Isamae, I'm not familiar with the Burpee growing system, but I start most of my vegetables and flowers from seed every year. My seed starting is pretty low tec. The seed packets will give you the most pertinent information for whatever you are trying to grow. Such as how deep you need to plant the seed, or if you need to surface sow, alot of the packets will give you germination temps, and how much light the seed needs to germinate. Some will also tell you how long the seed takes to germinate. Every plant is different.
Mostly all you need is a warm place, a good seed starting mix, and a place to grow them after they've sprouted, ie a sunny window, or grow lights. Good luck,
Colleen

Hi Colleen, thanks for your info. I will just try again Isamae

Isamae,

I live in a mobil home in the Thumb of MI. I don't have much room to start seeds indoors and never had much luck with the ones I did try. Four years ago I found the Winter Sowing forum on here and have been starting hundreds of containers OUTDOORS starting in January! I usually have sprouts by the first week of April and they are so very healthy, no damp-off or leggy plants. Here are a couple pics of my containers outdoors and my UNHEATED greenhouse I set up in April to protect sprouts from the winds and pounding spring rain. The method is amazing and you will never try indoors again!

April

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Wow! what is that forum exactly? Is it on this gardenweb site? That looks like something I should try. Thanks for sharing! Isamae

Here's the link for you Isamae. You might want to try it - it's cheap and easy and what have you got to lose?

Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Sowing

Wow April,
Your plants look great. I have never WS before so these will sound like newb questions, but here goes. Can you start annual vegetables and flowers this way also ? If so, could you give us a list of what you have started successfully ? Are warm weather plants also able to be WS ? Are you using 16 oz pop bottles and sowing one variety per ? I will go check again on the WS forum but I have not seen specific type plant info there when I checked previousley, that is why I asked.

I start my perennials in late January, hardy annuals Feb. and start my annuals and veggies late March and early April. The only seeds I do indoors are coleus, as they don't do well here winter sowing. If you go to the winter sowing forum, there is a FAQ (frequently asked questions) link with alot of help. Also, wintersown.org is the educational website that Trudi Davidorff has started, it's excellent.

I use any container I can that is clear or semi clear, 2 liter pop, milk jugs, single water bottles. For margarine tubs I cut out center of lid, saving ring and cover with plastic, replace ring and poke holes in plastic for rain to get in and air. You do not need to run out and buy containers to ws in, most anything will work if you can have at least 3-4 inches of potting mix in it. it's a great way to recycle to get just one more use from trash.

Feel free to email me if I can help again.

April

Thank you April,

I will try some seeds this weekend. I found the FAQ section of the Winter Sowing section of GW.

tyvm for sharing