Stewarding Stockbridge, MI

~How to Winter Sow~

Our seeds for the Pollinator Plot Project were winter sown in late February/early March of this year. Many native seeds (and even some garden flowers such as poppies) need a period of cold called stratification to germinate. An easy way to make sure that the seeds get the cold they need, while still being contained so that you can easily transplant them when the seedlings are big enough is to winter sow them in containers.

Winter sowing can be used for starting any vegetable or flower seed, but it is ideal for seeds that need that period of cold to germinate.

You can use any clear plastic container with a top that can easily be removed. The classic thing to use is clear plastic milk jugs. My photo below shows 5 gallon fry oil jugs. the process for using milk jugs is the same.

I cut the jugs in half, and poke holes in the bottom. I then put a layer of twigs, leaves, bark (any rough matter that will decompose) in the bottom for drainage, then a layer of little finer rough matter, then fill with potting soil.

Scatter seeds on top of soil then cover to the recommended depth for that plant (some seeds do require light to germinate and shouldn't be covered). Put the cut off top back on. You want to make sure that rain and snow can get into the container, so if it doesn't have an opening on the top (like milk jugs and these oil jugs do) poke some holes in the top of the container. A lot of winter sowing directions will have you tape the jugs shut around where they were cut, but I have never done this and try to avoid any situations where I am buying/using unnecessary plastic in my garden.

Put them in a protected place where they can get rain and snow and wait for germination.

Basically what you are creating is a mini greenhouse. The seeds will get warmth and moisture and will sprout as the weather warms up and give you a head start on the growing season without the fuss of starting seeds inside. I've winter sowed the majority of my garden vegetables and flower for the past twenty years.

--Kateri

Welcome to Stewarding Stockbridge, MI's page. While I am sure many things will eventually be shared here, right now the focus on this page is giving people a place to follow along with our Pollinator Plot Project. In these jugs are hundreds (maybe even thousands?) of tiny native wild flower seedlings that will grow up to planted in many gardens and yards around Stockbridge MI. The goal with these plants to to help create a world where our native, bees, butterflies, wasps, moths, and other pollinators can multiple and thrive.

So like this page and follow along with us as we grow plants to save nature, one tiny seed, one little plant, one bee, on butterfly at a time.