The cold temperatures keep most of us cooped up for the winter, and this simulated hibernation begins to take it’s toll on us mentally. Too bad we can’t simply sleep through it! So, as promised, I am providing a few ideas to satisfy the gardening bug when it inevitably bites. My last entry gave instructions for creating a beautiful terrarium, very suitable for gifts. Quite possibly you could find a way to turn the following project into a gift, as well!
What is winter sowing?
It is the centuries old practice of germinating seeds outdoors during late fall and winter months, generally within a protected container of some type. Sometimes farmer’s fields are even planted in the winter to allow the crop plants to germinate in their own time, when conditions become favorable. If you have ever grown plants from seed indoors and have found it somewhat tedious and time consuming, you have to try this method!
Just about any outdoor plant can be winter sown, including annuals, but some will be much more rewarding than others. So…why not just toss the seed onto the bare soil in the fall? What you will need: Here is a basic list of supplies (your imagination may expand this list somewhat) and yes, Suburban has everything! Container choices will vary greatly as there are many scenarios to choose from. Your needs and availability of space in your yard or patio will play a role in what you choose to use. Some of the recycled options may be more unsightly than others, so keep your neighbors in mind when deciding what to use and where to place them in your yard. Do not use fiber pots or pellets to winter sow with. The fiber will wick the moisture out of your soil and the pellet would need to be watered almost daily. Both are completely unreliable. There are many other items you can use as containers, if you have an idea, try it! You would be surprised at the options. Now that we have everything gathered together, it is time to get started! The first thing you will want to do is insure everything has ventilation and drainage. Less is best as far as the ventilation goes, you can always add more if necessary. I will cover this in more detail a bit later. Sowing your seeds is very easy. Note the suggested seed depth within the instructions of your seed packet. Usually, the smaller the seed, the less soil will be covering them. But this is not always the case. Sow accordingly and dust with a bit of fresh soil to even out the disturbances. Mist the surface with water and you are done! Assemble your containers into their bins or holding areas, insure all of them have proper drainage and ventilation, park them outdoors and then go back inside to your warm and cozy house. Don’t worry if they become buried in the snow, they will be just fine! For the initial week or so you will want to monitor for proper humidity inside the containers. Select a “warm” day above freezing to inspect your handiwork. If there are large droplets of water on the inside of the container, you may want to add a few more holes for ventilation. Ideally you want to see a haze of moisture, but not a rain forest. The only other thing you will be checking on is moisture. If we are below freezing, there will be no need to do anything. As the temperatures begin to fluctuate, moisture will be lost and you may have to gently water your little dependents from time to time. Be careful not to disturb the soil as you water. Be aware that frozen soil will look dry, so let the weight of the pot help you decide if they need a drink. Depending on the seeds you selected, you may find seedlings as early as February. Stop by one of our three locations and pick up a few seed packets, pots and soil and your are ready to sow! Winter sown plants are hardier and have a much more extensive root system than those started indoors. Unless you don’t give them enough fresh air on nice warm days, they will not experience the dreaded damp off, nor will they become leggy. This really is the easiest way to insure a bumper crop of your favorite flowers. Have fun and don’t forget to get the kids involved!! Feel free to email me if you have questions, I will be happy to help!
Next you will need to fill your pots with 4-5 inches of soil lightly tamping it down, but don’t pack it. Now you will want to wet your soil with hot water. Do not use cold water because the soil is far less receptive to it and you will undoubtedly retain dry spots. The weight of the pot will be a good indicator of the moisture content. I slowly flood mine (faucet on a small steam) to insure every bit of soil is reached. Once the pot is drained it is ready for the seeds. For this part, I usually use a few layers of towels to place under the pots, but you can use plastic or other material to protect your furniture or floor.
The lids of your containers will need to remain in place until the weather warms up a bit, but could be opened if the sun is out and temperatures are above freezing (around 40-50° F). The first set of leaves you will see are called the seed leaves or cotyledons. The next set of leaves are considered true leaves and, once those appear, you can begin to transplant into your garden or large pots. I prefer to let mine grow on inside their pots until they have a few sets of true leaves and a larger root system.
Everyone seems to be excited to get outside and make everything beautiful for autumn. At 
Not only that, you have a larger window to work with. Hostas, Daylilies, Liriope and Iris are all perennials which benefit from being divided every few years. Sedum should still be divided in the spring since it is just getting ready to bloom. Liriope is easy to divide but you might wait until they are nearing the end of their bloom cycle.
The picture below depicts a hosta which I would consider in need of division.
Green foliage that comes in direct and flat contact with the soil will invite slugs and other pests, rot and other problems. Daylilies love sunlight and will bloom profusely if they have enough of it. Be sure to find a location which will be easy to water in a time of drought, too. While the drought will not kill them (generally), they will go dormant, turn brown and become very unsightly. Consider spacing, as well. A small clump of Daylilies will quickly take up quite a bit of space. A bit of forethought will save you the work of moving them before you would have needed to.
