Winter Sowing vs. Winter Growing

Has anyone ever tried this technique?

http://www.northerngardening.com/winter_sowing.htm

I believe that a few people on the forum, including myself, may use this method for starting some items.   I have a few veggies that are wintersown each year so I don't need to harden them off.

I haven't but it seem like a great experiment to try out to see how well it would work. Thanks for the link.

I had forgotten that I had started three containers for winter seeding and I found them today and there are plants coming up.  Now I have to find out what I planted and when.
I do know that I started marigolds, as to purchase 4 transplants for about $2 is far too expensive for me.
Can you imagine paying 50c per seed.  I know one has to pay for the soil, containers and peoples' time.
Now I can have a whole bank of marigolds this year for the layout of about $3 tops.

You forgot??!! 

Wow, wish I had that problem...!

Woo-hoo!!

I found a great website talking about growing in the fall and winter.  This particular link shows the veggie varieties to grow in winter under row cover.  I don't know if this blogger knows what she is talking about but it sounds good and she gives links to other websites that also talk about winter growing.  Here is a sample.  There is a tab titled "Winter Growing" that has a lot of different articles.  Including what type of row cover she uses or recommends.
http://www.motherofahubbard.com/10-vegetables-more-cold-hardy-than-kale/

Here is the home page for Mother of a Hubbard
http://www.motherofahubbard.com/

Thanks, Yolos. Nice article.

Interesting article. I've been wondering about collards, since I've read such good things about them fairly recently. I got a packet of seeds somewhere, but then read they should be planted in spring. Dunno whether I should just pick up with them next year.

I just saw that myself, yolos! Great article, and good advice about cover and varieties that do well. I will do better next year, just learning!

I like this chart.  It is from the website Mother of a Hubbard linked above.

Me too! Thanks!

Marc Iverson wrote:Interesting article. I've been wondering about collards, since I've read such good things about them fairly recently.  I got a packet of seeds somewhere, but then read they should be planted in spring.   Dunno whether I should just pick up with them next year.

I've learned that collards are best as a fall planting.  Frost is supposed to sweeten them.  I purchased transplants in early September.  Here is how they look now, after one night of frost.

They look nice, Mike! I cleaned my whole SFG out today with the exception of some Swiss chard...hope it makes it tonight, supposed to be upper 20s.

Collards are the new kale, according to some online sources! Funny, cheap peasant food is actually the good stuff! Beans, greens, and home grown!

They look really healthy, Mikesgardn. I'm going to have to experiment with them soon, but I guess it's too late this year. I wish our local nurseries had them; I'd just go by a four-pack.

Mikesgardn. Impressive. Almost makes me want to cry. It's a beautiful picture. Thank you for sharing.

I like the chart, haven't read the article yet. I have not followed the article in the past, so have planted too much in the past! Jo

 I always overwinter these plants, of course, we don't have as many days straight of freezing weather or snow.

beets-tops die down but beets are sweet and tops grow back
carrots
collards-sweeter after a freeze
mustard-not as hot in cold weather
onions
garlic
rutabaga
spinach
turnips
parsnips
radishes
peas- these are planted in Jan. they will come up thru ice and snow. Our coldest months are Jan and Feb.

Mache and claytonia can be germinated in temps between 40-70 degrees. Swiss chard-"verde de Taglio" can handle temps at 15 degrees. It not to late for some of us. I'm still to hot in Texas to plant it.

10 Vegetables More Cold-Hardy than Kale

Zone 5  Western Pennsylvania.
I think I may have learned a few things about fall / winter gardening during the past 2 years.
Last year seeded broccoli, kohlrabi, romaine, as I would have in spring. Placed them in rolling stands that I was able to move into and out of the sun. They came up nicely because I was able to care for them daily.
However due to my tree rot infestation nothing did well before I elevated  all of my beds.



This season I by passed the preliminary and seeded directly into squares. It seems to me the plants needed an earlier beginning because their not doing well.
This morning we took a frost hit..sugar peas I think are done, I was under the impression they could take a frost...LOL...


Anyway, next fall I am planting early in cups, then going to try to gauge planting more suited to our  weather, however as in the past a heavy frost comes along, then warm for a good while.

Everything under my covered bed did nicely in 26 degree temps. All in all I like having a covered bed all season, maybe I''ll have another next year.

littlejo wrote:I like the chart, haven't read the article yet. I have not followed the article in the past, so have planted too much in the past! Jo

peas- these are planted in Jan. they will come up thru ice and snow. Our coldest months are Jan and Feb.

Littlejo - do you know what variety of peas you plant in Jan.  I am looking for a variety that can tolerate cold so I can plant them earlier so they can ripen before it gets too hot.  So far my best performer has been Alaska (English pea).

I usually plant whatever seed I have on hand. Snow peas, that's what the ones are called that you put in stir fry dishes, I planted the yellow podded ones one yr, didn't care for them. It's great to be eating peas while other folks are just planting!

jimmy, i like your cart/tray set up. easy to use.

has55 wrote:jimmy, i like your cart/tray set up. easy to use.

Very easy to use, I have wheels on them which allows movement in and out of the morning sun in summer. Rack cost $70.00, wheels $25. Same rack I use for spring seeding...just move it in and out of the basement.

jimmy cee wrote:Zone 5  Western Pennsylvania...
This season I by passed the preliminary and seeded directly into squares. It seems to me the plants needed an earlier beginning because their not doing well.


Anyway, next fall I am planting early in cups, then going to try to gauge planting more suited to our  weather, however as in the past a heavy frost comes along, then warm for a good while.

Jimmy, I start the greens in spring and they continue on into the winter. Maybe you could do that, too? Or do they bolt?

Still going, although the wind this time of year is blowing them like crazy...

CC

Jimmy,  of all the things in the world, electricity is the one thing I don't understand nor want to attempt.  You and some of the other folks on the Forum are so multi-talented.  My sophisticated set up Feb of 2014 when the lights were a little high.   
This is the PVC set up (but back when I only had one row of lights).

Scorpio Rising wrote:Yeah, me not so handy...esp. with electric things!  OK, so do you guys start everything from seeds like that?  Or just the stuff that loves heat (tomatoes, peppers, romaine, basil)  What do you direct sow?  I only did tomatoes, peppers, basil transplants, eveything else was direct sow seeds (squash, beans, carrots, Swiss chard, beets, potatoes, radishes).

Hi Scorpio
I'll start everyone of my warm weather seeds inside, sometimes late, sometimes early..if they don't succeed, I'll buy them at the nursery's.
Kohlrabi has become my favorite, mainly because I think it's an exotic plant just by it's formation.
Everything seems to do well though, I just try to think...if I was a young plant what would I want???.
Most of the times it works, sometimes though not.
I love experimenting with plants, however when they don't do well  and need to wait for the next season, that's the pits.
Seed books has lots of info, I enjoy reading, but fall asleep a lot when I do...
One thing I must say though, this SFG has put alot of spice into my life which I am very pleased with...