Winter Sowing

The seeds of plants native to this region typically need a winter's freeze and thaw cycle to germinate. The seeds can be planted in the ground in the autumn; but for better protection from animals and the elements, milk-jug greenhouses can be used. More seedlings survive with this method, potentially.

(It should be noted, however, that I only tried this once before, indoors.)





My complete list of winter-sewn seeds for Gabe's Garden will be:

Andropogon gerardi - Big Bluestem grass
Panicum virgatum - Switch Grass
Sorghastrum nutans - Indian Grass
Allium stellatum - Prairie Onion
Echinacea simulata - Glade Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea - Purple coneflower
Echinacea paradoxa - Yellow coneflower
Monarda citriodora - Lemon Mint
Monarda fistulosa - Wild Bergamot

. . .and also Dog Hobble, Leucothoe fontanesiana, for the back yard, which I plan to use as a barrier around the poison sumac.