Cover the seeds with the proper amount of prepared mix, taking care not to cover them too deeply. Plastic cell-packs and 2- to 4-inch plastic pots, recycled from nursery purchases, are easy to obtain and use. Get fresh recipes, wine pairings, weekend getaway ideas, regional gardening tips, home design inspiration, and more. If you are the DIY type, you might want to grow seedlings in yogurt cups, milk cartons or paper cups. Plastic flats with no dividers are an old favorite. But they offer a small pot that is about a quart in capacity, and not as expensive. Many plants are best raised from seed sown in containers. Keep them moist (so roots can penetrate them easily). They’re readily available from garden supply stores and mail-order catalogs, and free when you buy seedlings at nurseries. The phrase "winter sowing" is attributed to Trudi Davidoff, a resourceful gardener who had more seeds than indoor space. These include slow-growing perennials, plants with expensive or very fine seed, and warm-season vegetables and annuals that you want to start when the garden soil is still too cold and wet for in-ground planting. Starting your seeds at staggered times will give you a longer season growing season. Planting seeds in pots can be a great way to start a houseplant or indoor garden, or otherwise start seeds that you may later transplant into your garden. Some growers in warmer climates will complete this step outdoors. You can start seeds in almost any type of container, as long as it's at least 2-3" deep and has some drainage holes. Keep the vents small, to begin with, and widen them as the weather warms in spring. Before getting started, collect your equipment: Follow these steps to create your mini-greenhouses: Marie Iannotti is an author, photographer, and speaker with 27 years of experience as a Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticulture Educator and Master Gardener, The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. As soon as you see green leaves arching out of the soil, uncover the containers and move them into bright light (but not direct sunlight): without adequate light, the seedlings will quickly become spindly and weak. If using a potting mix, make sure it has no fertilizer which can burn the seedlings. Seeds of tropical and tender plants will die in the cold. Ms. Davidoff sows seeds in covered containers (she used take-out containers with foil bottoms and plastic tops) and then moves the containers outdoors. By the time the soil in the planting beds has warmed, the seedlings are ready to transplant out. However, it will save you the time and effort of transplanting. Convenience, cost, and reusability will determine which containers you use. You can make it even easier by simply winter sowing your parsley seed. I prefer the convenience of trays that are made especially for seed starting. SUNSET is a registered trademark The seed packet information will help you decide when to plant; most annual flowers and vegetables should be sown 4 to 8 weeks before it’s time to transplant them to the garden. Direct sowing will not give you as much of a head start as sowing in containers because the soil in the ground will not warm up as fast as the soil in the plastic container. This is called stratification. This may all sound like common sense, but we can thank Ms. Davidoff for reminding us and calling it to our attention. It usually takes about 3 to 7 days to sprout a seed. You may have tried it yourself, in the vegetable garden, sowing spinach and corn salad (mache) in the late fall for harvesting soon after the snow melts. Ms. Davidoff sows seeds in covered containers (she used take-out containers with foil bottoms and plastic tops) and then moves the containers outdoors. Add Some Fertilizer to the Plants. If the seeds need light to germinate (this will be noted on the packet), gently press them into the potting mix, but do not cover them with more mix. If you’re using containers with individual cells, plant two seeds per cell. By using The Spruce, you accept our, Common Mistakes Made While Growing Seeds Indoors, Stratification and Scarification of Seeds, Seeds that Need Light for Good Germination, Vegetables, Herbs, and Flowers to Plant in January, How to Direct Sow Seeds in Your Garden Successfully. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. Winter Sowing is using plastic milk jugs or other plastic containers, and using them as mini-greenhouses outside in the middle of winter, to sow your seeds. Planting seeds this way is called direct sowing, and it's an easy process that yields great results. Choose seeds that are hardy. There are seeds that need to experience cold, damp conditions either because they have hard shells that are softened by the freezing and thawing or because they are triggered by the change in temperature to sprout. Your little helpers will love this seed starter pot idea! Germination: Germinate and grow your seeds indoors. You can either direct seed or start seed in containers to be transplanted later. To prevent later confusion, label each container with the plant name and sowing date. Recycle plastic yogurt containers into seed starter pots austinvegangardener.blogspot.com. It’s easier to provide plants in containers with the warm temperatures and bright light they need for quick growth, and easier to protect them from insects and birds as well. To avoid disturbing the seeds (and, after germination, the roots), spray with a fine mist. Starting crops from seed is a satisfying and economical way to grow your own plants, flowers, and veggies. Kid Approved! | Updated February 8, 2019. If you won’t be around to water daily or don’t plan to transplant seedlings into another container before planting them out, use 2- to 4-inch-diameter containers or flats with individual cells. Here’s our getting-started guide. The reason for this is to simulate stratification. Use either a soilless seed starting mix or an potting mix that has been sifted to remove any large chunks of bark, twigs or rocks and has been amended with perlite, vermiculite or, ideally, sphagnum moss. But because you plant out seedlings pot and all, such pots minimize disturbance to roots. Fill each container to within 1/2 inch of the rim with the damp mix, firming it gently with your fingers, a block of wood, or the base of a jar. Another option is to tuck seeds directly into soil outdoors. Start over with clean containers and sterile seed-starting mix. The containers act as mini greenhouses, allowing the seeds to experience the chill of winter in a controlled environment. Sow more seeds than you think you'll need. Place the containers in a warm spot. You’ll have to carefully cut the container … They come in several cell sizes; some have capillary matting that draws water from a reservoir, making seedling care much easier. Expect to lose a few, but be warned that winter sowing is addictive. Germination rates will be lower than if grown in ideal conditions. I prefer the convenience of trays that are made especially for seed starting…
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