Goodness it is time for you to try Winter Sowing.
For those of you that have seeds already get your milk jugs going. If not save them up now asap. Any zone can get going and now. Plant now for lovely garden later. I am in zone 6. My offical start date on tomato seeds is 2/8 each year, out side in the frozen world. These mini green houses will save you a ton at the garden center this spring.
Take a used milk jug plastic or two liter soda bottle cut it open so you hae solid 3 inch bottom for soil. I hinge mine at the handle so can carry them, put in drainage holes add soil water plant seeds, mark on the out side with a sharpie, date it and what is in the jug, duck tape it shut so it is a little green house sit out side in a sunny area where you can water with a hose. You will be shocked at how many plants will spourt out side in this carton in 7 days with snow and ice on the ground under them.
The main things to start NOW today in jan are perennials.
if you are not sure what a perennial is try this site
http://www.perennials.com/
I do mostly tomatos, but love, poppy flowers and cosmos with shasta daisys.
every thing you want to know about winter sowing
http://wintersown.org/
It so works and is great way to have lots of expensive plants for the seed and potting soil prices.
picture of some milk jugs out in the cold waiting to sprout.
if you goggle winter sowing images you can pop up lots of images on jugs .
This way will grow very cold hardy plants with great root systems. Poppies can go out way after the last day of frost. Never had poppy flowers till tried this love winter sowing.
Give a few things a try even lettuce for the peeps.
ML
