The theory behind winter sowing is that the seeds germinate at the time that is right for them and then they grow under some pretty unpredictable weather conditions. All of this results in so tough little plants - not a lot of pampering required for these seedlings. Most herbs do well with winter sowing and some other edibles, too. I have even winter sown tomatoes - the variety was Purple Cherokee Tomatoes and they were winter sown on March 9!

You basically plant the seeds in a container that allows sunlight to reach the seeds and some moisture to go in (which can be from rain or snow) and some moisture to flow out as well as allowing for air to reach the plants. It's sort of a mini-greenhouse and it allows you to recycle things like milk jugs or deli/bakery trays that you will use for the sowing. When the seedlings get large enough and the weather is cooperating, the plants are ready to put in the ground or in the type of container you use throughout the Spring and Summer.

So, here are the specifics.
Sign up by December 16.
I will match partners shortly after Dec. 16 and then you and your partner will exchange mailing information with each other through e-mail.
Mail your seeds by Jan. 10.
Along with your seeds, send a gardening thought, tip, or verse to wish your seed swapping pal a Happy New Year!

Post when you receive and then you can let us know what you will be winter sowing from your new seeds!
Seeds must be "edibles" - vegetables, fruits, edible herbs, etc.
Send either two new full packets of seeds or the comparable number from "not quite full" packets which can be things you harvested from your garden, received in trade, or used some of and no longer have the full packet. All seeds should be dated 2007 or 2008. ("Not full packets" might require you to send 4-6 packets in order to equal what what be in two new, full packets.)
I am keeping the required number of packets low because I think some people will be trying winter sowing for the first time and you may not want to plant 50 containers when you first try this. I admit, during the winter of 2007-2008, I planted over 100 containers (herbs, vegetables, flowers, and other types of plants.) It's sort of addicting and it allows you to get started on gardening way before traditional planting.

I pulled a few of the seeds named as appropriate for winter sowing from the Wintersown.org site to give you some ideas.

Vegetables

Allium family (onions, shallots, garlic, chives)
Beans
Beets
Brassica family (cabbage, broccoli, kale, collards, etc)
Carrots
Swiss Chards
Corn (select an "early" type as it can germinate at lower temps)
Curcubit family (cukes, squash, pumpkins, melons, gourds)
Lettuce
Nightshade family (eggplant, tomatoes, peppers)
Peas
Radishes
Spinach

Herbs

Chamomile
Fennel
English Lavender
Common Horehound
Lemon Balm
Mentha - Mint (Spearmint, Peppermint, etc.)
Bee Balm
Oregano
Salad Burnet
Thyme

I will be happy to answer questions as they come up so I hope you will want to join in and winter sow once again or for the first time!!!

Here are some of my winter sown "babies" from the winter of 2007-2008 to give you some incentive. Aren't they pretty?

Happy Holidays!
Jeanne

Love the milk jug idea!!! I use all kinds of things for seed starting, but never thought to use a milk jug like that! :)

Kamil

Thanks,
Joan

With all the work getting ready for the holidays I may not check in here every day, but know that I will be excited each time I see someone signed up!

Jeanne

Toni

Thanks,
Bonnie

Bonnie

Count me in, newbie here, although this will be my 2nd year winter sowing. I just want to do what I can to further the cause. It is an addiction, but a great one!

La Donna

Thanks,
Amanda

:)Fran

I haven't WS for 3 yrs and want to do some things this year.
Count me in!!

Andrea

Our list now includes:
ejmoore510
kamiljablo
southerncharm1
dirtdiggin
nighalttransplant
chitownladyd
carolynp
spookycharles
yotetrapper
plant_one_on_me
ncgardengirl
plantman50
andreaz6wv

Keep 'em coming!
Jeanne

I winter sowed for the first time last year. It was great fun. It was my best year ever with lettuces.

Thanks,

Nancy

Our list now includes:
ejmoore510
kamiljablo
southerncharm1
dirtdiggin
nighalttransplant
chitownladyd
carolynp
spookycharles
yotetrapper
plant_one_on_me
ncgardengirl
plantman50
andreaz6wv
jessew
bonechikchris
booberry 85
luvgardening2
lysa39
lindaruzicka ... and of course, me!
sandlapper_rose

The more the merrier! (And booberry85 is right. The people on the Winter Sowing Forum are friendly and fun and what I especially love is when the seeds start to sprout and we all post and are so excited and everyone gets excited right along with you!!!)

Jeanne

Thanks,
Joan

sandlapper_rose <---> carolynp
spookycharles <---> chitownladyd
southerncharm1 <---> plant_one_on_me
ejmoore510 <---> yotetrapper
luvgardening2 <---> plantman50
booberry 85 <---> bonechikchris
jessaw <---> kamiljablo
ncgardengirl <---> lysa39
andreaz6wv <---> lindaruzicka
dirtdiggin <---> nighalttransplant

Thanks for joining in on this fun swap!
Jeanne

December Participants:
Donna(Sunnyk)
Christy(Bonechickchris)
Joan(ejmoore) and
Becky(booberry)
Nancy(Luvgardening2)
Toni(dirtdiggin)
Kamil(kamiljablo)
Fran(ncgardengirl)

January Participants:
ejmoore510
kamiljablo
dirtdiggin
nighalttransplant
chitownladyd
carolynp
spookycharles
yotetrapper
plant_one_on_me
ncgardengirl
plantman50
andreaz6wv
jessew
bonechikchris
booberry 85
luvgardening2
lysa39
lindaruzicka
sandlapper_rose

Decembers Winner is KamilJablo!!! Congrats!!!
Decembers 2nd Winner is Becky/Booberry85!!! Congrats!!!

Januarys Winner is Spookycharles!!! Congrats!!!
Januarys 2nd Winner is highalttransplant!!! Congrats!!!

Please send me your mailing address through my email and I will have these sent out on Friday. Again, thank you all very much for participating!!! :)

Also, I just emailed my swap partner.

Nancy

Joan

I have emailed my partner, and checked out their want list. Now I just need to go through my seedbox!

Bonnie

Angela

Best Wishes to everyone for the New Year!

Sorry folks, we've been up to our ears in snow...snowed in, power out off and on and it's been crazy!!!!!

Happy Holidays All!

Joan

OK, I WILL sit and wait patiently for Lisa...I hope you are out enjoying the Holidays.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODYand HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE I HOPE EVERYONE ENJOYS THIS SEASON

:) Fran

I am still waiting to her from her, Jeanne, what happens IF I don't here from her? (sniff, sniff) Will I be out of a partner?

:) Fran

Hope everyone enjoyed/ is enjoying their holidays!

Kamil & Spookycharles I'm still needing your snail mail addys sent to me so I can get your prize packs sent out. :)

I'm still getting my partners (plant_one_on_me) seeds together. I should have it all together by the end of the week and possibly mailed off around then too. :)

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! :)

Please forgive my boneheadedness,
Bonnie

1) Once you wet the potting soil, it will compact, so either put in 4 or 5", or plan on adding more after you wet it.

2) I use colored electrical tape for labels. It comes in white, yellow, red, etc., and write with a Sharpie permanent marker. The lesson here is put in on the bottom of the container BEFORE you add the dirt and wet it down. Otherwise, it won't stick to the wet container.

3) This lesson may not apply to everyone, but where I live it is VERY windy in the spring. The first year, I lost a couple of containers, ended up chasing them around the backyard trying to scoop up the dirt and seeds, and put them back in the container, without much success. Then my neighbor that works in the restaurant business, gave me a few crates to put my containers in. Not only did it keep them from blowing around the yard, but it made it much easier in the spring to move anything frost tender (like basil, marigolds, tomatoes, etc.) into the garage if we had a late frost.

I hope those of you trying wintersowing for the first time have much success this year!!!

Bonnie

I'll get some tips together or something and post :)

Toni

Here is a little Native American saying.
>
> A Native American grandfather was talking to his grandson about how he felt.
>
> He said "I feel as if I have two wolves fighting in my heart.
>
> One is the vengeful, angry, violent one. The other is the loving, compassionate one".
> The grandson asked him, "Which wolf will win the fight in your heart?"
> The grandfather answered, "The one I feed."

"An addiction to gardening is not all bad when you consider all the other choices in life."-----Cora Lea Bell

Here are some of my favorite exerts on Gardening Wisdom from a gardening forum I visit:

1. I've re-learned that plant's do indeed require a great deal less water than the average tropical fish to survive
2. I've learned that if I wait on a spring frost, it's nearly too late to plant anything!
3. Gardening ain't pretty...
I'm pretty sure all the photos in those big glossy gardening books are made up.
4. That 5' 5 1/2" gardeners should not plant pole beans on the new 7' fence (this goes for 5’3" gardeners with 8’ poles too!)
5. Never lick a blister bug.
6. I have learned not to try to tell God how to fix something when I ask for His help.
He can handle it just fine without my tutorage.
7. I learned that you can never predict the conditions you're gonna have from year to year
8. I learned that when you create a new garden, no matter what your plans might be for the plot, you can't convince a cat that you haven't just expressly dug her the world's biggest litter box.
9. When there is a lot of rain, the weeds will grow at 3 times the rate of the vegetables.
10. Sometimes I am right and sometimes I am wrong, but no one wants to hear when I am right.
11. Do not plant 23 cherry tomato plants. Ever.
12. I learned that rabbit fences do not keep out deer. A crazy woman running up to the garden will. (This one was mine I posted)

We started using the Lasanga gardening method two seasons ago, but only got it really going this past year. We were able to plant a huge amount of vegetables in only a 10 x 25 section. Our garden was the talk of the island. There wasn't another gardener that was able to grow zucchini...but ours thrived!

I'm sure you all have your local weed pests as we do...but our goal was to make a nearly maintenance free garden. During the Summer months we have lots going on with our crafts and such, so I decided to find some black landscape fabric. Found a big roll that is nearly 250 feet by 4 feet wide. Instead of just planting into the soil, we placed the landscaping fabric ON TOP of the lasagna layers and pinned it down. We cut holes where each plant was to be planted and planted through the fabric. We had ZERO weed problems, the fabric warmed the soil and held in the moisture during the heat.

Hope it helps someone as it did us :)

1. Never start your garden at the end of Spring when you live in Florida.

2. Bugs are hungriest during the beginning of summer. (see#1)

3. Never start a fall garden in the fall, it's hurricane season...

4. Don't wear flip flops to weed in the rain... ;)

We had just finished planting our garden (first one where we live now) and had no fencing. Well we have quite the supply of the wild 4 legged neighbors. But they left the garden alone and one of our neighbor friends brought us some 6 foot fencing explaining what would happen if we didn't put it up.

After completing the installation of the fence, hubby cut a temporary gate or doorway in the fencing. I was out admiring my newly thriving tomatoes and squash, hot peppers, pole beans, sunflowers etc and decided to go in the house for a cup of coffee and didn't worry about the gate 'cause I would be right back outside.

About 15 minutes or so went by and I returned to admire the plants again...focused in on them and they were GONE!!!! I mean GONE!!! I looked across the street and here was a lovely young doe, looking at me and I sware she had a smile on her face. She ate everything down to stems, including the sunflowers and HOT peppers! Needless to say, our late start on the garden this past season became a few weeks later :)

I received my seeds from the drawing today. Thanks so much!

Becky

I am sooo excited!! I was at Smith and Hawkin's today and got a beautiful watering can(30% off). It was still WAY too much money, but I had to have it. I was there yesterday, but went back. Love that store :)
I also got a seed sower and the cutest garden giftset for my son for his birthday in a few months.

I plan on getting my seeds together for the swap and getting it mailed out Monday!!

Andrea

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU :)

Toni

Partners were assigned for this swap a couple weeks ago. However, there's still time to sign up for the Incredible Edible Tomato swap though! Also, the Sunny Side of Life swap and Cupid's Heirlooms swaps should be having sign ups soon. Hope you join us! We're a fun group to hang around.

Becky

Christy, your package went out in the mail today!

Can't wait to start wintersowing now! All I'm waiting on is for hubby to go back to work, and the kids to go back to school. I do let the kids do a couple of their own containers, but I really prefer to WS all by myself. If the kids help, I make careless mistakes, like mislabeling containers, and if DH is around, he is horrified that I am playing with dirt in the kitchen. Hopefully, by the end of next week I can get started.

Anyone already wintersowing?

Bonnie

~The IE busy body~
:)

Bean, 'Red Noodle'
Carrot, 'Jaune de Doubs Yellow'
Pepper, 'Quadrato Rosso D'Asti'
Tomato, 'Italian Market Wonder'
Tomato, 'Oxheart'

Awesome list, huh?
Thank you again, Toni (dirtdiggin)!!!
Bonnie

:) Fran

Scarlet runner beans
Lemon Bee Balm
Marjoram
Hyssop Blue
Echinacea
Italian Market Wonder Tomato
Opalka Tomato
Brads Black Heart Tomato
Cherokee Purple Tomato

:) Very pleased with these. Thanks so much Kim!!! :) Yours should be there in a few days.

Bonnie sent me an awesome batch of herbs and tomatoes and one extra that I've really been wanting, so here goes....

Mediterranean Oregano
Rosemary
Sweet Marjoram
Creeping Thyme
Opalka Tomato
Kelloggs Breakfast Tomato

And....

Black Snapdragons

I'm so excited to WS. Thank you SOOOO much! I LOVE Herbs!!!I'm so looking forward to having little sprouts spring from the ground...I have Spring Fever!!! It's been difficult to catch DH before he throws the milk jugs and juice bottles in the recycle bin, but I've succeeded. Gotta get them cut and ready, so I can WS. So is it safe yet to WS or should I wait a while...and how long if I need to wait? We're right in the midst of our coldest time, but we don't very often get down to freezing weather. We've had a pretty bad last few weeks with snow, which we NEVER (famous last words) get, but it's pretty much been a mild - medium frost.

We just received word yesterday that we have permission to put in a HUGE community garden and I have about 6 volunteers, so far, to help set it all up and maintain it. There is an area in amongst the deer infested...err inhabited island that has about a 15 foot high fence and probably 40' x 80' and was originally used for a community garden. Hasn't been used for years, so it will be a wonderful opportunity to sow the abundance of seeds that I've been acquiring and help to teach others as well as enable our friends and neighbors to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables. YEAH!!!! We'll finally have room for those gigantic Atlantic Pumpkins this year!!! Ohhh and all the hubbards I've collected seed for and other winter squash. I can't wait :)

I know I should first start the early spring crops, like lettuces, broccoli, cauli, herbs, chard, type veggies. Is it ever too early to start sowing or does it not matter? I am really itching to plant something!

I have this awesome container I found that used to hold bags of prezels from my mom, it is a big clear container, but it is like 2 or 3 gallons big and nice and tall! SO I am sure that will be a great container to start with!

BTW, Becky, your seeds are all packed up and ready to go! They will be going out in Monday's Mail! Christy

Joan

This is just an example, and I am making this all up, it is not a trial!

Ok, Lets say I am winter sowing a tomato. So I winter sow this in lets say, February, and it does not germinate until April. ok
So then I do a tomato the way I always do, started indoors, and I plant it the end of February, and of course that will germinate right away, end of Feb/ beggining of March.

Now the question, the tomato started inside starts earlier, while the winter sown tomato does not germinate until a month or more later than the indoor started one.
Yet, I know that the winter sown one will be a stronger, tougher than the tomato started indoors.

So, do they wind up catching up with each other? Or does the winter sown one, even thought it germinated later, winds up being the best tomato plant?

Hope that I made sence. I promise I will go and study more on WS instead of asking questions all the time! Christy

Joan

Are you ready?
Here's the list of seeds I received.

Four Seasons lettuce
Burpee's Looseleaf Lettuce Mix
Swiss Chard No ID
Bright Lights Swiss Chard
Flamingo Pick Swiss Chard
Fordhook Giant Swiss Chard
Red Russian Kale
Blue Dynasty Cabbage
Early Golden Acre Cabbage
Waltham29 Broccoli
Calabrese Broccoli
George's Favorite Blend Broccoli
Purple Sprouting Broccoli
Cauliflower Brocoverde
Purple of Sicily Cauliflower
Strawberry Spinach
Giant Noble Spinach
Bloomsdale Long Standing Spinach

I had mentioned to Christy that I was planning on stuffing Swiss Chard in any spare space I had in the garden this coming year. I really enjoyed growing it last year. I also wanted to try winter sowing spinach since I hadn't had much luck growing it the "regular" way. DH also loves broccoli!

Thanks so much Christy! You outdid yourself again!

Nice haul!

Bonnie

Booberry85, I love the motto you created! LOL

Christy, as for the question about the winter sown plant and the one started inside (and I knew exactly what you were asking), from what I have read the winter sown plant will catch up with the one from inside. My problem has always been that the one inside does not survive. Either the move to outdoors or being too wet or some fungus disease or something does it in first. Even if the plant made it, it was always very legggy! I love winter sowing because I don't have to face any of those issues. However, I know that some people have good luck starting seeds indoors; I just never did.

Anyway, here is what I have checked off in terms of people having received seeds. If I missed you, let me know.

sandlapper_rose <---> carolynp
Both have received.

spookycharles <---> chitownladyd

southerncharm1 <---> plant_one_on_me
southerncharm1 has received.

ejmoore510 <---> yotetrapper

luvgardening2 <---> plantman50

booberry 85 <---> bonechikchris
booberry85 has received.

jessaw <---> kamiljablo
kamiljablo has received.

ncgardengirl <---> lysa39
(Have you two been able to get in touch?)

andreaz6wv <---> lindaruzicka

dirtdiggin <---> highalttransplant
Both have received.

Jeanne

I wish she had a way to let someone know she is ok. Concerned at this point about her, it has been a while since she posted anywhere.

Hey all!!!
:) Fran

Salad Greens
Great Lakes Lettuce
Tomato~ Delicious
Dill
Holy Basil
Asparagus
Cowpeas

I have my containers filled and I plan on sowing them today. Thanks again! The package smelled heavenly. I think it was the dill seeds. YUM!

Nancy

Kamil
Ps: I got:
Lettuce Prizehead
Heirloom Cantalope
Chives
Dill

Thanks!

I got from BEcky an Awesome Loot!

Purple Beauty Peppers
Chocolate Peppers
White Malabar Spinach
Green Goliah Broccoli
Little MArvel Peas
Cilantro
Early White and Purple Kohlrabi Mix
Purple Tomatillo
Endive
Space Master Cukes
Oregano
Calendula
Grananda Lettuce
HillBilly Tomato
PoonKeera Cukes
a bunny for my lakeside critter collection
a notepad, some cider mixes, an d plant labels!

I hope I did not miss anything! Thanks again Becky for being the perfect enabler for my addiction! hehe! Christy

Linda sent a beautiful poem she wrote with the seeds. I hate to say I didn't get yours out until today. Sorry...

Happy Wintersowing Everyone!
Andrea

spookycharles where are you? Ready to trade. I will try to get in touch so that we can get the goodies out by the deadline.

La Donna

jessew

spookycharles <---> chitownladyd

southerncharm1 <---> plant_one_on_me
southerncharm1 has received.

ejmoore510 <---> yotetrapper

luvgardening2 <---> plantman50
Both have received.

booberry 85 <---> bonechikchris
Both have received.

jessaw <---> kamiljablo
Both have received.

ncgardengirl <---> lysa39
As far as I know, no word from lysa39. I have offered to trade with Fran if she wants to trade. If not, that is okay, too. It is up to her.

andreaz6wv <---> lindaruzicka
andreaz6wv has received.

If you have received but have not posted, please let us know so the list will be correct.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Jeanne

Joan

:) Fran

Just checking in to see what's going on. Linda, I hope you get my stuff today. I seen that Joan posted a DC # and I didn't do that.. I sent it out Thursday.

Take care,
Andrea

Linda, you're lucky! We got about 6 inches of snow today, and the low tonight is minus 14 actual temp. Tomorrow's HIGH is only negative 2. And no, I dont like in Alaska or Minnesota, I'm way down here in west central Illinois.

brrrrr.

-15 isn't a temperature! It's how much weight you lose on a diet! Just to add insult to injury, we're suppose to get more snow. We've had around 100 inches so far this season.

I am thinking it may be two weeks before I see any sprouts. Finally cold weather is arriving. We had a very warm December.

Jeanne

I received:
courgette zucchini, summer ball
piccolo di parigi, gherkin
purple top turnip
sweet corn, early and often
turnip, seven top
beet, cylindra
swiss chard
rutger's tomato
cucumber, sumter
sweet corn, sugar dots

Jordan and I planted some of the turnips and beets to eat as fresh greens now and some more were winter sowed for spring. Thanks again Kathy, Kim

Anyway, thank you so much, Kathy! I was expecting A packet of seeds, so was very surprised. They are all things that I haven't tried before, so I'm excited about them.

Thanks again!
Bonnie

I got my mix sopping wet so I am gonna let it dry out a while before using it because I am gonna do some sowing inside before transfering them outside and I don't want to get water all over the house/floor.

:) Fran

Thanks so much Joan, and I'll be sending out your second package on Tuesday.

Jeanne, this was an awesome swap! Thank you so very much for hosting it and all the helpful info on Winter Sowing!!! :D