Last Updated on January 21, 2007
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Wintersowing Diary - 2007
It's that time of year again when we can start our wintersowing in containers.  Actually, you can start it earlier, but I am usually too busy during December, so I like to wait until after the new year.  If you are unfamiliar with wintersowing, it's basically sowing seeds in covered containers that act like a mini greenhouse once spring arrives. Most perennial and hardy annuals are great for wintersowing.  I learned how to do it from www.wintersown.org.  There you will find all the answers to your questions.  Here, I will describe my methods, which may vary slightly from the above mentioned website.  Wintersowing methods also vary depending on zone.  For example, someone in zone 9 will not need to use covered containers to start their seeds, as the containers could become too hot for the seedlings. 

I have changed my method slightly since last year, but you can read my complete instructions on how I wintersow here.
January 21, 2007 - This year instead of using take-out containers for wintersowing, I decided to use a seed tray covered with plexiglass.  For one, the seedlings will not need to be transplanted and two, I can re-use this set up for several years to come.  To start, I purchased some 4" pots and the appropriate trays to hold those pots.  The pots as well as the trays have drainage holes.  Gary made a simple box with a plexi-glass top to cover the trays.  I drilled holes in the plexi-glass so that their are two holes per container.  I may have to add more holes later, but I wanted to see how this would work first.  The holes are primarily to allow water into the pots in the spring.

Holes are also good to let heat escape when temperatures start to rise in the spring.  The trays are currently sitting on a bench and the plex-glass cover is larger than the bench width, so I am hoping that the space at the bottom of the seed trays is enough to allow excess heat to escape.  I will monitor that when the time comes.

Normally, I get my seeds sown in early January, but it has been extremely mild this winter and we just finally got consistant cold temperatures over this past week, so I figured it was a good time to start them.
These trays can be purchased or you can save the ones you get from your local nursery.
The box sits on top of the tray with a couple of inches of clearance between the plex-glass and the top of the containers.  The bottom is open.
As you can see, this year, I significantly cut down on the amount of seeds that I am wintersowing.  If this container method works out well, I will most likely sow more next year.  This will be my third year wintersowing, and I have found it to be incredibly successful.  So much so, that last year I was giving away seedlings left and right. 

This year I wintersowed the following:  Double Decker Coneflowers, Razzamatazz Coneflowers, Purple & White Columbine, Tennessee Coneflowers, Green Wizard Rudbeckias, White/Pink Foxgloves, Chocolate Soldier Columbine, Red Midget Mexican hats, False Sunflower, Clasping Coneflowers, Black Barlow Columbine, Velour Bronze Violas, Bowles Black Violas, Penny Orchid Violas, Penny Lane Mix Violas, Rococo Mix Pansies, Dream Formula Mix Pansies.