Winter Sowing Native Seeds
Winter sowing is one way to put seeds of native plants through the necessary cold stratification.
My garden is a National Wildlife Certified Native Habitat filled with many plants that are native to my area. They provide food and shelter for a large number of insects, birds, and animals that pass through or live in my area.
While many of the plants will reseed and multiply on their own, I’ve begun collecting seeds to share with others and to make a concerted effort to propagate them. The seeds of many native plants need a period of cold stratification (soil, moisture, freezing temps) to break dormancy and germinate. Some gardeners do this artificially in their refrigerator or by creating mini greenhouses in milk jugs which are left outside in the winter.
I’ve done the milk jug method but this year I decided to use one of my vegetable garden beds to winter sow a few types of natives. I am optimistic that I will have seedlings to replant in my yard and to share with neighbors.
Temperatures were mild between Christmas and New Years so I took to my garden with a rake to clear debris from the bed. I then scattered the seeds into sections and then used the rake to gently cover them up.
I’m curious to see how well the seeds germinate and look forward to discovering little seedlings in the spring.
Gardening for Wildlife Resources
Fave resources for gardening for wildlife:
Fave books for gardening for wildlife:
Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard by Douglas W. Tallamy (Amazon, Bookshop)
Nature's Best Hope: How You Can Save the World in Your Own Yard (Young Readers' Edition) by Douglas W. Tallamy and adapted by Sarah L. Thomson (Amazon, Bookshop)
Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants by Douglas W. Tallamy (Amazon, Bookshop)
The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees by Douglas W. Tallamy (Amazon, Bookshop)