Warm Season plants can be "wintersown in April
More warm season crops seeds are being distributed!
this week: annual herb seeds
Seeds of a variety of basils, dill, shiso, cilantro and other herbs are being shared to little free cabinets now. These herbs are grown as annuals and new plants are needed each season because they do not survive midwest winters. It is still too cold outside to plant these crops directly into garden soil, so they should either be started indoors ( try the wicking container method!), or they can be “winter sown” and put outdoors immediately. Both these methods provide options to traditional indoor seed starting and use household supplies or items from your recycling bin.
Even in April, you can still “Winter-Sow”!
warm-season flowers, herbs and veggies can be winter-sown now
The name “winter sowing” is rooted in a technique that focuses on hardy perennial flowers. These are plants that survive in the ground over the winter like Minnesota native plants fit this grouping. The time has past to sow most native perennials, but good news- you can continue winter sowing in April! Sometimes "winter sowing" done at this time of year is also called "spring sowing". Since there are so many other types of sowing in the springtime, I tend to just call the technique "winter sowing".
This technique of making mini-greenhouses in April for warm-season veggie crops, herbs and some annual flowers works well and eliminates a lot of the fuss of starting plants indoors. Tomatoes, cucumbers, zinnias & basil are just a few examples. April temperatures can range wildly with extreme heat or cold; this post walks you through tips to help your seedlings thrive in such situations. Success with winter-sowing in April and May means paying attention to the weather and soil dryness.
illustration by Gita Ghei
a delay in size still can yield bounty
Winter-sown warm-season annuals can be delayed a couple of weeks from plants that have been started indoors. This delay is only temporary as plants catch up quickly. If you do not have capacity or a place to grow seedlings indoors, or are choosing not to pay a nursery for plants, winter-sown plants will help to fill in your gardens for a small investment.