Depending on this, either time to start the seeds inside the house for the upcoming mounting season – or the close time Where you live. But despite the frozen grounds, about starting them out of the outside, whipping the winds and maybe, the snow cover?
In a couple of weeks, I am preparing to sow tomatoes, beets, herbs and herbs. But instead of going all of them To capture my kitchen counter And the following six to eight weeks of spare bedroom, I will start some seeds outside.
Winter sowing is an easy, low care technique to plant seeds in a small, temporary greenhouse that you can make from advanced content. And it can be better than nurturing seeds inside the house.
According to their custom, the seeds fall to the ground in the end or autumn of the summer, survive in the winter, then when the maximum temperature is maximum, it is evacuated. So why not, despite the overcoming of this process, why not imitate nature by creating yourself?
What do you need
Forget the heat mats and grow lights. The only material and equipment you need to sow winter are the appropriate containers, poting mix and Seed.
A lid food safe container that can hold about 3 inches of potting mix. Plastic milk and water jugs are a famous choice, such as a take -out container and clam shell salad package.
If using a plastic jug, poin the holes down for drainage, then cut them almost HALF half horizontally, but not in the whole path (to be connected to work as a section of a part Allow).
If the shallow, lid containers use, add some holes into their lids of ventilation. The jug of the jug, the above holes are not necessary. Instead, you will leave their hats.
Add 3 -inch moisturized seeds to the lower containers or the bottom of the jugs. Avoid the use of garden soil, which is very dense for plants and can port the pathogens that can risk their health.
Choosing your plants
Not all plants are suitable for winter sowing. Heat -loving loversLike my tomatoes and zania, it is best started inside the house (or out after the risk of frost), because their splendor is very soft to withstand low temperatures.
But cool tolerant herbs, such as parsley, sage and pelletter. Cool weather vegetables such as spinach, black, broccoli, bat, lettuce and cabbage. Hardy BarmasSuch as milk price, black -eyed sauceon and confusion. And tough annual, such as Panny and Snapdragon are all good candidates.
Now for sowing …
Mix your seeds, after the recommended depth on their package labels, and snap on the container lids or, if use the jug, use duct tape to connect the top and bottom parts together.
Use permanent marker to label each container with the type of seeds inside it. You think you will remember which spring comes, but trust me – you won’t do it.
Group containers simultaneously in a sunny space, which is somewhat protected from air, such as against the wall, and leave them. With snow and rain, they will naturally get water, and the great outflowing route will help them encryn out.
When they are good and ready, the seeds are excited. They do not follow the calendars, but instead respond to the length and temperature of the day. When the plants are about 2 inches high and the temperature is no longer at risk, remove the container lid (or separate the parts above the jug) during the day. To meet them Side of the weather. Cover the containers at night and re -research it, when frost can damage or kill them.
When the risk of frost has entered Your gardening zoneYour plants will be ready to transplant into gardens or utensils. Since they will already be tightened against the weather conditions, they will be more flexible and stronger than their indoor counterparts.
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Jessica Demiano writes weekly gardening column for the AP and publishes award -winning weekly dirt newsletter. You can sign up Here For weekly gardening points and advice.
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