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Useful variations of winter sowing | Part 2 - Modifications and hacks to try

Joyful Farmer

39,666 views

This is Part 2 in the Winter Sowing series. It covers a range of variations and adaptations of the classic Winter Sowing method. (Disclosure: if you use these modifications, you are NO LONGER WINTER SOWING the classic way). These modifications are hacks that could help you to grow more plants and alter the timeline of your growing to better suit your purposes. I recommend these adaptations to growers with some experience growing in their zone/current location. Experiments can help you push the boundaries of what you know as a grower, and you never know...they may pay off!

If you have never Winter Sown the CLASSIC way, I highly recommend you try the method to keep it simple and easy for you as a beginner. Winter sowing is my favorite method of sowing seeds - it is low cost, easy to start, and easy to maintain. It uses your climate (wherever you are!) and Mother Nature does the grunt work so that you grow hardy plants for your garden.

Part 1 is a comprehensive guide to the CLASSIC method of Winter Sowing as created by Trudy Geissle Davidoff. Join me as I walk you through winter sowing containers, soil needs, seed selection and spacing, timing tips container setup and placement, and troubleshooting tips for the process. What seeds will YOU start in December?

Part 1 video link: Starter guide to easy, low cost winter sow...

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20 Comments

@heartshape7 6 months ago

Great video. Right away I loved that you attributed the person responsible for bringing this method to attention in these decades…. Instantly trusted you.

@lesliebehrens7252 1 year ago (edited)

I’m watching this for about the 6th time today because I’m mulling over starting a few things this way. I just realized another benefit! For a very small garden (mine) I can have these going while they are waiting for bed space! Yay🤩

@Cici1791 1 year ago (edited)

This is the best winter sowing video I've ever seen and answered a lot of questions about things I thought I was going to have to experiment with. Thanks for saving me so much time!

@Del2044 6 months ago

Wow, you anticipated every single idea I had about breaking "the rules" - thank you so much! You've answered ALL of my questions

@prunechat8401 3 weeks ago

Really enjoyed the 2 videos on winter sowing. I’m in England and came across winter sowing just too late to properly try it for this last year. I have collected a few 2 litre milk containers during the year and these are now prepared and ready to use. I have delphinium seeds collected from our own plants which I’m hoping to germinate this way. I’ve also collected seeds from 4 o’clock plants so may try those as well. I have a (too) large box of bought seeds so will go through those to see what might benefit from a mid-winter start. Winters can be very cold here but more often the weather hovers around 5c with a lot of rain. Many thanks for the well explained advice set out in your videos.

@dmat7148 1 year ago

Great tip for drainage/venting holes on the containers and 2 seeds per soil block…simple but very effective strategies!

@CaliKim29 1 year ago

My goodness, TONS of great info here!!! TY! CaliKim

@albertmo1722 1 year ago

Hi Kendall, I totally agree with you on the issues of overcrowding and the pain in seperating baby plants (2:38)! 🙂 Best, Albert, SF, CA

@garryrepp5505 6 months ago

I have tried winter sowing this year in trays inside a unheated greenhousr. They are starting to sprout. I planted cold weather crops, lettuce, spinach carrots. Radish, and onions. I am in one 6a or b depending on the year. It seems to be working well. Thanks for the informative video. 😀

@bluesky7226 8 months ago

Kitty is adorable. Thanks for the run down. I've used salad tubs from the grocery store to start some seeds. Zone 5. Let them out all the time.

@sherriecastles4895 1 year ago

Great information!! I am SO ready to begin planting! So thank you for giving me the courage to try something new!!! BTW your part 1 video is superb! I have joy just watching you! ❤

@CindDJo 1 year ago

You always provide so much information. I love your channel!!

@Janette-rz4km 1 year ago

Thank you for this well-thought -out, organized information. I've never started plants like this before, but I'm going to try it this winter.

@soniamarshall9293 1 year ago

❤your heart breaks loosing those babies. I feel your pain, do what your heart tells you to do.

@debsmith5647 1 year ago

I was glad to hear you mention your cheat of "pre-heating" you beds for early planting. I was planning on using a clear plastic sheathing on some of my raised beds to warm them up earlier and be able to plant out my broccoli. This will be an experiment. I'm excited to try the winter method of sowing some of the perennials you mentioned in part 1. I haven't had much success w/ Echinacea & Daisies inside w/ grow lights, so maybe this is the answer. Great, informative videos. I took lots of notes. 😁

@JanetTreadwell-w4m 9 months ago

Love your sweater and your kitty 🐈‍⬛ and of course your video, very informative. Thank you.

@albertmo1722 1 year ago

Hi Kendall, I brought the Soil Blocker you recommended to me. Now, my Zinnia seedlings in the plastic containers are doing so well, and they are so ready for transplanting. Thank you so much for your advice! Best, Albert, SF, CA

@JenniGotDesigns 1 year ago

I love a good experiment! Thanks for sharing your tried and true modifications. Another great video!

@peggycallaway6135 8 months ago

I’m in 8b in MS and we have similar extreme winter temp fluctuation’s! So if my seedlings have sprouted and I see the temps with be below freezing, I’ll bring them into the garage overnight or until the temperature are above freezing. If we have days of below freezing I’ll use my lights or even grow lights to help keep seedlings happy. It is so wonderful to have seeds up in God’s time and not to lose plants I’ve tended 2 or 3 times a day for weeks to hardening off or extreme winds.

@delmadehoyos1946 1 year ago

Thank you for another very informative video. Our winter weather can change drastically from day to day here in Texas....I'm in south central Texas...and yes there have been winters where we wear shorts and sandals, and all of a sudden we will have to put on boots and coats 😂. Love Luke 😸
❤🤠❤