When I moved to this yard almost six years ago and started making garden plans, I didn’t have any grow lights, and the process of buying them, setting them up in my basement, and finding room to start all the plants I wanted to grow seemed overwhelming. So when I heard about winter sowing, I was intrigued. Oh, and by the way, you read my first sentence correctly — I moved here for the yard, the best I could find within the limitations I had for budget and location. The “house” . . . well, it came with the deal. But I digress.
Winter sowing is a method generally attributed to Trudi Davidoff and has steadily grown in popularity as an alternative to starting seeds inside using grow lights, seed trays, and the like. Winter sowing is exactly what it implies — an outdoor method of planting your summer garden anywhere from December through April. Outside. In milk jugs, which act like little greenhouses. After you get set up, Mother Nature takes over.
To better understand winter sowing, I joined a few facebook groups on the topic, searched the internet on the practice, and finally concluded, “What the heck? Let’s give this a try!” That was three winters ago. I figure if I can do winter sowing with my grandkids, you can do it with your kids, too!
In the next several posts, I will be giving you a step-by-step blueprint, a lesson plan, of sorts. As a veteran teacher, I relate to that format! Winter sowing DOES take preparation, and since this is all about gardening with kids, like any good teacher who wants to make a lesson successful, good preparation is required.
For Day 1, gather the materials. If I were you, this first year do anywhere from a few jugs to a dozen, or just gather as many jugs as you can. Next year, if you like it, do more.
Sound like a plan?
Tomorrow, we will take Step 2, which you'll need to do when the kids aren’t around. The kids should NOT be anywhere near you during THIS PART of the preparation process! But I’ll cover that tomorrow.
See you then!
(If you want a bit more background on winter sowing, this gives you a brief overview).