Well, I'm not exactly that close to any of the lakes, but I'm in Southfield, MI, just north/west of Detroit. This will be my 3rd year WS'g.

Harriet

Here in Canada, in our -30 degree weather, I am just about to start....only a few more days until winter solstice. Actually, if I don't get around to it for a few days after, it is no big deal. However, this will be my 3rd year as well. It works GREAT. This year, I will be planting less however, as I am really running out of room in my perennial gardens. I also raise brugmansia and figs and elephant ears and ... other tropicals. However, this is a relatively new property for me, and the best way to get a good garden at a reasonable price was via WS.

Go for it. You'll love it. My containers are ready to be planted. Are yours?

Yep, they're ready. I inspected them and started taping and cutting at them a few weeks ago. I don't poke holes until I'm actually filling with dirt and planting the seeds, just in case I decide to use the container for something other than WS.
I WS 5 containers this past week and another 6 last night (once I stopped stressing. I was a little nervous with the temps they said we were going to be getting overnight).
I realized last night I'm running out of room on the shelves I prepared, so I'll probably start putting them in another area where they won't be disturbed. "Just plop them on top of the snow", as Trudi told me.
I'm really excited about it. This WS is wonderful!

Winter sowing, stratifying, whatever. I'll probably start a few things in early February. I prefer not to have small containers out exposed to the worst of winter winds and temps (I might chance it if I were ambitious enough to build a proper cold frame), and I've found the eight weeks or so of late winter cold are enough for most things that need it. For things that don't strictly need stratification, I still prefer to start seeds inside, under the lights. I'm within blocks of our great lake (Michigan), so I do get spotted a few extra degrees in the worst of winter, but I'm still perfectly happy to be cautious.

I am in Sanilac County, south eastern MI, 5 miles in from Lake Huron. This is my 3rd year wsing. Did 354 containers last year with goal of 500 this year. Had fantastic results! I start perennials in mid Jan. and annuals mid Feb. and March. Had sprouts by April 4th. I have a portable Grohause greenhouse I set up in April and move sprouts inside. It stays at least 10* warmer inside even unheated. It protects sprouts from wind and pounding rains. After I have done plantings, I just take it down and store again. I do wish I could find another wser in area. I have taught this to our Garden Club members, but they don't seen too interested. Oh well, maybe this winter......

April

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:431049}}

South Central Michigan here...it will be my third year too!
Although I'm really getting a late start. I've usually got alot of seeds planted by now. Ah well I guess better late than never that's for sure. I also plant in the house under lights and enjoy that too. Here's to a wonderful fruitful gardening new year to all the WS.

South west Michigan here! This will be my first year winter sowing and I am very excited about it. I am up to 7 containers so far. I am just going to take it slow and hopefully catch and mistakes (like containers blowing away) along the way. Good luck to everyone!

April (the other April LOL)

Hi all you WSer's...am near Kingston, Ontario here. This will be my 3rd year of winter sowing. First year wasn't too well done - not enough dirt in containers. Last year was much better so am excited about doing more this year. Isn't it wonderful not only to be thinking about gardening right now, but actually doing something about it? Good luck to all of you.

In case ya'll are not familiar with what they are talking about, it's a fabulous new technique (so I read. I'm still a newbie at WS.) I'm going to try my first this year. Also started saving some flower seeds from plants I've not saved seed from before. Petunias and geraniums (pelargoniums.) I hope they aren't sterile. Shouldn't be, but they were hybrid.

Here is a link that might be useful: winter sowing forum

This will be my first year. I'm in northeast Michigan. 50 miles southwest of Alpena, 50 miles east of Gaylord and about 50 miles northeast of Westbranch. I'm ready to go too. I'm glad it's alright to just "plop them in the snow", I wasn't sure if I read that Trudi had said that, or I just wanted it to be. Thanks for the reminder. I think I'll start out with mostly annuals this year. Em

HI, I'm a couple miles from Lake Erie in SE Michigan. This will be my 3rd year WS'ing. Mixed results the first year, better last year. More soil, deeper containers, hardier flowers all worked better for me.

I still grow under lights also. Just love doing both because you can get some earlier blooms and grow MORE!

One year I had the Girl Scouts do WS'ing for a Community Project with wild flowers for a park. It worked well!

Hi! I'm about 9 miles from Lake Michigan, (south-west Michigan) & this we be my 2nd year wsing. There is no other way to sow seeds IMHO.

Few miles from Lake Erie and have had wonderful results from winter sowing...I'll do my perennials now and wait on the annuals...those will get done in March, April and May...I had a full garden last year without buying a plant from the local nurseries.

I'm getting ready to try it for the first time...several of you have mentioned plans to use deeper soil. I have collected a number of covered carry out food containers ...are they going to be too shallow? What problems should I look for. I have used them before and I do have to transplant while they are still small. My other options are milk jugs and 2 liter pop containers.

stargazer5b- It's nice to see someone from Kingston, Ont. Now that I've moved further east in NYS, it's where I make my trips to Canada rather than Niagara Falls, Toronto, or Kitchener.
cantstopgardening :
I'm not sure that pergolariums can be WS'ed. Don't they need warm temps in order to germinate (like Impatiens Wallerina?)

Getting a slow start on my 4th season of WS'n. I live just north of Detroit, but I also WS in Lupton (Ogemaw County northwest of West Branch).

Hi Emily4 - we must be near each other!

April - 500!!?! What an undertaking! I did about 250 last year, I was hoping to hold it under 200 this year - but that's not going to happen.

Hi you all! I'm from western Mich. just above Tansy. I have never been in this forum as of yet, any free time i get it's usually spent in the WS forum. This will be my second year of WSing I did about 200 containers last year, mostly perennials and had around a 90% germination rate. The grow lights have been taken down for good, and no more babysitting the little buggers.

This is my third year WS her in south central Michigan and I enjoy it more each year.

Irmgarrd,
The food containers will work. But with less soil they dry out faster. Also, I get a little lazy and so I can let my plants sit in their containers a little longer before planting if there is deeper soil.
I use only the 2 liter pop bottles (just hate losing the deposit though), milk jugs, and this year at work we have a new instrument that uses 3 gallon clear plastic jugs. It just contains a buffer, so nothing to really hurt the plant. I just wash it out well. Look around, you never know what you will find.

You can also use the clear plastic juice containers. They work well, just a little harder to cut.

tma

Could someone give me some details on what exactly "winter sowing" is? For instance, is it a technique for starting annuals earlier (so they aren't just starting to bloom in September?) I'd like to know more about it since I have lots of seeds I collected last summer.

Also, lblack61, where exactly are you located? I live about 3 miles directly east of Lake Ontario in Jefferson County (NY) in a little town called Ellisburg.

Hey, you're not that far from me :-) I'm in Oswego County
WSing is sowing seeds in plastic containers with holes on the bottom for drainage and holes on the top for transpiration. We use empty milk jugs, take-out containers and more to plant the seeds so it is economical. It can also be as elaborate as you want to make it, but I'm a simple soul and have used recyclables.
So far, I have 62+24 containers with just about as many varieties of flowers and herbs.
This is my first year, but I was impressed with the successes of people on the Upstate NY forum. So I went for it!

Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Sowing

So you sow them inside? If so, isn't it too early? I've tried to start annuals inside as late as the end of March but still have trouble with getting them outside before it finally warms up--usually they get too leggy or they shrivel up and die. Do you have to use special grow lights or anything special?

I used to live in Pulaski and worked at Nine Mile Point near Oswego until last year. Have you ever gone to the garden center in SW Oswego on Route 104 (can't remember the name)--they had a good selection of different perennials, I try to make one trip there every spring/summer.

You sow them OUTSIDE, and the snow cover (understatement) they get in Oswego Cty is actually a plus!
WS allows you to skip the "hardening off" process because they are already adjusted to cooler temps.
You don't need grow lights.
I'm starting most of my annuals for WSing in March.
After watching the tansies (that I tried to start indoors to get a head start on blooming) shrivel up and die from damping off, with one survivor hanging on for dear life, I'm REALLY looking forward to my WS plants. (I also WS'ed tansies just in case).

You must mean, Ontario Orchards...I love that place. I bought some Silver Mound there last year that is really beautiful.
Have you checked out their cream-cheese filled muffins??? Awesome :-)

Ok, so I looked on the WS Forum FAQs and think I finally have this figured out. My only question is: How do you remember where you put your containers once you get 2-3 feet of snow on top of them?

I also saw the list of plants you have already started, so I may try some of the same ones.

Yes, Ontario Orchards is the place...must be getting senile not to remember a name that simple. If you get a chance to buy something there, try a plant called "Nautica" or "Nautia" -- I bought one there a few years ago (dark red flowers) and it blooms from May until November--fabulous plant for the $$.

Last week I went out to add a few containers to my collection and they were gone! Well, not gone, but I sure couldn't see them under all the snow. I ended up walking to where I thought they should be and started digging down until I found one of the pallets I have out to put the containers on. I just dug spots for the new containers, plopped them down and covered them back up...It will look like a disorganized mess come spring, but hopefully a green sprouted mess!

I am winter sowing for the first time this year and have been putting out several containers on the patio since last month. Right now they all are under the snow. Planted a lot of flowers and chinese broccoli seeds. It is a lot of fun. :-D

I am new at this idea. How many seeds do you plant per container. AND,for replanting in Spring, do you "pull" apart each plant and then replant into ground?

lakelady,

Check the FAQ on the Winter Sowing forum. You'll get all the answers there. Read the threads too. They are very informative.

Lakelady,
I'm pretty heavy-handed when I do seeds, but I also keep in mind the size of the container and how long I plan on keeping it in the container before putting the seedlings in the ground.
I throw the whole packet of seeds in one container, particularly if the container is a milk jug. But when I did my peas, I used one of those upright root-trainer containers I had left over from an order of plants last year. I put three or four seeds in each planter spot.

Nnygardener,

Just FYI, the name of the plant is Knautia Macedonia, and it is indeed a wonderful plant! I have a few! April

This is my first year for WSing and I am very excited also!
I have friends in Michigsn who have WS for 5 years and sware it's the easiest way to start your garden.
I also have over 100 plants started indoors and am going to start another 100 soon.I make the paper pots to transplant them in when they get to big for the starter flats.That way they will be ready to put in the garden when spring gets here. If it ever does! LOL

My WS flats have been buried under snow since Jan'05, I couldn't stand it anymore and dug everything up this morning so I can at least see the flats (my husband thinks I'm crazy). Anyone else sick of waiting for Spring?