Please keep us posted!!
Aww yay!! Yes mid-Jan is perfect! I cant wait for you to winter sow. Let me know if you ever have any questions along the way. And of course, thank you for being so supportive and being part of my channel. 🤗
Hi Claudia and Sergey 👋 Such great information. Thank you for sharing this. I haven't done much seed starting... Just tried a few things last Spring. Have a great week. Always, Jen
Aww hi Jen!!! Are you going to start any this year? Or since you live in a warmer climate, you can direct sow a lot of things. 🤩
@InTheGardenWithClaudia I am going to check out some seed companies and see what goodies I can find. 😊
Love this. ❤️
Thanks, Claudia. I have been thinking about doing this for a while now and was afraid it was too warm in my zone 8a SC garden, but now I'm going to go through my seeds and start some!
YEs Stef! Are you guys technically in your winter months too? If so I would start now, maybe no later then Feb. I'm super curious how it goes for you, keep me posted on your results if you end up doing it. 🥰
Good video Claudia and I have seeds I should start. I look forward to see what else you get started
Thanks friend!!! I’m excited for all the seeds to start arriving. 😍
FINALLY someone Oregon! So happy to have found you. Hello from Portland. :)
Ahhhh hi friend!!! I love meeting locals too!! I’m so happy you found me! 😍
Fun video, Claudia! Thanks!
Thank you Rhonda!! I'm super excited to see our results this year. 🥰
Beautiful and informative information! You are a teacher at heart!!!!
Thank you so much, you are too sweet. 💞💞
Good tip, I was going to purchase seed starting mix!
Yes, try a good potting soil for this method of sowing seeds. 🥰
I just started following you. I live in Woodinville, Washington zone 2b. I'm going to try doing the roll method. I watched a video and it really saves space.
Thank you so much for following and being here. ❤️ I LOVE that you’re trying that method. I haven’t done yet myself but what I love about it is yes it saves space and it seems like it would be so easy to separate all the seedlings. I’m so curious about this, let me know how it goes. 💞
Great info. I’m in zone 10b and always looking for ways to “winter sow” when I don’t have a legitimate winter. I just filled a tray with seeds and hope!💚
Ohh I am super invested in how this goes for you. Let me know your results, it's fun to experiment either way. 💞
Thank you. I have never winter sown before. I have always tried to get a milk jug from a friend and did not realize that the seed starting kits came with large domes. I ordered several while I was watching you and I can hardly wait to start. The kits come tomorrow and I will start my seeds right away.
By the way, I love your show and watch all of them!
Oh my gosh Julia I am so excited for you, truly. Make sure to tape down the lids like I did so they don't fly off, and remember to leave them vents open if it has them. I cant wait to hear about your results! 💞
Thank you so much, I am so grateful for you and everyone else who tunes into my channel. 🤗
I’m in PA zone 6b/7a. I need to try this!
I'm excited for you to try this. 🥰
loved the video. very helpful and i will be trying this. might not do so good but it is worth trying. never have really good luck with sowing seeds. but, they always say keep trying. thank you for sharing with us. and wish me luck. lol thanks
Sonie I thought of you when I filmed this video! I remember you saying you didn't have luck with sowing seeds, but maybe this method will work better for you. 🥰
I'm also in the PNW zone 7A. This is my 2nd year gardening planning to try Seed Snail with hopes to grow extras for my neighbors. I'll build a neighborhood produce stand for those on our private road to exchange produce and plants.
This is amazing!!!! I love when you build a community around plants, flowers, and veggies! I hope you have the BEST success with all of your seeds! Keep me posted on how it goes! ❤️
Thank you its a great video.👏😘
Aww thanks friend!! I have a few more tray to put out, I'm super excited. 😊
Hi Claudia, I learned winter sowing a few years go from Ester, on her Gardening adventure channel. She has amazing videos on this method. Had great success 🇨🇦 zone 7a. My greatest concern was wind blowing my containers over.
Ohh thank you sharing this Linda! 7a is a great zone for winter sowing. Did they ever blow over? Maybe putting them closely together and tie them together? I had the same concern when we have winder gusts, so if I see its getting windy I will move them closer the house so the house acts like a shield for them. 🥰
@@InTheGardenWithClaudiaI put them in a slightly more protected area inside wooden crates. They didn’t get as much sun, but seemed to do just fine.
Ohh that’s a great idea, I’ll have to remember that when it gets too windy. 🤗
Thank you Claudia!
Thank you for watching. 💞
I love winter sowing; it's so easy and hands off. I'm always surprised that it works!
There's a little bit of magic to it, isn't there? 😍 Are you winter sowing this year too?
@InTheGardenWithClaudia Yes there is! Well.....I wasn't going to until you started snapdragons 😁 (fomo is real!)
lol!!!! I’m happy to be your garden and flower enabler. 😂🤗
Thanks for all the information. I will be trying this. Wish me luck!
Yay Linda!!! Sending you all the good vibes, let me know how it goes. ❤️
Great idea. I will try it today.
Yay!!! Wishing you the best of luck!! 🤞
I collected ornamental gramma grass seeds and am starting them in milk jugs to see if they will germinate. I haven’t done grasses.
Joyce I've heard gramma grass is EXCELLENT for winter sowing. I ordered a packet as well. I want to start adding ornamental grasses in our garden starting the gramma. I'm excited for us. 😆
Hi Claudia. I did try this method with the milk jugs last year. It was so fun to watch them come up! I did quite a few. I love blackberry lilies and they came up the strongest, I was surprised and pleased. I’ll be seeding some again, I don’t have lots of space left so I will be choosey. I want to try Blue Grama Blonde Ambition grass this year. Are you familiar? It’s gorgeous to me. It’s unique looking, I wonder how it would hold up as a filler? Botanical Interests sells the seeds, as well as others.
I love to hear this Denise!! I never thought of the balckberry lily. I think I’ve seen the seeds offered by Botanical Interest too, how were they in the garden?
I LOVE gramma grass. I think they would do great as airy filler in arrangements. I plan on winter sowing some too. 🤩
@ They’re perennials so I’m hoping they come back just fine. They should. I love ‘orange’ and they are are a freckled orange, their seeds are gorgeous to me, as they dry out. I bought a live plant a few years back but it didn’t come back? I think it dried up at some point. I’ll be more attentive this summer. My yard is wide open, full sun 🙃 I wish I had shade.. but of course I’m working with what I have.
I love your attitude, working with what I have. I love orange flowers too, especially dainty ones. I will add it to my list. 😁
I wish I could start snapdragons in the fall. I'm in zone 5b-6a and we get well below zero in the winter. Wintersown, they seem to take too long to mature and then peter out in the July heat.
Oh bummer... Well have you thought about starting them in the fall planting them out in before your frost, then putting a caterpillar tunnel over them? It may be a little bit of an investment, but that would work.
@InTheGardenWithClaudia I would love to, but I'm in a condo complex. Lucky that I'm an end unit (3 sides to plant on) and have a large-ish side yard with a bare mulched hill that I have been adding plants to over the years.
Can you please provide the link for garden marker? The link posted is for the domes.
Thank you for catching that, I just updated it. Let me know if you have any issues. 🥰
So glad I found this video! I’ve been wanting to try winter sowing but wasn’t sure where to start. Thanks for breaking it down! 🌱✨
Yay this makes me so happy! It's such a great way to start a lot of seeds. 🥰
I ran an experiment last year. Sowing in milk carton, (jugs), did not work for me. What did work for me was sowing in trays, ( I think Usa calls them flats?). covering the tray with a lid and putting the tray into a cold greenhouse. I had so much more germination with that mthod. Outside the germination was really poor. Happy growing 🙂
Oh I love this! I think the milk hugs work great for so many people but I love the idea of just using trays, like I did and similar to what sounds like you did. I’ve been checking every couple of days on them, somehow it’s even more exciting then the seeds we start in doors. 😆
❤
Thanks friend! 🥰
Is it same for UK zone 8
Hi friends in the UK, I can’t wait to come back and explore more of the UK. ❤️
So although we garden in similar climates there are some variances. In terms of winter sowing you can really start anytime between December and Early March depending on the flower or veggie. If you have the time now I would begin. 🥰
Video bạn chia se rất hay Chúc bạn ngày mới vui khỏe ❤❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉🎉
Thank you! ❤️❤️
Why not use seed starting mix , isn't that what its for, and why add vermiculite? I just use regular potting soil that already has vermiculite in it, buy large bags and use it for everything after all we're doing this to be cost effective, never have tried this before vut I'm saving containers now and can hopefully find seeds this time of year , will most likely have to order from seed catalog, thx for this very informative.
Because there are no nutrients.
Hi Barbara, it’s such a great way to start seeds, I can’t wait for you to try it out. 😍To answer your questions seed starting mix is specifically formulated to support seed germination rather than ongoing growth, as it typically contains minimal nutrients. Most commercial seed starting mixes are sterile and nutrient-free, ensuring they provide a balanced environment for sensitive, newly sprouted seeds that can be affected by water and nutrient imbalances.
For winter sowing, I suggest using potting soil rather than seed starting mix because it offers superior drainage and retains moisture more effectively-crucial for managing the temperature fluctuations of winter. Seed starting mix tends to dry out too quickly and may not adequately support larger seedlings as they grow, making potting soil a more dependable option for outdoor winter sowing. It also has more nutrients that I think support our seedlings better in these environments.
I use the vermiculite on too because it helps again with moisture retention and helps prevent fungus and dampening off (I forgot to mention that last bit in the video).
Let me know if this helps. ❤️
I couldn't see the list on your list of things?
Hmmm as in the flowers, or in the description box? 🤔
Jealous of all you zone 8 & 9s. Its in the 20s here in my area of 5
Brrrrr!!!! Is it at least dry?