Still too cold to enjoy your terrace? Well, not really.
This time of year I’m planting my favorite herb and perennials seeds and come March and April I’ll be planting tender annual seeds. Using a technique called Winter Sowing I can garden in the middle of winter, and you can too! In the spring my terrace will be filled with a wide variety of beautiful flowering plants far beyond the limited selection offered commercially.
Winter sowing is a flexible gardening and up-cycling technique developed by New York native Trudi Davidoff, whose website provides a wealth of information on the topic. Working in partnership with Mother Nature one can grow an amazing array of beautiful plants and for mere pennies. While gardener lovers nationwide have embraced the winter sowing technique, New Yorkers have been slow to come on board and we want to change that!
In a nutshell, the process is as follows: Choose containers which light can travel through – such as water bottles or milk containers. The plastic containers provide protection from the elements and as well as insulating properties, much like a miniature greenhouse. Prepare the container by cleaning it thoroughly and cutting around at the midpoint leaving a small-uncut portion, which forms a hinge. Poke drainage holes in the bottom of the container and some slits on the sides so rainwater and melting snow can escape. My preferred planting medium is about four inches of fluffy potting soil, lightened with vermiculite or perlite to insure good drainage. Finally it’s time to plant the seeds according to the directions on the packet. Seal the container back together with duct tape, label each container, and then place it on the terrace to spend a few cold months outdoors. Lids stay off so the rain and snow can trickle thru. That’s it! In the spring your seedlings will emerge as healthy, sturdy plants and dazzle you all summer with their beauty.
We encourage you to give winter sowing a try. It’s a relaxed, flexible affair and a totally fun way to play in the dirt in the middle of winter.
Check back this spring to see my progress!
