Troubleshooting Winter Sowing failures: what went wrong and how to fix it *see note

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

please note that the initial 1st set of leaves a plant produces will yellow and die and that's natural. Don't worry if they get yellow. it's not a sign of Nutrition deficiency. Only worry if the true leaves that look like the plant will (2nd set of leaves and beyond) show signs of trouble

[@eileenredfern8364]

I absolutely love how thorough you are and your explanations are simple enough for new gardeners. Thank you Esther!

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Thank you for noticing that. I'm trying to keep it valuable and interesting for both experienced and new gardeners.

[@kimchambers1996]

This will be my first year winter sowing. I am excited!

[@anne-9374]

My suggestion is to put jugs that show no seedlings aside. Last year, my first time winter sowing, i had 3 out 12 showing no action. Not feeling like emptying them yet, i just set them aside. A number of weeks later I was doing something and happened to glance at the jugs and they were bursting with seedlings. So patience patience patience…

[@elwandaa1882]

Hi Esther! Awesome tutorial on how to troubleshoot winter sowing. I'm in Southern California, zone 9B. I started my winter sowing on January 1st. All my tomatoes, herbs, and a couple of pepper seeds have germinated. I'm excited about the success of germination. Thanks for sharing!😊

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

I'm so glad you've had germination happen already. Best of luck!

[@marzpop754]

I'm trying winter sowing for the first time and you answered several of my questions. Great work! Ty 🌱🌱

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Fantastic. I'm so glad to hear it!

[@mjvendel]

Esther, you are my favorite. Always educational and interesting. I picked up a couple of things I might have done wrong last year and I will take heed.

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Nice. I'm glad you found it useful. Best of luck this year!

[@SwervinErvins]

You’ve inspired me to try winter sowing Esther! I’m trying to procure jugs as I write this (our milk comes in glass bottles). We are in zone 5b in the Northern Colorado front range so I think I will start this process later this month or early next month since we have more deep freezes on the way I’m sure. I’m so excited to think of all the money we can save from not having to buy starts!!! (We’re one of those families that buys way too many seeds and then forgets to plant them on time and then has to buy all starts anyway 🙃) Loving your content Esther. And I also appreciate how authentic and real your videos are. 💚

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Awe, thank you for the authenticity comment. I really appreciate it. I'm excited you are going to try winter sowing this year! It's ok to winter sow ahead of deep freezes, the seeds stay dormant as long as the nights stay cold or even freezing. It's only of three really warm days and nights for like more than a week that seeds might sprout prematurely. And even then you can protect sprouted jugs on freezing nights by covering them with a blanket! I look forward to hearing about your success!

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Awe, thank you for the authenticity comment. I really appreciate it. I'm excited you are going to try winter sowing this year! It's ok to winter sow ahead of deep freezes, the seeds stay dormant as long as the nights stay cold or even freezing. It's only of three really warm days and nights for like more than a week that seeds might sprout prematurely. And even then you can protect sprouted jugs on freezing nights by covering them with a blanket! I look forward to hearing about your success!

[@bjbrown6488]

Thanks Esther. It's been so warm here in western Colorado that my bachelor buttons have sprouted out there!

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Wow. Well at least they're frost hardy plants.

[@cltinturkey]

Great video Esther! I had a few other problems in my second year of winter sowing. I prepared multiple jugs at the same time and didn't clean seeds off my hands in between jugs. I ended up with too many jugs of one type of seed, because I mixed them in together. Now I wipe my hands off carefully after every jug to avoid mixups. I've also become a rabid labeler, with labels both inside and outside the jug. You think you'll remember what is what, but you won't. Every couple of weeks you can also go outside on a dry day and rewrite the outside labels because the sun and weather will wear or fade the pen marks. Winter sowing is such fun!

[@noradunlap7539]

This is my first time trying winter sowing. This video was so informative! Thank you so much!!! I’m excited to try!! Blessings!!💙💙🦋🦋🙏🙏

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Thank you! Blessings to you as well

[@sharonglassner1421]

Esther this was absolutely an outstanding video. This will be my fourth year winter sowing and I learned something new from you every time I listen to you. Thanks for the wonderful information!😊😊😊😊😊

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

You are most welcome! I'm glad you found it informative!

[@gail7998]

It will be my 2nd consecutive year to winter sow (last year, Zone 4; this year, Zone 5b). I moved a little further north in Utah. Thank you for the information; I learned a lot of tips! Wishing you much success this garden season!

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Nice. Best of luck to you!

[@barbschuby9235]

Thank you for the info, I learn something new from every post you do 😊

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

I'm so glad!

[@tammyjones949]

Thanks Ester! Great information and I love your tee shirt! I just came in from getting my raised beds in order as my winter sowing jugs are starting to show signs of life . Perfect timing on this video! Zone 9B here

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

I'm so glad you hear the timing on this was helpful to you! Good luck this year!

[@sandrabishop5671]

Trying this for the first time this year and I've been reusing my potting soil as I always do, but I def need to add to my supply. As seeds don't need nutrition to germinate I haven't worried too much about the nutrition factor of soil for starting seeds; I use compost for potting up. But, with this method I'll need to retink my medium. Regardless, I always buy organic and non-additive soil (and I am diligent about where I buy seedlings, if I do) because it will all inevitably end up in my veg gardens and compost. When I buy soil mix I usually go to a local "hemp" grow shop because they stock only the best, of course. 😂

[@arielmcgillacuddy6640]

I just said oh yay Esther put out a new video! I just finished up a big bunch of winter snowing in central NH. I will do some more at the end of March. It’s my second year and I love it.

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Awesome! Great job. You're ahead of me.

[@kathrynhobbs8874]

Thank Goodness you turned up in my feed, because your explanations are just what I needed. Winter sowing/mini greenhouse in milk jugs etc, is not common in the UK but I heard about it in another video and wondered what it was…….and then…there you were…with clear instructions and advice. Well I have set out some hardy perennial flower seeds in as many jugs as I had, but vegetables…that’s the next want. So, apart from lettuce….which will go in the next available jug…what vegetables are suitable for this method? I am in London, which as it is in the south, and densely populated, does not get very cold very often….ie. We have had no snow this winter (of course we still complain gg. but slug s……oh slugs!!, I removed 300 in a couple of days before winter. So I’m hoping the jug and gauze method will give me a chance)

[@carolburnett8372]

also, a round piece of old nylon hose will stretch and cover the opening too .....and still use rubber bands to hold them on.....

[@katiesmith5220]

Thanks, Esther. Great information!!

[@Maczust63]

Small seeds I use dry sand and I make a layer on the potting media then I wet it and put the seeds on top of the wet sand, then either sprinkle abit of dry sand again or water it in abit so the seed sits in the sand. Had good success even doing this to all my jugs 4L water jugs.

[@lindasomerville4450]

Wow Ester, this was a great video! You nailed it, a lot of very useful information. I learned winter sewing last year from your videos. I will be starting my second year of winter sowing soon. 🇨🇦 Windsor, Ontario. I believe zone 7A. But I find the information confusing in that I’ve heard USDA zones are different than Canadian ones. Does anybody have any information into this? Happy seed starting.

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Oh wow. It does indeed look like the USDA zones and Canadian zones are based on different measurements and factors. However I'd say that if you are in Canada follow what I say for growing window for zones 1-7 usda. So that would mean Feb through mid-April is your winter sowing window. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. Here's an interesting link I found. earthundaunted.com/the-differences-between-us-and-canadian-plant-hardiness-zones/

[@lindasomerville4450]

Thank you for this information Ester. It does confirm what I had thought. I’m zone 6B/7A. Appreciate you finding this for me. 🇨🇦

[@RisingFromTheAshes97]

Perfect timing I just binge watched the whole winter sowing playlist last night lol. Looking at using winter sowing this year to help get some stuff started since I have no way of doing them indoors. I am also desperate for anything to help extend my short growing season here in zone 4b in Montana. I love your videos and how thorough you are. 💜🦋💜

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Oh yay! That's awesome!

[@RisingFromTheAshes97]

Sorry I accidentally hit the send button and had to go back and add more to my comment 😊

[@audreyhandy9273]

I love this video. This is my first year winter sowing and I’m learning so much from u. Thanks for the info 🥰

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

You are most welcome! Best of luck!

[@dustyflats3832]

Hi Esther! Great problem solvers for WS! Loved it! I have one more and It’s the weather! WI, Z5 and surrounding states to east coast are under a heat bubble. We have had the warmest winter on record. The temps went in reverse from Halloween-36* to Christmas-rain 52*F. January we were 30s and 3rd week subzero and an abrupt turn to upper 30s, upper 40s and next week 50s And Rain for the 2nd week of February 😮😮. Our normal should be upper 20s during this whole time with a 30 or so here and there and our current nightly lows are sometimes above freezing. It’s been soooo warm! Too warm. And it concerns me quite a bit because they say we are to be 3+ degrees warmer than last spring. This is what happened in 2022-Great turnout on WS! 2023-Too Warm in January it was raining. Poor turnout on WS. Both years were in full sun, water and milk jugs properly prepared with 4” of soil, new seeds both years. I noted the seeds in February looked like they were ready to sprout. Three days later it snowed and turned a lot colder. I suspected the seeds froze in pre germination or rotted. 2024-it’s Hotter than 2023 by far! So at first I had stage fright🫣 and then I started piecing bits of info. I was realizing from other WS videos where they were located-what zones and inland or near a large body of water. Areas near water seem to remain fairly stable and spring comes sooner. Inland we get whiplash weather and who knows when spring arrives. Last year it was SO hot in May no one ever suspected freezing temps on the last weekend. What happened was all the plants were too far advanced in growth and most grade fully planted and the freeze took most everything down to the ground or killed them. My low elevation to the winery’s high elevation lost fruiting buds, potatoes sizzled to the ground and hit and miss on others. It was devastating and almost gave up. We had No local weather warning at all. I wonder if I should shade fruit this year to prevent fast growth. I will need to keep frost clothes handy and shade cloth also. So after I pieced all this together I found what I needed to confirm my speculations that the crazy abnormally high temps are changing the way I garden-‘Geeky Gardener’ mentioned if the temps are abnormal to place the jugs to get morning sun only 🎉🎉I will try again and do just that. It will allow the warm up, but hopefully allow them to cool back down. Hope this helps anyone that is struggling with when or how in their area. I might wait a bit yet as next week rain and 50s is iffy. We can still get snowstorms all the way through April even though they predict early spring. The closer to spring the better at least I know a light cover over jugs will do on frost nights. It’s not a set and forget like in 2022 here. I lost many different perennials last year and thankfully I kept a few seeds of those that I really wanted and will grow them inside. Still gun shy and will probably do more inside than outside and cheaper seeds in WS.

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

That's a very good point. With us now being in the El Nino warming season the weather is going to be even more erratic.

[@dustyflats3832]

@@EsthersGardeningAdventures yes, and good point. Accuweather says El Niño shows signs of weakening! Yeah, bring us some precipitation!

[@hotrodmom86]

😊 Great video! I'm going to try growing a few things this year. Happy gardening!!🎉

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Yay! I'm so glad to hear it!

[@martystevens2313]

If you get enough rain and snow in the winter, dont use moisture control potting mix. Those gel polymer blobs keep the soil too wet. I imagine it might help those in very arid climates though. I mistakenly bought the wrong pro mix ( black bag with light blue and pink details on it) and the 20 or so jugs that I used it in were always soggy, got algae and the seedlings struggled. The black bag with the turquoise mint green at the top of the bag was what I needed. No moisture control polymers. Having trouble finding it this year so I'm starting with a few bags of miracle grow organic in the black bag. No moisture control as I read the ingredients on the bag.

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Oh wow. Yes that's a very good tip!

[@vickycollins6656]

Esther, I live in Kansas with 40-70 mph winds. How do I protect the jugs from being blown around? I'm setting the jugs on my balcony. Thanks

[@petecilione4166]

Ugh peas sprouted this weekend and snowstorm is coming tomorrow Nightish. Any thoughts? Blankets are going to be blanketed by 6- 18 inches of snow.Thank you in advance.

[@carolburnett8372]

I planted my seeds in jugs now almost 2 weeks ago and I noticed now for the last few days that lots of mine are molding........what can I do to save the seeds........usually the ground inside molds and usually there are 4 kinds of seeds in each jug.......and only 1-2 varieties have sprouted and around the base of those seedlings is a little white cloud of mold............what should I do........help please ???

[@Moodysmilez]

Great video! Inspiring to winter sow

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Thank you!

[@deannasilva8891]

Great video Esther!

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Thank you!

[@rogerseed4327]

Hi there by heck ester you have some mix in that there demonstration jug .I have started using jugs this year putting the same veg in individual jugs each month I have some outside beside the greenhouse the others in various cold frames I make sure they are watered regularly the ones outside nature takes care of(Scotland say no more)Will see what happens in march if need be leave some later.Bye now everything crossed.

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Nice. That's awesome. Cold frames are a great option too. One of my goals is to build a few movable cold frames with those window frames I have laying around. It's a great way to protect seedlings after transplanting and in the winter.

[@inelouw]

I probably made all these mistakes in my current winter sowing project, but we'll see how they do! 😅 The winter hardy veggies like arugula, spinach and radish have already come up, I'm a little bit worried that I'll have to baby them all through February frosts. But on the flip side, maybe I'll actually get really early harvests from them.

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Hey if they've already sprouted....although they'll need babysitting. that means you are at least on the right track!

[@inelouw]

@@EsthersGardeningAdventures I did put all my containers in a big bowl of water like you suggested, and it's already made a huge difference, so thank you for that!

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Just make sure not to leave them in the water permanently. They need to be able to drain.

[@Maczust63]

I put a tag into the jug only after I put seeds in. This is so I know that I sowed the seeds.

[@HawkNestM7]

I was wondering, my spinach and one of my lettuce has white fuzzy mold patch that started? Is that from (1) my jug not being cleaned out enough? (2) contaminated soil? (3) too much rain? Also, does that mean throw it out?

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Algae in the jugs is pretty common as it's a humid warm environment. I'd say double check that your jugs are draining well and as long as your plants look healthy don't worry about it.

[@michellefrance1165]

Can you winter sow pumpkins? Thanks for all the great tips 😊

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Yes absolutely!

[@valerieoster8049]

Hi Esther. I put out about forty jugs last weekend ( perennial seeds) and was planning to put out my hardy annuals this weekend but this week our temps in zone 5B are in the 50’s Fahrenheit. Should I wait until the weather gets colder again to set out those seeds?

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

I think you'll be fine putting them out now. As long as you are around to cover any sprouted jugs on freezing nights you'll be fine. Also look at the nighttime temps. As long as they dip low, then nothing that is frost sensitive should sprout.

[@valerieoster8049]

Thank you 😊

[@mombot7467]

I'm worried that we're getting 50-60 degrees in February! I put my jugs out last week!

[@christinetullmann3532]

Me, too!

[@Marie-1964]

Esther thanks for the great info, you've been very helpful. I have winter sown 17 jugs. Can you winter sow watermelon seeds?

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

That's awesome you've got so many out already. Yes you can winter sow watermelon. I have in the past

[@Marie-1964]

Thank you sweetie. This is my first time gardening. I have seeded lemongrass, paper balloon flowers, and tomato plants inside as well. I am so very excited about it all. I am 59 and wish I would've been doing this all my life. And I can't get enough of your videos.

[@Marie-1964]

Oh, I am zone 8b, middle georgia

[@Flower_hoarder]

🌱THANK YOU 🌱

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

You are most welcome. Enjoy!

[@Maczust63]

Earwigs and crickets will do a number on your seedlings not just slugs. Water, soap and soy sauce traps work for earwigs.

[@petecilione4166]

Just see this now. I jut did a dozen jugs. To be continued tomorrow.~ Tammy

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Nice! I'm putting out a handful more this weekend too.

[@SashasGarden38]

New here 😊 Great video🌱

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Thanks and welcome!

[@rebeccazody1278]

💕💕💕

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Thank you!

[@margaretreid5989]

❤

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Thank you!

[@shyekiera]

I've had seeds that germinated past one year.

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Yes many seeds do. The germination rate declines after year one but as I said most varieties of seeds are viable for several years. Onions are one exception and of course there's always exceptions to the exceptions.

[@ShinyHappyPeepss]

You are the best gardening content creator. You are very thorough. Otherwise i would be reading gardening for idiots. 🩷🙂

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

Wow, thank you!

[@judymckerrow6720]

Thanks Esther. ❄️🫠💚🙃

[@EsthersGardeningAdventures]

You are most welcome!