Tis the season for winter sowing

Winter is the time to start growing out the native seeds you have collected. Natives have evolved to survive the weather fluctuations in the environment they grow. That means you need to mimic nature to jump start your growing season. An easy method for starting seeds requiring 90, 60, or 30 days of cold moist stratification is to use milk jugs or other discarded plastic containers to create a mini greenhouse. Overwintering the seeds outside provides the cold moist freezing and thawing that most native seeds need to break dormancy.

Clean plastic containers with clear lids such as take out containers or plastic milk jugs are great for winter sowing. If using a milk jug, cut the jug horizontally around the jug just below the handle, leaving the jug intact under the handle to create a hinge. Poke 4 drainage holes in the bottom of the container and 4 to 6 holes in the lid of the container. For milk jugs, remove the cap. No holes are necessary on the top of the jug.

Now that you have the drainage holes, fill the bottom of the container with growing mix. I use a mix of 1/3 seed starting medium, 1/3 potting soil, and 1/3 fine sand. Water the planting mix well so it is moist but not wet. Spread the seeds on top of the mixture and lightly cover the seeds with the growing mix. If the seed requires surface sowing, skip the additional soil cover. Be sure to label the inside and outside of the container with the plant name.

Cover the container and secure the lid or the milk jug seam with duct tape. Place the container outside so it is exposed to the cold, snow and rain. Depending on the weather and the plant characteristics you should see signs of germination anytime from March to June. When the weather warms in spring, remove the container lid and water the mixture as needed.

You can skip container growing and broadcast your seeds directly over snow or bare ground from now through February however you will be competing with birds and other small critters for those seeds. Container seed starting allows you to manage the environment and your inventory for the best germination result.

I still have many free native seeds waiting for a home. Check out the 11/5/2022 post on the seed varieties available and send me an email with questions or requests for seeds to prairieplantrevivial@gmail.com.

Wishing you a successful sowing season!