Winter Sowing

Seedlings sprouting in milk jugs — Winter sown seedlings.
Photo © 2018 MGNV

Discover the art of winter sowing with Extension Master Gardener Jasmin DeCourcey. Explore an innovative and low-cost method of starting seeds outdoors during winter, using recycled containers as mini greenhouses. Perfect for gardeners of all levels, winter sowing is an ideal way to jump-start your garden with hardy, robust plants that thrive come spring. Learn how to select the best seeds, set up and prepare containers, and time your sowing to take advantage of nature’s cycles. By the end of the class, you’ll be ready to grow a wide range of flowers, vegetables, and herbs from scratch, all while saving money and minimizing your ecological footprint. Embrace this unique approach and let your garden grow naturally – even in the coldest months!

Zoom session, recorded January 31, 2025

Video of Presentation

Chapter Breaks

0:00:00 Introduction & Overview
0:04:37 Growing Season
0:08:10 Obtaining Plants
0:09:59 Selecting Seeds
0:15:16 Germination Basics
0:17:03 Questions
0:21:42 Winter Sowing Method
0:28:48 Transplanting Seedlings
0:32:59 Questions
0:40:54 Winter Sowing Results
0:43:47 Resources
0:45:18 Questions

Resources

Educational References

Aufdenberg, Donna and Kelly McGowan. 2021. Winter Sowing Seeds. University of Missouri Extension.
https://extension.missouri.edu/media/wysiwyg/Extensiondata/Pub/pdf/youth/ym0105.pdf
Foster, Angela Mason. 2024. Winter Seed Sowing in Milk Jugs: A Gardener’s Guide to Early Starts and Resilient Plants. North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Beaufort County.
https://beaufort.ces.ncsu.edu/2024/12/winter-seed-sowing-in-milk-jugs-a-gardeners-guide-to-early-starts-and-resilient-plants/
Foster, Dolly. 2020. Winter Sowing, An Innovative Method of Sowing Seeds Outdoors. IUN Community Garden. Indiana University Northwest,
https://youtu.be/WhZbj5fcNk0
Moore, Molly and Marlene Smith. 2021. All the Dirt on Winter Sowing. University of Maryland Extension.
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/2021-12/All%20the%20Dirt%20on%20Winter%20Sowing%20Power%20Point.pdf
Rittenhouse, Lisa. 2023. Winter Sowing: Easy, Productive, Enjoyable. Piedmont Master Gardeners.
https://piedmontmastergardeners.org/article/winter-sowing-easy-productive-enjoyable/
Winter Sowers Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/wintersown/
Winter Sowing: An Easy, Low-Cost Technique for Starting Seeds. White Earth Tribal and Community College Community Extension.
https://www.wetcc.edu/wp-content/uploads/pdf/Winter-Sowing-for-Starting-Seeds.pdf