It Has Arrived!

martha 12/22/2011, 1:16 pm

No, not Johnny's seed catalog - that would be a miracle. But today is the winter solstice! Days start getting longer!

Very Happy

newstart 12/22/2011, 1:20 pm

I thought you got your Johnny's seed catalog

martha 12/22/2011, 1:33 pm

Et tu, Brute? Rub a little salt in the wound?

eta - Razz

**llama momma** 12/22/2011, 3:31 pm

Yaaay!!

Amanda, Ohio

Sunrise 7:49
Sunset 5:10

Good riddance to dark mornings.

Lavender Debs 12/22/2011, 4:49 pm

llama momma wrote:Good riddance to dark mornings.

Hang onto your head-lamp, there are a few more days of scraping ice in the dark.

The really good news is that today is THE FIRST DAY OF WINTER SOWING! Now if I can just get on top of this s'nasty flu long enough to get out into what seems to be a beautiful day to set out my containers.

Debs....8 hours and 22 minutes of day light in Everett, WA (Rise 7:56 Set 4:18)

ModernDayBetty 1/16/2012, 12:56 pm

I am starting to think about winter sowing, just found out there is still time! I'm excited to get started. I'm looking at wintersown.org and they show making mini greenhouses. I wonder if all that is really necessary with sfg? I'm wondering if I can just direct sow into a square and take a properly ventilated plastic bottle (like I did last spring when I planted to early on accident) and place it over the seeds after a good watering? Will it still do the same thing? or is the bottom necessary to properly create a greenhouse effect? Anyone try this? I'm think about experimenting with carrots, parsnips, and beans.

Lavender Debs 1/16/2012, 1:59 pm

ModernDayBetty wrote:I am starting to think about winter sowing, just found out there is still time! I'm excited to get started. I'm looking at wintersown.org and they show making mini greenhouses. I wonder if all that is really necessary with sfg? I'm wondering if I can just direct sow into a square and take a properly ventilated plastic bottle (like I did last spring when I planted to early on accident) and place it over the seeds after a good watering? Will it still do the same thing? or is the bottom necessary to properly create a greenhouse effect? Anyone try this? I'm think about experimenting with carrots, parsnips, and beans.

It was pointed out to me in another thread that this is not compatible with SFG (It was actually put more gently than that but bottom line was the same I think). Your idea of a good cloche right on the square sounds like it would work. You can try beans but when I do winter sowing I use seed that is a bit cranky about sprouting like parsley, snap dragons and medicinal herbs. I've successfully done it with artichokes too.

Bean seed isn'tvery expensive, give it a try but my experience has been that beans need warmer soil to not just rot in the ground. Bean seedlings also need heat to stay healthy. The worst that can happen is that you will need to replant. Carrots are on the encouraging side of maybe. Never tried parsnips.....best of luck to you!

Debs....who has started winter-sown trays as late as March.

1/16 (MLK Day) 8 hours, 51 minutes (Rise 7:53, Set 4:44)

boffer 1/16/2012, 2:04 pm

Lavender Debs wrote:...It was pointed out to me in another thread that this is not compatible with SFG...

LOL I was going to suggest that a hoop house on a SFG would accomplish the same thing! What am I missing?

Lavender Debs 1/16/2012, 2:08 pm

Hoop house = awesome.....if you have the stuff

ModernDayBetty 1/16/2012, 2:41 pm

I have the stuff for a wagon cover, but I didn't know if this would accomplish the same thing... confused. lol. I chose my veggies to try from this list Winter Sown Seed List Veggies I thought maybe other people have tried direct winter sowing in the sfg. I swear I hear chatter about it last year but couldn't find the posts I was looking for.

**Furbalsmom** 1/16/2012, 11:03 pm

Lavender Debs wrote:Hoop house = awesome.....if you have the stuff

LavenderDebs, I thought you had some covered wagon hoops or other relatively warm plastic covers over some of your SFG beds?

Ahha, I found it, you have "Rain Bonnets" which are pretty close to hoop houses or covered wagons, might just add some plastic to the ends.

BTW, love your Snowman, did you get much snow up in Everett? We had hail and snow this morning (about 1/3 inch), then a bit this afternoon, now the rain has washed it away.

Lavender Debs 1/17/2012, 2:39 am

I've always had more problem with rain than cold, I do not have a hoophouse mostly because I'm not a great with tools. Plastic sheeting and staple guns work for me. Winter sowing works for me because I wait to make my garden plan. I’m not sure in January where I want my parsley to live. I can plant my snapdragons and chamomile thickly in the “mini-greenhouse” putting individual plants where I want them in spring. I seldom plant the same family of food in the same place two years in a row so I use winter sowing. It is small time but so am I. Really it is less trouble than raising all those tomato plants.

Frosty was built by my cousin’s son and grandchildren. If I was so inclined, I have enough snow to make my own BUT it would not have been as cute.

Debs.....going out at 11:30 at night in my robe and garden clogs (in the snow) because I forgot to close the door on the chicken house.

janezee 1/17/2012, 4:32 am

Wow, Debs, here I am just across the water from you, and my grass is still green.

Jane, who had to get out of bed and check to make sure that was still true.

Lavender Debs 1/17/2012, 8:49 am

Good golly Jane, we kept hearing Whidbey got slammed, B-ham too, but no snow on the traffic cams in Bellingham. Weird. We really got just enough to justify making coco.

It Has Arrived! 40520110

Debs.....loco family

janezee 1/17/2012, 3:09 pm

Well, we're working hard on catching up now. It's coming down gangbusters now, and it's sticking, too. About 3" worth.

Well, I got up to take pictures of my garden in the snow, and it's stopped. It's lovely, because there's absolutely no wind.

Camera time! Later!...............

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