My first year didn't work out as hoped. Seeds germinated but no plants made it to maturity. Live and learn. I certainly intend to try again this year and hope for better results.

I live in zone 7b in the Atlanta metro area. So, when is the optimal time to start? I'm wanting to plant hardy perennials like milkweeds. If Mother Nature were left to her own devices, she would have already sown the seeds. So, is it too early now? Or, are the insides of the containers significantly warmer than the outside temperatures and germination would trigger too soon, thus indicating I should still wait?

Most winter sowing guides recommend the use of otherwise disposable containers like milk jugs. I recognize that one function of these containers is to prevent the seeds from being eaten by birds and squirrels, for example. What about using a terra cotta pot that isn't entirely filled with soil to allow for seedlings to attain some height and covering the pot with plastic wrap with holes poked in to offer protection against critters? Or would there be insufficient light compared to translucent plastic?

I may have been too eager to put seedlings into the ground last year. When is the appropriate time to transplant, at a certain height or after a certain amount of true leaves have emerged?

Thanks to all!

The pot with a plastic vented cover should work.
Keep in mind that the terra cotta pot may dry out faster than a plastic container.

I plant in the ground.
We are far enough south that the plants will grow in the garden all winter.

What kind of milkweeds?
Some (winter sown) plants like echinacea need the cooler temps to break dormancy... And come up in spring... Others like poppies grow all winter and bloom in early spring... And CAN NOT be transplanted.

Need seed list... different seed have different cultural requirements.

stone said: I plant in the ground.
We are far enough south that the plants will grow in the garden all winter.

What kind of milkweeds?
Some (winter sown) plants like echinacea need the cooler temps to break dormancy... And come up in spring... Others like poppies grow all winter and bloom in early spring... And CAN NOT be transplanted.

Need seed list... different seed have different cultural requirements.

I'm planning on trying to germinate butterfly weed, swamp milkweed, and common milkweed. All are native. While I've read that they can be direct sown, I don't want to present a smorgasbord for the squirrels, hence the winter sowing. Is now an appropriate time to start or is January preferable to avoid early germination - are temperatures in the winter sowing containers significantly higher that start time is a real consideration?

Thanks.

Hmmm....
Asclepias syriaca, Asclepias tuberosa, & asclepias incarnata...
Neither Asclepias syriaca nor asclepias incarnata grow well at my house in the sand hills.
In fact...swamp milkweed died out entirely.
I find that growing the matelea vines is a much more rewarding experience here.

I think I'd wait until February to plant these asclepias... They don't need a lot of cold to break dormancy... and don't grow in the winter.

As far as growing in containers?
Containers is ALWAYS more difficult than a seedbed.
Squirrels are unlikely to bother milkweed seed... but they might plant some other stuff with them.
I have started milkweed seed in a container... but I use gallon size nursery pots... not milk jugs.

Tickled to find winter sowing threads here. I'm a big fan of this method - love that my plants are sturdier, hardier and there's no hardening off period before I plant them in the garden.

Winter sowing works well for those of us who garden in colder zones, to get a head start on growing. Georgia is warm enough year round (most years) to direct seed into your garden.

You may certainly sow your seeds in containers - the little plants will love the greenhouse environment and I find seed germination to be far better than direct seeding, especially when tiny seeds are involved. Planting is recommended when the plants have their second set of leaves or true leaves as they are called. Sooner than later is best - however I have not gotten all of mine in the ground that quickly. Some have grown out the top of my containers and when planted they did just fine. In the case of tomatoes, my WS plants caught up with my store bought tomatoes. The special sauce in this case is that usually my WS tomatoes waaay out perform the store bought ones.

In your warmer climate, you'll have to be super aware of not letting your containers dry out or the little plants getting heat stroke on the warm days. Watering and container venting are key. If you get cold nights - in the 40F range and below, you'll want to throw a blanket (not plastic) over your containers and then uncover in the mornings.

'Enclosed container planting' can be done year round...it's not only a winter project. Containers are mini-greenhouses, which aid in getting your seeds to sprout and the plants to grow. I use this method to root stem cuttings, too.

Keep at it....you'll eventually figure out what works for your growing area.

You might find the sowing approach described in this podcast interesting. This method is meant for native seeds and it is given by Heather McCargo who is the director of the Wild Seed Project up in Maine. I listened to it a couple of times because I am getting ready to start some seeds outdoors and it really gets you in the mood to do it.

Link to the interview:
https://joegardener.com/podcas...

Link to the Wild Seed Project
https://wildseedproject.net/

Many people transplant HOS (hunks 'o seedlings) straight into the garden. I find I have better results if I up-pot seedlings (in clumps, usually) and grow them on a while before transplanting to the garden. Once they've filled, say, a 4" pot with roots, I may up-pot again to a trade gallon container or plant into the garden. I don't tend to give my plants a lot of TLC once they are in the garden, so this is what works for me.

I also don't WS until February. As usual, we had a warm spell in January... seeds would have sprouted in my containers and then died when single-digit temps hit in Feb.