How to Winter Sow The Lazy Way
Winter sowing typically involves mini-greenhouses made of milk jugs, but did you know you can sow seeds directly in the ground during winter? Winter sow the lazy way and you’ll avoid having to source pots, potting soil, and grow lights. Learn how to plant seeds during the cool months alongside seasoned grower Jerad Bryant.
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Winter sowing is a great way to grow more in tune with your garden while it’s cool outside. Although not much is growing this season, seeds and seedlings prepare for spring underneath the soil. When you plant seeds ahead of time, you give them ample time to adapt to the local climate.
Direct sowing during winter is ideal for seeds requiring cold stratification, a term for the cold period that many seeds need to germinate. Native plants, cold-loving veggies, and early spring flowering ornamentals often require a cold stratification period to sprout as temperatures warm.
When you germinate plants outdoors, they don’t need to harden off as transplants do. Their roots grow quicker and stronger than potted seedlings, as they have uninhibited access to soil, air, water, and sunlight.
Whether you’re using the lazy way or traditional equipment, the best time to winter sow in North America is from December through February. Growers outside of North America should follow these steps during their winter season. No matter where you grow, this process will help you cultivate bushels of lettuce, peas, and edible leafy greens despite recurring frosts!
Step 1: Choose the Right Seeds
Cool-loving plants perform better than hot-loving ones. You may directly sow hot crops like peppers and tomatoes, though they won’t germinate until well into summer! The best crops to directly sow are frost-tolerant species germinating at low temperatures between 45-60°F (4-16°C).
Some ideal crops include radishes, brussels sprouts, and kale. Frost-tolerant wildflowers prefer direct sowing during winter, as they have strict cold stratification requirements. Other non-native plants appreciate winter sowings if they originate from temperate areas with winter chill.
Root crops are other excellent options for winter planting, as they generally dislike root disturbance. Direct sow them and you’ll avoid handling their roots when they’re most sensitive. Beets, carrots, turnips, and parsnips dislike transplanting and are ideal for direct sowing.
Step 2: Prepare the Site
After choosing your crops and wildflowers, it’s a good idea to clear the planting site in preparation for your seedlings. Remove rocks, weeds, and old plant debris so that the soil is visible. Frozen soil is difficult to work with, so choose a warm day to start the process.
Don’t worry if there’s snow on the ground! Frost-tolerant seeds resist outside pressures during winter; they stay safe inside their protective coverings, making lazy winter sowing even easier. Simply move the snow off the soil and add leaf mold or compost. Then, rake the surface so it’s even. An even bed ensures your seedlings sprout throughout the site and not just in one spot.
Snow isn’t a concern, though frozen soil is. Snow often acts as a mulch, protecting and insulating the ground so it doesn’t freeze. If you uncover the ground and find it frozen, you’ll want to wait until it thaws before you plant. Try growing seedlings in raised beds or containers, as their soil often thaws quicker than the ground.
Step 3: Sow Cold-Hardy Plants
With the bed prepared, you’re ready to plant! There are two main ways to bury seeds, with furrows or holes. Furrows form straight lines, while holes create more sporadic designs; choose whichever technique works best for you and your garden.
I garden in the Pacific Northwest where many crops survive the winter! Furrows are hard to create, as they don’t make space for my existing plants. I prefer to poke holes around the growing plants, put seeds down, and mark the holes with a stick so I know where the seedlings will grow.
You may choose to make furrows if they work best for your setup. New gardens, large open spaces, and raised beds are the perfect locations for this planting style. Start by digging as deep as the seeds need for planting, making a straight line that looks like a trough. Place the seeds inside, then gently push the soil back into the dug furrow to cover them.
Even though you aren’t using winter sowing containers, it’s important not to be lazy about labeling. Don’t forget to label your plants! Otherwise, you may lose track of the seedlings as they sprout and confuse them for weeds. Use biodegradable wood labels to avoid having tiny plastic pieces break apart in your garden.
Step 4: Let Nature Do the Watering
Moisture is one of many factors that act as a signal for seeds. When they sense ample water, they sprout readily and push roots deep into the soil. Air, light, and temperature are the other main signals that help encourage germination.
If you water excessively in mid-winter, your seeds might grow too wet before they’re ready to germinate. This can cause rot, fungal pathogens, and molds that threaten sensitive seedlings! Ward them off by letting nature water your seeds for you.
As winter evolves into spring, rain grows more frequent and snow begins to melt. This excess moisture helps the seeds grow at a time that’s suitable for them. They’ll sprout when conditions are optimal for healthy, vigorous growth.
You may add extra irrigation if you’re having a particularly dry winter or spring. Ensure the soil stays moist and not soggy, and monitor it as winter progresses.
Step 5: Remove Competition
Winter sowing allows a passive approach to seed starting, but it doesn’t mean you can be lazy about weeds. After cultivating the area, you may notice dozens of seedlings pop up amongst the ones you planted! These weeds take advantage of the clear, even soil to sprout and take over. They’ll restrict the root growth of your preferred plants, and they often reseed quicker than most other species.
As weeds sprout, your veggies and wildflowers sprout too. Take care not to remove them, and only pick seedlings you know are weeds. Sometimes it’s better to let weeds grow a bit if you can’t identify them. After they sprout true leaves and stems they’re easier to identify.
The other competition comes from crops that sprout in clusters. Beets and Swiss chards are two common types that form these structures. When you plant them, you’re planting two to four seeds at once! Let each one sprout, then thin the seedlings so they have ample space to grow. Beets and chard specimens need at least four inches of space around themselves.
Step 6: Wait for Sprouts!
The fun part of lazy winter sowing is watching your baby plants grow on their own. Although seedlings may germinate in the midst of frosty weather, they won’t grow fast until temperatures begin warming in late winter and early spring. Once temperatures reach the optimal range, they’ll excel and rapidly grow upwards.
Have patience, as some plants may not sprout for many weeks. Parsley is cold tolerant, though its seeds need warm temperatures to germinate. You won’t see new seedlings until winter’s end. Others, like radishes, may sprout and grow before the first frost date.
If you think your seeds failed to sprout, try planting more later on in the season. The warming temperatures may help them germinate better than the first round. Many fail to sprout because of excess cover—ensure you plant them at their preferred depth, and remove debris if it falls on them.
Step 7: Give Plants a Boost
Some tricks help boost seedling germination rates. Using frost cloth or a hoop house, you can increase the soil and air temperature around seeds so it’s warmer than the outdoors. Although not as lazy as direct sowing, these techniques help the seeds sprout despite harsh frosts and extreme weather.
Frost cloth works best as a temporary solution. It’ll keep young plants warm on frosty nights by trapping heat underneath the cloth. You may use old bedsheets instead of purchasing frost cloth. Simply drape the sheets over the plants, holding them up with sticks or bricks so they don’t press down on tender seedlings.
A hoop house works well for raised and in-ground beds. You place metal U-posts or PVC pipe over the beds and drape greenhouse plastic over them, weighing the cover down with stones or bricks. I like to use large clamps to hold the plastic onto the beds. Open the cover once a day for proper ventilation, and watch as your seedlings sprout before your eyes!
Step 8: Cultivate Your Crops
Germination is the beginning! After your precious seeds sprout it’s time to care for them as they mature into their adult life. Keep weeding any unwanted plants that pop up, and maintain a moist but not soggy soil culture for the growing plants.
Slugs and snails may target your seedlings, turning growing plants into mushy messes! Bait them with beer traps, or let a few weeds remain to pull them away from the seedlings. Snails and slugs target green, fleshy material and can be lured away with trap crops like nasturtiums or mustard. They’ll eat the trap crops instead of your precious seedlings.
To make a beer trap, fill a shallow dish with a light beer. Bury the dish so its opening sits at the soil’s surface. The slimy critters will crawl into the beer and drown, that way they don’t target your vegetables and wildflowers. You may continuously sow seeds as the weather warms to create a garden bursting with new growth. When in doubt, consult a sowing guide—it’ll tell you when and what to plant outdoors during winter based on your average frost dates.
