I'm going to try some hardy perennials this year, eg echinacea. Also some kale. I've grown verbena bonariensis and bronze fennel this way before when I wanted to have a large quantity and had great success.
After last year's experiences with slugs and snails feasting on my delphiniums and sunflowers, I'm not even bothering to try growing either this year. It will be interesting to see what they tuck into this time round. I had thought about growing some sacrificial marigolds, but have read conflicting accounts of how useful this is - some saying that they need to be quite a distance away from your other plants otherwise you risk attracting all the local molluscs, who will travel through the rest of your garden to reach the marigolds. So I'm not sure about that plan. I did think of potentially trying to get some growing in the area in the close by the garages in the hope the snails might leave our gardens and have a slimey party round there instead.
That's great to hear that verbena bon was a success, fingers crossed mine will do as well. I'm also planning on some echinacea - they seem to do well with this method by all accounts.
I sowed quite a lot of flowers in November, when it was still warmish. About 75% of things came up/survived, but they are in the greenhouse. It has gone down to -2 there on some nights though. Is there a significant difference between sowing seeds outside with their own mini, individual greenhouses vs in a cold frame or an unheated greenhouse, I wonder?
@YessicaHaircut Yes, sowed outside in containers and jugs. A bit surprised by the germination speed, later I also noticed that pakchoi seeds started to sprout. Maybe because these were both from home saved seeds? Anyway I find it fun and easy way to grow, especially if one runs out of space indoors So far since Sunday, Jan 16, I've planted: Spring Onion,coriander, mizuna,pakchoi, cosmos, pheasant eye, calendula, cornflower, larkspur, orlaya, poppies and stock I plan to sow echinacea, rudbeckia, alchemilla, asters, more veggies and salads. Will also try few tender, like petunias and tomatoes. Just need to find more containers )
I'm not really sure about whether there's a significant difference between sowing early in a greenhouse/cold frame or winter sowing in containers to be honest. Funnily enough I've just been unexpectedly gifted a cold frame, so I need to read up on how to make the best use of it.
Wow, that's early for the poppies and pak choi, @kippsattacks. After reading that I went to have a peek in my containers and at first glance thought my lobelia had germinated, before remembering it was pelleted seed and the pellets are bright green.
Sounds like you'll have a ton of different things growing too. I'm also planning to try tomatoes but will probably sow some indoors too as I don't want to risk ending up with none. I've been lucky in that a family member volunteers with a food waste charity and they get pastries donated in large plastic clam shells which seem ideal for Winter Sowing. I hope. I'm giving them a go anyway.
One of my garden rituals is to do nothing out there from late November to February - it’s too cold, wet, dark and muddy. I let the gardener do the winter tidying and on the rare milder, sunny days I will potter about.
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I did some more Winter Sowing today -
Echinacea
Clary Sage
Lobelia
Hosta
Lupins
Campanula pyramidalis
Is there a significant difference between sowing seeds outside with their own mini, individual greenhouses vs in a cold frame or an unheated greenhouse, I wonder?
A bit surprised by the germination speed, later I also noticed that pakchoi seeds started to sprout. Maybe because these were both from home saved seeds?
Anyway I find it fun and easy way to grow, especially if one runs out of space indoors
So far since Sunday, Jan 16, I've planted:
Spring Onion,coriander, mizuna,pakchoi, cosmos, pheasant eye, calendula, cornflower, larkspur, orlaya, poppies and stock
I plan to sow echinacea, rudbeckia, alchemilla, asters, more veggies and salads. Will also try few tender, like petunias and tomatoes. Just need to find more containers
Wow, that's early for the poppies and pak choi, @kippsattacks. After reading that I went to have a peek in my containers and at first glance thought my lobelia had germinated, before remembering it was pelleted seed and the pellets are bright green.
Sounds like you'll have a ton of different things growing too.
This is a great idea and based on the principle that 'Mother Nature Knows Best'. It makes perfect sense to me.
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.