Milk the Growing Season with Winter Sowing
By Kari Martin, Anoka County Extension Master Gardener
It’s January, and it’s snowing and cold. This is the perfect time to start sowing seeds outdoors. No, this isn’t a misprint. Winter sowing is a great way to get an early start on your garden if you are willing to do a little planning and preparation. The only supplies you need are a gallon plastic jug, potting soil, and seeds. If you enjoy starting seeds indoors but hate the hardening off process and the mess, you will appreciate the simplicity of winter sowing.
The best seeds to use are those that require a cold introduction or a prechill before they will germinate. Sometimes this information is included on the seed packet, but below are some options that should perform well. It’s best to use only one seed type per jug.
Vegetables are a good choice, especially radishes, lettuce, green beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and kale.
For perennials that require cold stratification as part of their natural life cycle, winter sowing is often the only way to grow them from seed. These include milkweed, bee balm, coneflowers and delphiniums, along with many other Minnesota natives.
Looking to save money on annuals? Violets, petunias, snap dragons and pansies are all easy choices and will load your spring beds with color.
Once you have selected your seeds, the fun begins. There are many websites with tips on winter growing, and while they may have slightly different approaches, here are some basics to get you started:
Prepare the milk jug by cutting it around the middle so you can open and close it like a lid. You will dispose of the cap to allow air flow. Place holes in the bottom for drainage.
Add the potting medium by filling the bottom half of the jug with approximately three to four inches of soil, and water well (slightly muddy is best). You will need to keep the soil damp through germination.
Plant the seeds per the packet directions. Most of the seeds will probably germinate, so you’ll need to thin them.
Find the perfect location, which should not be in direct sunlight. A north or east-facing location that allows for the jug to be opened on warmer days and closed during evenings and windy days works best.
You can place the jug in the snow, on a deck, or wherever you have a protected location.
While winter sowing is not labor intensive, you will need to check moisture levels and open or close the lid depending on the weather, so make sure your containers are accessible. With winter sowing, you won’t need expensive grow lights or heating pads to get your seeds started. When the soil warms enough for spring planting, your seedlings will already be hardened off, and you’ll have a head start on your garden!
There are many online resources with tips and tricks for winter sowing. One easy-to-follow article is: Winter Sowing in Minnesota! – Hennepin County Master Gardeners (hennepinmastergardeners.org)
Save the date for the Home Landscape and Garden Fair on April 2, 2022 at Bunker Hills Activities Center in Andover, MN. For event registration and information about Anoka County Master Gardener projects and services, visit anokamastergardeners.org