Winter Sowing, Gardening in January

Its winter , Its cold and dark outside , not what you would call good growing weather !! Despite that I always seem to get an itch to get out there and do something ... which due to living in Canada , is usually impossible !   That was until last year , when i discovered winter sowing :))  Such a wonderful, simple way to get your hands in the dirt again , planting seeds ...  

 Winter Sowing Chili Peppers, Basil & Zucchini to start// mostly b/c that was what I had on hand , and I could only scavenge 3 containers this week :)) More to follow ! 


Garden Tip :I highly recommend keeping a garden journal , point form is just fine , it will come in handy , and once you have a few years in the book , a very handy reference esp. if your like me and like to try experiments and tend to forget where or what they were ! Hahaha 

Required :
Good Quality , or Organic Potting Soil
Clean plastic jugs , 2L to 4L sizes , Gallon milk jugs seems to work best
Seeds , organic or heirlium
Sharp Scissors or Knife
Duct Tape
Permenant Marker

 

Simply cut the jug , about 4 iches from the bottom .. almost all the way around , leaving a short side as a hinge ...   fill with soil to just below the cut . 

 

The seeds will need to breathe ...  so a few slashes or cuts around the top are required . ( 6 to 8 seems to be fine )  Also.. use that marker !  If you have more than a few jugs it will be near impossible to keep them all straight without labels! 

 

Pop your seeds in ... I over seed slightly , with the expectation of thinning them out come spring .   If your soil is really dry , you will want to add a little water at this point .. not soaked , damp is good enough .  

 

Duct Tape to the rescue ...   Tape up the cut, all the way round.  Bring your jugs outside ...  somewhere away from dogs if you have them , or they will become pee magnets !  No further coverings are required , if it snows , just leave them be ... no worries at all :)

It is really that simple ... come spring as the weather warms up , mother nature will do her thing ... the seeds will sprout , and the plastic container will act as a mini greenhouse giving your plants the much need protection during the delicate phase ... 

I do hope this helps you get a jump start on spring ... I will be following up with at least two more posts :))

Peace, Love & Happy Gardening

Rich