Topic: Winter sowing in containers kept outside

[GrannieAnnie]

http://www.wintersown.org/wseo1/How_to_Winter_Sow.html

An article describing how to do it without lights.
http://www.wintersown.org/wseo1/How_to_Winter_Sow.html

[1066]

Interesting idea

I was looking at the list she grows -
Allium family (onions, shallots, garlic, chives)
Artichokes (zone seven and warmer)
Beans
Beets
Brassica family (cabbage, broccoli, kale, collards, etc)
Carrots
Celery
Celeriac
Chards
Corn (select an "early" type as it can germinate at lower temps)
Curcubit family (cukes, squash, pumpkins, melons, gourds)
Herbs (edible and ornamental)
Leafy Greens
Lettuces
Nightshade family (eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes - from real seeds....not "seed potatoes" ;-)
Oriental veggies (any)
Parsnip
Peas
Radishes
Spinach

And that is fairly comprehensive, but I would have thought some of the seeds would rot - like the cucurbits? I'm also wondering whereabouts she gardens? Oh and specific varieties?
Maybe I should continue reading.......
1066  :)

[Jeannine]

I don't see the point to this at all, she is not growing in the winter she is just sowing, the seeds won't grow till the Spring and some will rot before then. If she waited till the Spring and then sowed I don't think she would be any further behind.Wether she does is before or after the right time the results will be the same ..  She will still have the problem of low light when they pop.

XX Jeannine

[GrannieAnnie]

I think she means the seeds are going to go through their natural cycle of prechilling and are going to germinate
at their own proper time. Just like some beans and lettuce seeds and tomatoes will germinate as volunteers the next season and have not rotted in the wet ground for some reason.  But in her method
they're acclimated a bit earlier because of the plastic protection.
 I personally would start tomatoes earlier indoors but could see it working for lettuce etc.

I haven't tried her method of Fall sowing but am going to try it with some delphinium seed.
In a slightly different mode, after failing repeatedly with poppies sown directly in the ground,
one year they germinated beautifully for me when seeded very early Spring into a pot covered with plastic wrap which had holes punched in it and was placed outside where it was subjected to cold and heat and whatever rain dripped in. Ever since then, that's how I grow poppies and they've been fine.

[Jeannine]

Oh well then go for it. I know diddly about flowers so she might be right. With the other I just don't get what there is to gain..I must be missing something i think ;DXX Jeannine

[GrannieAnnie]

Oh well then go for it. I know diddly about flowers so she might be right. With the other I just don't get what there is to gain..I must be missing something i think ;DXX Jeannine

Jeannine, I'm agreeing with you though that some things seem to do fine directly sown like beans, lettuce, squash...