Perfect timing for this video!! Thank you so much for sharing 😊 I am so glad that I stumbled upon your channel!! I am a northern lower Michigan girl too!
Oh wonderful! I love meeting other Michiganders here. If you're ever in the Traverse City region in the spring our plant nursery is open a few weekends each year :)
Winter sowing is a great way to start! even in Mississippi your nighttime temps are low enough to cold stratify a wide variety of native seeds. For artificial stratification we use a refrigerator to stratify the seeds, usually temp is around 40. I hope you have success this year!
When melting holes in plastic please do so outside as the fumes are toxic and can cause really bad headaches etc. Put an extension cord out to the yard and do it there 😊
I should have mentioned it in the video, but the building I'm in is unheated in the winter so there are double doors wide open right next to me, just out of the frame! but you are absolutely right, always make sure there's good ventilation when using the soldering iron on pretty much anything!
This is good insight - thank you for adding. We run into the damp soggy weather closer to March-April, so that's when we need to start moving our trays into dryer locations or changing our cover types. Do you guys freeze often up there or is it usually rain in the winter months? We're in northern Michigan so it's hard to imagine anything other than feet of snow in the winter!
Oops sorry I meant to add that to the description. I am able to get the plug flats from a wholesale supplier for our nursery, but they do offer the trays on Amazon as well. I get the lids from Amazon: Plug Trays: amzn.to/3C2AiH6 Tray Covers: amzn.to/4gE4NCj
Great video! This will be my first year attempting to start natives from seed. I know the answer is dependent on the plant but, in general, when would seedlings started this year typically be ready to transplant? I’m guessing they would need until late summer/early fall? Thank you!
It is dependent on the seed, but there are definitely some faster growing varieties out there that will still be suitable for early summer planting! In particular, your grasses and sedges will grow quickly and will form nice roots that can survive transplantation. Also some flowers, like coreopsis and coneflower, can grow rather quickly under the right conditions. If you have the space for it, aim to bring your containers back indoors around early March to encourage earlier germination. Artificial light can also really help boost those seedlings early on!
Most native plants require 30-120 days of cold moist stratification, with most being about 60 days, so getting the seeds out in the cold in trays now will mean 60 days assuming Feb and until March are below 35 most the time. The seeds should germinate at a specific percentage and be ready to plant in the spring. Once the plugs germinate they would do best in the outside soil and not in a pot for the long term. @@kelligillett6312
Yes you're exactly right! Many native seed varieties require a period of 'cold stratification' before germination. Sowing your seeds after winter solstice ensures temperatures will be cold enough to meet this cold stratification, and do not run the risk of warming up too much (enough to encourage premature germination). Even seeds that don't require a cold stratification period can be winter sown after winter solstice as they will just remain dormant until temperatures increase enough for germination to occur!
It depends on the quantity you get but usually $20-30 for 5 trays. They are decently sturdy and will typically hold up for us for multiple seasons (in direct sunlight). The tray covers are great as well! Plug Trays: amzn.to/3C2AiH6 Tray Covers: amzn.to/4gE4NCj
What if you dont have the rain and snow to keep them consistently moist during the stratification period? Would you water them at intervals; even if below freezing temps outside?
I would add some moisture! It will depend on just how dry your air is, but you'll want to make sure you're keeping the soil 'consistently moist'. Make sure you have holes in the top/cover of your container, and water with a shower head watering can. You don't need to soak these seeds like you would in the spring, but you definitely don't want that soil dry. If you do occasionally get above freezing temps you can consider topping your trays or containers with ice cubes as well. If you do this method, put the ice cube right on the soil.
yes definitely, just as it would in mother nature! The seeds will stay dormant until the temps warm up enough to enable germination. It's those late season frosts that we need to be aware of, after the seeds have started germinating.
You can also put them in a fridge in containers like a milk jug with a suitable media, and keep it at a moist level. Even in the summer time you can "trick" native seeds into germinating by doing 60 days in the fridge with moisture, and get germinated plugs in the ground by August. They should do fine growing roots before fall and cold again.
It’s wonderful to find a channel dedicated to native flowers and grasses.
I'm so glad you found it! We love to talk about all things native plants here (and a little about hydroponics in the wintertime!)
Thank you for using Native Plants.
We try to plant more every year (and encourage our community to plant more as well!) Thanks for watching!
Super timely! Just about to try my hand at winter sowing. Thanks.
You’re going to love it - it’s super easy! Hands off with a nice little surprise when they germinate in the spring :) best of luck!
Thank you for showing your process.
Happy to share it, hope you have good luck with your winter sowing this year!
Thanks for posting this. Excited to try! Thanks for the link to the plug trays.
I'm glad you found it helpful, good luck with your winter sowing this year!
This is great! Thank you for sharing! So inspirational.
I'm happy to hear it! So much joy in growing from seed!
Great tips! My kind of stratification💚👍
Hands off - you can't beat that! And it's such a treat to see how many germinate in the spring :)
Great video.Thank you .
Thank you for watching!
First time here
Thank you for video
Welcome to the channel! Thanks for watching :)
Perfect timing for this video!! Thank you so much for sharing 😊 I am so glad that I stumbled upon your channel!! I am a northern lower Michigan girl too!
Oh wonderful! I love meeting other Michiganders here. If you're ever in the Traverse City region in the spring our plant nursery is open a few weekends each year :)
Great tips! I’m learning to lean into native plants. I live in Mississippi and would love to grow natives to my area.💚
Winter sowing is a great way to start! even in Mississippi your nighttime temps are low enough to cold stratify a wide variety of native seeds. For artificial stratification we use a refrigerator to stratify the seeds, usually temp is around 40. I hope you have success this year!
When melting holes in plastic please do so outside as the fumes are toxic and can cause really bad headaches etc. Put an extension cord out to the yard and do it there 😊
I should have mentioned it in the video, but the building I'm in is unheated in the winter so there are double doors wide open right next to me, just out of the frame! but you are absolutely right, always make sure there's good ventilation when using the soldering iron on pretty much anything!
In the Pacific NW where it rains a lot put your holes on the sides or it will fill with rain.
This is good insight - thank you for adding. We run into the damp soggy weather closer to March-April, so that's when we need to start moving our trays into dryer locations or changing our cover types. Do you guys freeze often up there or is it usually rain in the winter months? We're in northern Michigan so it's hard to imagine anything other than feet of snow in the winter!
Where do you get plug flats from?
Oops sorry I meant to add that to the description. I am able to get the plug flats from a wholesale supplier for our nursery, but they do offer the trays on Amazon as well. I get the lids from Amazon:
Plug Trays: amzn.to/3C2AiH6
Tray Covers: amzn.to/4gE4NCj
Great video! This will be my first year attempting to start natives from seed. I know the answer is dependent on the plant but, in general, when would seedlings started this year typically be ready to transplant? I’m guessing they would need until late summer/early fall? Thank you!
It is dependent on the seed, but there are definitely some faster growing varieties out there that will still be suitable for early summer planting! In particular, your grasses and sedges will grow quickly and will form nice roots that can survive transplantation. Also some flowers, like coreopsis and coneflower, can grow rather quickly under the right conditions. If you have the space for it, aim to bring your containers back indoors around early March to encourage earlier germination. Artificial light can also really help boost those seedlings early on!
@@BrightLaneGardens Thank you! Looking forward to trying this.
Most native plants require 30-120 days of cold moist stratification, with most being about 60 days, so getting the seeds out in the cold in trays now will mean 60 days assuming Feb and until March are below 35 most the time. The seeds should germinate at a specific percentage and be ready to plant in the spring. Once the plugs germinate they would do best in the outside soil and not in a pot for the long term. @@kelligillett6312
Wow!!! how refreshing, a beautiful woman not pushing O F......😊
haha my parents are proud!
Why after winter solstice please? Nearly all cold temperatures happen after this not before. Interested to know the reasons, thank you. 😊
Yes you're exactly right! Many native seed varieties require a period of 'cold stratification' before germination. Sowing your seeds after winter solstice ensures temperatures will be cold enough to meet this cold stratification, and do not run the risk of warming up too much (enough to encourage premature germination). Even seeds that don't require a cold stratification period can be winter sown after winter solstice as they will just remain dormant until temperatures increase enough for germination to occur!
Were do you get the treys and domes from and how much they cost
It depends on the quantity you get but usually $20-30 for 5 trays. They are decently sturdy and will typically hold up for us for multiple seasons (in direct sunlight). The tray covers are great as well!
Plug Trays: amzn.to/3C2AiH6
Tray Covers: amzn.to/4gE4NCj
What if you dont have the rain and snow to keep them consistently moist during the stratification period? Would you water them at intervals; even if below freezing temps outside?
I would add some moisture! It will depend on just how dry your air is, but you'll want to make sure you're keeping the soil 'consistently moist'. Make sure you have holes in the top/cover of your container, and water with a shower head watering can. You don't need to soak these seeds like you would in the spring, but you definitely don't want that soil dry.
If you do occasionally get above freezing temps you can consider topping your trays or containers with ice cubes as well. If you do this method, put the ice cube right on the soil.
@BrightLaneGardens thank you. I will keep them moist when it get too dry. So it is OK for the soil to freeze throughout this process?
yes definitely, just as it would in mother nature! The seeds will stay dormant until the temps warm up enough to enable germination. It's those late season frosts that we need to be aware of, after the seeds have started germinating.
@@BrightLaneGardens oh ok. Thank you very much for the information
You can also put them in a fridge in containers like a milk jug with a suitable media, and keep it at a moist level.
Even in the summer time you can "trick" native seeds into germinating by doing 60 days in the fridge with moisture, and get germinated plugs in the ground by August. They should do fine growing roots before fall and cold again.