Winter sowing

We all tend to have a sowing frenzy in spring, but there are other ways of doing it. Have a look at this http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/wtrsow/msg101544253738.html

I have only done it with Allium seeds - and it works a treat. But there are loads of others.

 

Wow, that is really interesting. I have copied the relevant instructions and saved them - I will definitely give it a go. Thanks for that link, Peter.

 

Tiarella - the key as they said in the article is to do it with the right seeds - not just any seeds. In fact some seeds like Allium that I mentioned are difficult to germinate any other way.

I had a very quick Google and found this http://theseedsite.co.uk/wintersowing.html which lists some of the seeds you can do it with. I would suggest a bit more Googling would be useful.

There is some more info here http://wintersown.org/wseo1/Seed_Lists.html

 

Interesting Peter. I might give it a try as well. In your second post, in the link you posted, it lists Pot Marigold and (amazingly!) Sweet Peas as being suitable for sowing outside. Worth a try, especially as I don't have much room indoors to do this.

Do you think they need any protection, or just leave the pot out of the wind and worst of the weather?

 

SussexG - I haven't tried it other than for Alliums, but the whole principle is that you are doing it nature's way and so they shouldn't need any protection. We are of course talking of specific hardy plants that benefit from stratification (cold treatment). You can't do this with any seeds. The only protection suggested is a cover to keep out excess wet and to keep out leaves and other seeds that could contaminate it.

I suspect that the seeds themselves can survive the worst frosts, but they won't germinate until they are ready, ie it has warmed up a bit. As the cost (only using a small amount of seed) and effort is very small - it could be worth having a go.

Having said that - I have looked a bit further at the second link - specifically at the list of seeds winter sown in zone 8 (essentially the same as Britain) and they do mention things like Cosmos that are not hardy and wouldn't be happy to germinate in March. The simple answer is that I don't know.

 

As you say Peter, it's worth a try. The things I want to have a go with are easily replaced if they don't work.

 

I came across that site years ago. Remember it is a US site. Sometimes they can be a bit too evangelistic and think their way is the only way. Remember in much of the US they have a long cold winter and then spring arrives when everything grows. Our winters are not like that. Mostly they are mild and damp with the odd cold spell. I remember sowing Morina seed some years ago. They germinated just before Christmas but a cold snap occurred and the young seedlings all died.
Some seeds need to be sown before winter as they will only germinate at low temperatures. Alliums, tulips and hellebores are such seed.
Years ago it used to be standard practise to sow some annuals such as Calendula, sweet peas, larkspur and cornflower in the autumn. However they would germinate in the autumn and overwinter as small plants. They would flower earlier than spring sown because of the early start and this year i have sown larkspur and calendula outside but have covered them with a poly cloche to keep off the winter wet. I have sown Sweet peas and they will remain under cold glass.
I cannot see the point of sowing seed in winter that is easy to germinate anyway and expecting it to germinate in spring. Sweet peas in particular are just going to rot in cold wet soil.

 

I've saved those links to my favourites, thanks Peter.
Some good points there, Geoff.
I wasn't planning to sow many seeds using this winter method, just a couple that I think might work, i.e. anemone, anthriscus sylvestris to name two off the top of my head. I shall look through my seed packs to see if there are any others I could experiment with. I even have a number of plastic trays with lids that originally came from the local Chinese takeaway - ideal or what! :thumb: