Winter Sowing + Seed Starting for the Homestead Garden

Hey friend, Garden season begins with some winter sowing and seed starting on this snowy January day. I'll bring you along as I sow seeds, share tips and my favorite supplies and teach you how to winter sow in jugs!
Thanks for watching,
Kelsey
Everything you need to know about seed starting here:
• Everything you NEED to...
‪@epicgardening‬ has all your seed starting needs covered
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Code SSH5
My favorite places to purchase seeds:
migardener.com
rareseeds.com
botanicalinterests.com
Bootstrap Farmer seed starting trays I use:
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Soil Blocker: amzn.to/3DgzXhG
Budget friendly seed starting trays: amzn.to/3HwKHL4
Seed Starting Soil Mixes *** DON'T buy these on Amazon, they are MUCH cheaper at a Big Box Store, local hardware store or Greenhouse Nursery.
I will link them just so you know what to look for.
Jiffy Organics: amzn.to/3R64CUi
Espoma: amzn.to/3Haq5a6
Pro-Mix: amzn.to/3R6Lrd6
Components to make your own seed starting mix:
Compost: amzn.to/3ZXYD8p
Coco Coir: amzn.to/3XWH2LZ
Perlite: amzn.to/3wBS3Xn
Vermiculite: amzn.to/3wwdXeF
Kelp Meal: amzn.to/3wwdXeF
Azomite: amzn.to/3WCcVZq
Fertilizer:
Neptunes Harvest: amzn.to/3XU0SrX
Grow Shelf: amzn.to/3DgKtFy , amzn.to/3XXzIQp
Shop Lights: amzn.to/3iZddvL , amzn.to/3WEOpa1, amzn.to/3XURBiK
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Spray Bottle: amzn.to/3XSSgkA
Bottle Cap waterer: amzn.to/3JgwC5P

[@xxRIOxx]

"I don't know what my kids are doing but it sounds...suspicious....." I LAUGHED OUT LOUD. haha

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

😂😂😂

[@sarahburke1576]

The kitty is requesting cat nip 😂. You gave me some inspiration on some seed ideas!

[@SandraMalone-pq4mn]

Loved watching this video! We are a bit too cold to even begin thinking about seeding. Suppose to be negative zero on Sunday night! But in just a few weeks I will start the onion family inside. Last year I did a bit of winter sowing with the children and had fun with it. Not overly successful, but a lot of fun. I thoroughly enjoy your approach to sharing. Thank you! Blessings.

[@katescaringcorner6765]

I love hearing the kidlings! Isn’t it nice to know someone needs you and counts on you 100% of the time 24/7? 🥰 Don’t blink!

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Im savoring it, already seeing how quickly time passes ❤️

[@lisapumphrey2343]

I am so excited to get started with sowing again! Thanks for the milk jug idea!

[@tracihowell8174]

The research I did the other day said that poppies need to be cold stratified

[@elysiana8889]

I don't know if it is true but I read the sail moles work up in the hills is really good. Last year I only had a few plants more as an experiment for the kids so I only bought 1 bag of soil. It went so well that this year I collected more containers and want to grow a bit more. But I have a limited budget so I don't want to spend most of it on soil. We had quite some mole activity in the grassfiels just outside our house so I've been scooping up quite some of that fresh brought up dirt. I'm planning on mixing it with the bought soil and see how that works. I might actually see to add some fertilizer to half of it and leave the other half just as I mix it. See what works best.

[@beekind1940]

I just needed to let you know your presentation style is informative, valuable, and a great combo of inspiring and calming. I enjoy watching every one of them.

[@josdantas9739]

I have used used ziploc freezer bags for winter sowing and it was easy no cutting and I had access to lots this worked very well for me. I did over-seeded that was a pain… but I loved the ease of using them.

[@robingirven4570]

I’m in northern Michigan - I won’t start any seeds for about 5 weeks yet. I do not like all the up potting. I start in bigger pots and harden off, then to the ground.

[@dustyflats3832]

I’m totally with you on starting later. It’s a lot of work, money and space to up pot. I’m definitely starting later than I did last year.

[@annettestoddard4322]

Sending this to my home school moms. This is a great lesson. Thank you

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@Scrappenguin]

Thanks for another great video! I plan on winter sowing this weekend and loved hearing what your plans are!

[@tekoabaity8768]

I loved Ferngully !!!

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

I want to go find it and watch it with my daughter now!

[@julieliner1498]

I saw it listed on Freevee

[@Maria-np6kz]

Great video but I couldn’t stop watching the unused water running while you scrubbed the milk jugs. I guess because here in central California we have to conserve water. Even our agricultural farmers are limited to water. Very encouraging video though.

[@canadiannavywife434]

This sounds like fun, Let me watch and hugs from Esquimalt

[@gardeneroncarriagehill]

I winter sow my sweet peas and it works fine. I just transplant them in clumps. Tried ws-ing bells of Ireland 3 years in a row and maybe got 2 plants out of it. Not bothering again. Good luck to you!

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Maybe that was my problem, I tried to separate each one! I’d take 2 bells over none lol which is what I’ve been getting! Thanks for watching ❤️

[@Janice_1979_]

It’s snowing here today too, I’m dreaming of Spring. We really can’t start our seeds until March, it will be very cold still here in Ontario, Canada. We start ours in the garage with a light.

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Soon friend, it will be here soon ☺️

[@helenswanson1403]

I have some of the black grow bags. I was able to grow tomatoes in them. It is my 3rd year.

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Awesome! They seem really durable!

[@BecomingErica]

This year is my first year to garden. Only going to do 1 small bed to get my feet wet. If anyone has any suggestions for what will go well together in one bed please let me. Thank you so much sharing your tips with us. I think I will also try sweet potatoes in grow bags.

[@Just-Nikki]

You can do a lot even in a 3 ft by 6 ft bed. For example you could grow some sugar snap peas up a trellis and plant lettuce, radish, carrots, kale, collards or spinach all around the base of the peas and have more than one crop in the same space plus have room for other vegetables.There are some very good books on small space gardening and your local library should be a great resource for those. I made the mistake of buying a million books when I wasn’t sure which ones would be valuable information for me. Most things grow fine together as long as you are growing them in their appropriate season.

[@barbjarvi6543]

Hi

[@StonerSmurfin]

Procrastinators unite.... tomorrow.... maybe. I'm a big fan of the berry bushes only because I can procrastinate all I want and still get the fresh berries 🍒. For some reason no matter how much I plan I never seem to get seeds started on time. Sometimes it's I miss the date because time got away from me or I never have the seeds or missing one or more supplies. Smh.

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

😂 I can be this way is some other areas, I’m not too bad with the garden, I think because I look forward to it so much!

[@michellefrance1165]

Hi, new subscriber! Is your basement heated? I have a finished basement just stays really cool didn't know if that would be an issue?

[@jenniferdavidek677]

anyone know the name of the piano music in the video? It is beautiful!

[@hollyu48]

I love Hollyhocks and have never ever gotten one to start

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Hmm, I haven’t had any issues there, perhaps try another brand of seeds??

[@northerngirlhobbies]

💚🌱

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

❤️❤️❤️

[@amberpalmer7083]

I have a question as I see many doing this winter sowing method. Our winter has been warm like in the 40's, then got cold like -9, then warmed up again; very odd for our area. Would it be worth trying to start seeds outside with the warm winter days? Not sure the cold stratification would happen

[@cherylpresleigh6403]

Good morning! I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the soil block method of seed starting. How do you decide which seeds to start that way? Is it not an effective method for all seed starting? Looking forward to seeing your garden space all come together! 🤗💚

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

I only have the 2 inch block! So it’s not ideal for things that will be started earlier and need the space to grow, I may upgrade to a bigger block at some point. Right now I reserve it for squash/cucumbers, kale, spinach, lettuce, herbs etc. The size I have isn’t ideal for tomatoes, peppers!

[@cherylpresleigh6403]

@@seedandsparrowhomestead Of course, that makes sense, thank you! I’m not a fan of having to up pot seedlings. 😏 My first year starting seeds was nearly my last because I used those trays with a million cells in them. It wasn’t what I had hoped it would be but I tried again last year with better luck in many ways. I purchased some of the trays and pots from bootstrap farmer and will use those again this year. Plus, I’ll be home full time so won’t be struggling as much with my time. Have a great week, thank you, Kelsey.

[@b3thamphetamine]

Hey I just wanted to mention that I watched a video earlier today from Jacques in the Garden and he mentions that he always starts his poppies with vermiculite to let the light in. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fnzIgotqjJ1jl5o He starts with the poppy seeds right around 10:15.

[@susiesalazar7360]

Great video. Reminded me what herbs I need to grow this year. I looked into epic’s 5” pots and looked back at Bootstrap’s and did the math. I wish I could try epic’s and give them a shot but it’s just not in my budget. I don’t mean to be rude or negative, truly I am not but I am going through bootstrap on this one. I too own Bootstrap’s trays and smaller pots. I agree with you, I love bootstrap too. As always, thank you for sharing. Love your videos.

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

I always say you do what is within budget! I think epic is a great investment that will pay for itself over time, but bootstrap is great too! Love them both, I like options, budgets vary and I do what I can at the time ☺️ Thanks for watching ☺️

[@susiesalazar7360]

@@seedandsparrowhomestead totally agree and I do thank you for giving us options and for inspiring all of us.

[@rinscriv]

hi hello hi

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

Hello! 👋

[@LRobinson5]

What type pen do you use for your markers? Last year I used sharpies and they faded real bad.

[@seedandsparrowhomestead]

I use sharpies for seed starting but don’t label anything in the garden 😬😂 I think MIgardeners sells a special marker!