Video: Winter Sowing

Today marks my 5th video for the 2026 garden season and it’s about winter sowing. The 1st two videos were on the veggies and flowers we’re going to grow this year. The 3rd was about when to start your seeds and in the 4th, I covered the basics of seed-starting.

I felt that a video on the unusual method of winter sowing was in order, before I move onto other topics.

What in the world is winter sowing?

• You plant seeds in prepared containers.
• Next, you set the containers into a sunny area of your yard or garden.
• The seeds germinate when the time is right for them.
• You don’t have to worry about them getting damping-off disease, which is caused by a deadly fungus.
• The plants will automatically get acclimated to the intensity of the sunlight.
• So, in essence, the gardener plays a minimal role in all of this! Interested?

I’ve been trying to remember how many years I’ve used this rather unorthodox method. The oldest photos I have are from 2020, so perhaps this is my 7th year. One of my favorite reasons for pursuing it is because I’m anxious to do some actual gardening! Unfortunately, spring is still a long ways off. But with winter sowing, you can start seeds early and let them take care of the rest of the details.

As I mentioned in this video, our garden ordinarily would covered in snow this time of year. Unfortunately, we are experiencing a very dry winter this year. I thought I should include the photo at the top so you could see what it normally looks like. And complete with the planted jugs!

Which kinds of seeds can you use?

The short answer is just about anything. In the early days, I pictured that cool season crops were the only ones you could start this way. Boy was I wrong! I’ve grown all sorts of things from lettuce and arugula to zinnias, onions, leeks, and milkweed. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg… no pun intended! However, I didn’t think to mention in the video that root crops aren’t a good idea for winter sowing. That’s because they don’t like to have their roots disturbed, which can adversely affect their growth.

What are the most important points about winter sowing?

• Choose clear or nearly-clear containers
• Remove the lids (you don’t need them) and punch holes into the top and bottom of the containers
• Cut the container (be careful!), leaving the top and bottom connected a bit
• Once you’ve planted your seeds, tape together the top and bottom of the container
• Place the containers in a level area where they will get plenty of sunshine. Stabilize them with bricks or boards, esp. if they’re in a windy area. Don’t put them under a roof overhang because you want Mother Nature to water your plantings.

I also wanted to show you what a planted container will look like in the spring. This photo shows some young lupine seedlings that I started during the winter. Pretty cool, huh?

Ready to SEE how to do your own winter sowing? Here’s my video:

I hope you enjoyed the video and that you’re going to give it a try! Would you believe I’ve shot over 650 videos so far? Here’s a link to my YouTube channel. Please make yourself at home!