Learn how to sow seeds outdoors in winter and spring, from soil and containers to helpful hints. Includes instructions and pictures.

One of the most popular articles ever written for Northern Gardener was on winter-sowing perennials. Winter sowing involves sowing seeds outdoors in mini-greenhouses, made of milk jugs, deli containers and other sealed plastic containers. The seeds are planted in damp soil, then the containers are set outside. Natures thawing and freezing cycles help crack open…

Winter sowing perennials has been around for several years now, and is a great way to start native plants or a lot of plants without the investment in lights, seed-starting trays and the other equipment needed to start seeds indoors. If you have not heard of it before, winter sowing involves planting  seeds in plastic…