How’s your 2018 winter-sowing project coming along? My own plantings are well under way, starting (but by no means ending) with the miniature “greenhouses” pictured above. What I’ve planted in these recycled milk and water jugs, along with links to articles that explain the entire winter-sowing process:
I used to kick a large collection of African violets off my fluorescent-lit shelves in order to make room for seed-starting indoors. Then I got wise, and started planting seeds outdoors — most of them during the frigid days of winter. This procedure produced strong (not spindly) plants that required no “hardening off.” Now, after 9 years of winter-sowing, I wouldn’t dream of starting seeds any other way.
I planted the following seeds the other day, and then set them outdoors in below-freezing temperatures:
Bachelor Buttons ‘Blue Boy’. Plant these, and the honey bees will thank you. I enjoy the touch of sky the flowers provide for my Kitchen Garden and elsewhere. They are terrific for cutting, too.
Alyssum. This year, I planted a variety called ‘Tiny Tim.’ Alyssum’s honey-scented clouds are always welcome in beds, borders, and containers here. A better annual doesn’t exist.
Russell Hybrid Lupines. Can we all agree that one can never have too many lupines? I always winter-sow new plants to add to the existing crop (above) in my Serpentine Garden.
Dwarf Snapdragon.This tiny treasure comes in all kinds of colors. Last year, I planted a trio of some rosy-hued variety in a bed that also contained leeks. The plants bloomed and bloomed until the first hard frost. Like other members of the sage family, snapdragons are generally immune to deer, rabbits, and woodchucks. Well, my woodchuck leaves ’em alone.
Swiss Chard ‘Bright Lights’. I love the ornamental contribution these red-, yellow-, rose-, gold, or white-stemmed plants bring to the Herb Garden. Served raw in salads, the beet-like leaves are definitely delicious. But they are particularly wonderful when sauteed in olive oil and splashed, at the last second, with extra-dry vermouth.
Speaking of Herb Garden…would you like a video tour? Click the “play” arrow above.
‘Paris’ Romain’ and ‘Red Velvet’ Lettuces. These I winter-sow every year. They are delightful to eat, and ornamental, too, especially if you plant them in an “X” pattern, as above.
Columbine. No matter how severe the winter, this Aquilegia germinates without a hitch. Pictured above is ‘Alpine Blue,’ planted in one of the boxwood-bordered beds between my pool and kitchen garden. Obviously I’m fond of blue flowers!
Some helpful links:
Need proof that winter-sowing really works? Then by all means read Winter-Sowing 101.
Have questions about what to winter-sow, and when to plant the seeds? See What to Winter-Sow…& When.Wanna watch me turn a milk jug into a greenhouse? Click the “play” above.
And now, back to my original question: How’s your winter-sowing progressing? I hope you’ll drop me a line in the comments section below.
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AnnB says
This is by far the best method for starting seedlings! I love that I’m able to have lots of the annuals that are pretty pricy at the garden center in mid-May. This year I will be planting calibrachoa, wave petunias, impatiens. Also marigolds, coleus, celosia and tomatoes. I usually start them in late March and by mid-May they are ready to go in pots and in the garden. Thanks, Kevin, for all the posts on the winter-sowing method-it really is garden changing!
Laura says
I discovered your blog and the winter sowing method only a few weeks ago, and I am sold. I have already planted a number of containers out and am keeping records to improve upon next year. It is nice to get my hands dirty instead of staring longingly at my seed packets for a few more weeks.
badger gardener says
I love winter sowing time!
Only a few jugs are out right now. I picked up silver sagebrush seeds while I was visiting South Dakota last summer because I fell in love with the scent. I’m going to give it a try here so I planted those first. I also have jugs of prairie coneflower (another South Dakota souvenir but I know that one will work in WI), kale and Swiss chard. More to come. Another new -to-me plant I’m excited for this year will be Love Lies Bleeding, but I haven’t put the seeds out yet.
Jessica Evans says
Thank you for sharing this method! I am a professionally trained horticulturist in zone 6B Oklahoma, and still struggle with seed starting at home. This is tough for many people! I have sown about 10 jugs so far, and plan to double that this week. I am eager to see how well some of my dryland native seeds respond to this method, as well as some common annuals and perennials.
Lissa says
The wind storm knocked all my over and seeds got mixed and it was a hot mess. Restarting some new jugs now. Some stuff was planted out already because it is cold hardy and I am not holding high expectations for them. The mint seeds (never grow true from seed) and some wild flower mixes.
CAROL SAMSEL says
Right now I have about 40 jugs planted and will be doing more today. I love this method and it gives me way more plants than trying to start thing indoors. Mostly I have flowers going right now but will be doing more veggies today and in the coming weeks. Can’t wait to start my tomatoes♥♥♥
Katie says
I had thought I was all done with my wintersowing this year, with zinnia, cosmos, alyssum, and wild bergamot all done—but I had forgot that I wanted to wintersow my Swiss chard too. Thanks for the reminder!
Dorothy Loose says
I have intended to start doing winter sowing last year but never got around to it. This article is so timely as today I am ready to plant some seeds in my recycled water jugs. I am planting yellow lupine, columbine, hollyhocks, oriental poppies, snapdragon and morning glory. I am so excited to try this. I live in zone 4B in New Brunswick, Canada and it is snowing today. We really can not plant a garden until the last frost which is usually around June 12. I always found it hard to harden off the plants and gave up starting things indoors. Thanks for sharing this method. I will let you know how it turns out.
Belinda says
My situation sounds similar to Dorothy’s, but my garden diary keeps telling me that most of my vegetables have to wait. Our garden is very exposed to a harsh wind that comes in early June, but the brassicas and eggplant stand up well to it. I’ll start those first. You have been more than generous in sharing your garden knowledge, and this idea has made planting easy.
Lori says
Yay, I’m not too late to start the winter sowing project after learning some other ladies are starting theirs! So I’ll add that in my list of to dos today. I can’t remember off hand what sorts of seeds I wanted to start but I’m shocked to hear that zinnia seeds can be started this way and so early. Most of my seeds are perennial seeds. I didn’t think tender seeds could be started this way. I’m zone 4 in Hubbard County Minnesota. I’m experimenting for a friend and if she likes my results, she will plan to add it to next years garden classes.
Lisa says
It’s my first year trying it, and a lot of my tips came from this site! Thank you!
I’m in Southern Oregon, so it nearly time to direct plant a lot of seeds, but I do have Swiss chard, spinach, cilantro, wallflower, and one garlic chive (so far) up in their “greenhouses.” I also used cut off 2 liter soda bottles, and those domed Slurpee and McDonald’s iced mocha cups! I used those for longer rooted plants, and ones I only want a few of.
Louise Annarino says
I started winter sowing using your guidance 4 years ago and love it. I experimented wit timing and am hopeful I have figured out what works in my area. Love the snow photos. We have had our share this winter but missed the recent Nor’easter. hyacinths are in bloom but reenact freezes have spared them since I plant near brick walls of the house which absorb the day’s heat. Thanks for your posts. Good luck with the kitchen design.
Irene says
In zone 9b do you think this would work? We don’t have snow and sometimes very little rain here in southern California. We even have to water our succulents. Doesn’t this method rely on the water from rain?
Elaine R says
Found it great for some seeds but in my climate, some annuals waited so late it was like sowing them directly. However I adapted the principal to my Unheated greenhouse and “winter-sowed” in there. It really helps with the seeds that like the alternating warm cold cycles. However, some friends who live in apartments practice winter sowing on their balconies for their garden allotments very successfully.
Sheri S Wentland says
I think I got carried away this year by previous successes. I currently have 48 jugs seeded and still have my flowers to finish. Guess I will have to stimulate the economy and hire some teenagers to dig up more planting space in the spring:)
Louise says
I don’t consume anything to have the jugs, but I found some petunias overwinter and bloom again, zone 5B New York. I leave the miniture snap dragons in their window boxes around the deck. They reseed gloriously. Then I keep geraniums growing having pruned and propagating as you advised, so I have those to put out. It’s neat to propagate your favorites.
Mary in NJ says
I have about 20 jugs planted! More planned for snapdragons, petunias and vincas. I have family & friends saving their milk jugs for me.
Looking forward to planting in the Spring.
Julie says
I am glad I am not the only one who hasn’t yet started tomatoes. Anyway, I first learned about winter sowing from your blog a few years ago and it is fantastic. I started using solo cups, a baggie and a rubber band instead of milk jugs as I never could seem to find enough of them and my method works out just fine. Lovely garden and I love your writing.
Elizabeth says
Such lovely flowers. Candy for the eyes.
Jane Rutkowski says
I’ve really missed Winter Sowing. I haven’t done any winter sowing for the past 2 years because of serious health issues, but I plan on doing seed sowing this month. I guess you could call it Winter/Spring sowing. I find that sweet alyssum, hollyhocks, and snapdragons don’t mind the cold or frost at all. I’ll wait ti mid-April to sow morning glory, moonflowers, and marigolds. I love annual poppies, but I just sow them directly where I want them to grow since they don’t seem to do well when transplanted.
Beverly, zone 6, eastern PA says
Fifteen jugs currently getting frozen and thawed.
More snow expected tomorrow. Varieties this year are:
1) Clematis viorna, Pink Vase Vine
2) Iris domestica, (Belamcanda) Blackberry Lily
3) Papaver orientalis, Orange Oriental Poppy
4) Echinops ritro, Blue Globe Thistle
5) Asclepias tuberosa, Orange Butterflyweed
6) Platycodon grandiflorus, Blue Balloonflower
7) Malva zebrina, French Hollyhock
8) Veronica spicata, Violet Speedwell
9) Hypericum, St. John’s Wort
10) Coreopsis lanceolata, Tickseed
11) Aruncus, Goatsbeard
12) Chelone, Pink and White Turtlehead
13) Liatris, Gayfeather
14) Digitalis, Pink Foxglove
15) Borage (the only annual included)
Last year I sowed Salmon Pink Oriental Poppies with a black throat patch. It was wildly successful and a good thing too. The parent patch drowned because it won’t stop raining!!! (poor choice for their location by yours truly). I fell lucky I saved those seeds to preserve the plant.
bambi_beth says
Zone B western PA. I have hosted one community garden winter sowing workshop and I have another at the end of the month where I will do my tomatoes and peppers. I always link to your “Winter Sowing 101” page. People are so skeptical, but this method is so easy and it really works!! I ask for jugs on Nextdoor and on the FB neighborhood group. People just leave them in my driveway and I prep them a batch at a time, then string them up in the garage.
I joined a WS FB group where people are forever debating paint pens and grease pencils for jug marking. Last year I used a green sharpie to mark my jugs and had no problems. In fact, I can STILL read what I wrote in the green sharpie. This year I used a blue sharpie. It has been about a month and almost all of the writing is completely gone, faded out or washed away. Luckily, I made my notes by tray when I set the jugs outside, so I deciphered most of them, but I definitely have some mystery jugs. Garden adventures!! Thank you Kevin for your great site!! I got half a dozen copies of your cookbook for family members and we hope to visit your garden this summer!
Henry says
Kevin, you didn’t mention it, but I’m assuming that you bring these inside at night when there will be a frost?
Karin Page says
Hi Kevin,
I read your post and watched your blog on making milk-jug greenhouses about two weeks ago. I planted seeds in milk jugs and 2-Liter plastic bottles and put them outside on my patio table. I now have baby brussel sprouts, Chinese broccoli, collard greens, radishes, beets, arugula, lettuce and peas! I also made greenhouses out of clear plastic lettuce containers and planted different kinds of basil, tomatoes, and peppers, but kept those inside. Those have sprouted, too! Thanks for the tutorial and all your videos and posts. They are very informative and fun!
Donna Martell says
I’m so excited to try this because I don’t have a greenhouse or even grow lights. My window sills are too narrow, and most of them have radiators. This is perfect for me. Thank you, Kevin.
Patti Law-Poggi says
Kevin, since I am English (living in California), I would like to create an “English Country Garden”, could you give me a list of tall flowers that I could Winter Sow. I am zone 7.
Michelle says
Thank you Kevin for your advice with this wonderful gardening method. I just planted my last bucket, and the garden is growing beautifully. I will definitely do this every year from now on. I just love your kind and cheerful demeanor! Reading your posts always bring a smile to my face .
Joan Lanoue says
Kevin–I’m in zone 3/4 just south of Duluth MN and would like to winter sow daylily seeds. I hand pollinate many and keep track of the crosses. My husband has decided we are going to AZ Nov 15-April 15 so I can’t start them in my house in Feb like most people do. Do you think it would work to do the milk jug technique—plant them end of October, put them in a protected area, full sun, leave caps off so rain and snow would go inside for moisture. Anything I should do different?
Myra Byanka says
Love your site and youtube video on winter sowing. I am a newbie (zone 8a – East TX) and in late December 2018, I started putting soil in milk jugs and planted all sorts of seeds. I checked yesterday (2/8/19) and was surprised what had germinated first: several tomato types, scallions, Texas grano onions, red onions, leeks, red bell peppers, rapini broccoli, cascading petunias, vincas ( great flower for really hot summers – never stops blooming) , calendulas, sunflowers, and pansies (no surprise). I plan a second planting this week, just as an experiment, mostly hot weather stuff.
Jane says
I’m new to winter gardening with milk jugs but I’ve going nuts planting flower and some vegetables. I’m trying to rush the flowers for my daughters wedding. I’ve planted 92 jugs with 10 more ready to plant today.
I live in 5B from what I understand I leave them in the shade until mid March. I’m to watch on hot days and open them up rhen close at night… do I need to tape them all or just stand the lid back on it?
Thanks so much for your help.