winter sowing

I have never had luck growing perennial flowers from seeds indoors.  The few seeds that do sprout are leggy and weak.  It's too warm on the window sill.
There is a new way to get new plants from seeds without using up precious inside space:  winter sowing.  We will let Mother Nature provide the light and the water and the space.

First, get some plastic jugs.  Drill holes in the bottom and along the sides.
With an x-acto knife, cut horizontally around the container about 1/3 from the bottom, leaving a few inches uncut on one side to act as a hinge.  Take off the screw tops so that rain can get in.


Grab some good quality potting soil.  It is much lighter and the little seedlings will be able to push their roots through much more easily than if you use garden soil.  Plus, garden soil is frozen hard as concrete in my yard right now!  Add water until it is quite wet.

Put at least 4 inches of soil in each jug, and pack down firmly.

Choose seeds from plants that grow well in your area and self-seed.  I have chosen coriander, wild bergamont (bee balm), and columbine.  I am starting slow, but some people I know have started 90 jugs or more!

Here are some coriander seeds, ready to be planted.  After setting in the seeds, cover with a thin layer of soil and pat down firmly.  Use a sharpie to write the name of the seed on a plastic label, and push it inside between the soil and the plastic.  That way you can easily read the label.  Then close the tops over the bottoms and tape the openings shut.

Bring your containers outside and set them in a sunny spot.  Mine are in the raised vegetable garden bed.  I put a log against the open side to make sure they don't blow over in the wind.  Now ignore them until spring.  The freezing and thawing cycles will get the seeds ready to pop in spring, and the jugs will act as mini greenhouses to give them a head start.

Stay tuned to see what happens!

Fast forward to the middle of June.  I checked the containers often, but the seeds took a very long time to sprout.

The monarda (bee balm - left) and cilantro did really well.  Only one columbine appeared. 
I transplanted everything to permanent homes, and they are doing well.
I would definately try this again next February!