Winter Seed Sowing! The Least Expensive Way to Grow Seeds! 🌱🙌🤑 // Garden Answer

Comments · 669

• JO

  @jodimurphy6831 · 2 years ago

  Hi Laura! If you'd really like to label your jugs on top, may I suggest this method to you; I use to work in a library and had to do this often when stamping books. Write directly on top of the jug wherever you wish and then cover the writing with clear tape. The tape protects the writing. I use this same method when labeling food dishes and utensils that I'd bring to family/friend holidays or gatherings. Works like a charm! Happy gardening!

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• DE

  @debbiejacks2085 · 2 years ago (edited)

  I have done winter sowing for the past three years with hit or miss success. I am in zone 5b (or 6A now??) near Chicago. Believe it or not my big success last year were TOMATOES AND PEPPERS! I started them in the milk jugs the very beginning of April. We can usually plant just after Mother’s Day and I had so many seedlings that I gave a bunch away. I thought they were almost too small to plant but I had nothing to lose so I did. The plants did so well! They were huge and I got a great harvest of jalepenos, sweet peppers, banana peppers, cherry tomatoes and a couple varieties of heirloom tomatoes. Don’t be afraid to try!

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• MO

  @Mof3MB · 2 years ago

  OMG it's happening guys, we are planting things again in anticipation of Spring! It feels like we just ended the growing season. Wasn't Laura just planting things outside a month ago? So exciting :)

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• DA

  @DarlaPitman · 2 years ago

  Thanks for sharing this wonderful technique with others. I love Winter Sowing!<br>Two things I would like to share as a 4-year winter sower: I start all my seeds this way, including warm weather things. I just wait until early spring to do those things. My first year, I was skeptical about starting tomatoes, but then thought about all those volunteer tomatoes that pop up in all our gardens. The seeds have been out in all the winter weather, temp changes, etc. without any protection at all, but they still germinated when the conditions were right. And my tomato plants are so strong and healthy! I don&apos;t want people to think they absolutely can&apos;t use it for warm weather crops and miss out.<br>Secondly, I figured out last year that if I placed the &quot;hinge&quot; on my jug opposite the handle, the top part stayed open better when planting and when transplanting. The weight of the handle helped to keep the top more open. While I wish I had figured that out sooner, at least it finally clicked, and we are constantly learning, aren&apos;t we?

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• CH

  @chrisrfan · 2 years ago

  You were the one who introduced me to winter sowing a few years ago and I’ve had success with it every year! However, I do believe this is your best video yet with instructions on how to do it! &nbsp;Last year I grew yarrow and tomatoes! Please keep us posted throughout the winter as to how they are doing and especially when they germinate, when to take the domes off etc. <br>I do hope Samantha is recovering well from her illness. ❤

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• BA

  @barbaramccann7944 · 2 years ago

  Hints from northern west Michigan, zone 5/6: I am now using Tidy Cat litter containers as they are a little sturdier in our winter weather, as well as for reusing. &nbsp;Also, I put the containers &nbsp;in several kids’ plastic sleds or my Sno-Sled, which makes it easy to move them (if needed) as well as to add water from the bottom.

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• AM

  @amybroxton3931 · 2 years ago

  You’ve motivated me once again! 😊 One thing I came up with to keep my marker from fading from sun and weather exposure is to create a flap using a piece of duct tape folded over on itself leaving a strip of sticky part to adhere to the jug… kind of like a duct tape like post-it stuck over the plant name. It has kept my label from fading. A mini visor so to speak lol. Thanks again for all you do to inspire all dirt digging devotees like myself.

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• WI

  @WildHaggisHollow · 2 years ago

  Will you also be showing how you handle them when the time comes to plant them out? And progress reports on how they are doing afterward? I&apos;ve not seen it be taken that far by anyone and I would love it if you could when the time comes. Thank you, as always, for a very informative video. I&apos;m excited to try this year.

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• CH

  @christinelips3657 · 2 years ago

  I use the cap as a marker inside the jug then when I plant into garden place the cap as a marker near seedlings.

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• TR

  @Tracy-zj4sr · 2 years ago

  I&apos;ve been winter sowing forever and I write the name of the variety on the top of the jug in garden marker, then cover this with wide, clear packing tape. &nbsp;It protects it from wearing off.

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• ZE

  @zeniazenia2787 · 2 years ago (edited)

  From Connecticut… I used only potting soil the first year and now I give the seeds a little middle layer of starting mix and a top layer of vermiculite too. <br>The seeds can get a start in the fluffy starting mix then grab the moisture out of potting soil with their beautiful roots right away.<br>Vermiculite keeps the green mold from taking over. Big functional helps from each of the three important layers.

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• GR

  @GrowCookPreserve · 2 years ago

  Winter sowing is SO helpful for native wildflower seeds, most of which require this type of treatment to germinate. I do this for seeds I&apos;ve collected from my native prairie.

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