Tomatoville® Gardening Forums - View Single Post

Polar_Lace · February 15, 2009

Hi all,

One way that I stratify seeds (when I forget to put them out in the Fall) is to wet down a window sill box, sow the seeds on top of the soil; then place 2 plastic bags of ice on top of them. When I lived in upstate NY I even did it. Cause I always forgot some seeds along the way. I used to let the ice melt on it's own and sometimes followed up with more ice.

If I couldn't put more ice on top, and it was starting to warm up, then I would put some plastic on top with bent metal clothes hangers (I found that walmart sells metal clothes hangers 10 in a pack for $1.24, plastic coated no less, in white or black.) Very fashionable! The plastic sheeting I used was bought at walmart too; in the paint section. A 3 pack of plastic drop cloth (9'x12' each,) gauge .7 mil. They make nice mini-hoop enclosures. I only bought the 9'x12' (3 pack) cause I can't be bothered finagling around with the larger sized plastic.

Using this method I was able to create a winter freezing/warming climate for the seeds that need the stratification method. HTH

~* Robin

February 15, 2009	#22
Polar_Lace Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Z8b, Texas Posts: 657	Hi all, One way that I stratify seeds (when I forget to put them out in the Fall) is to wet down a window sill box, sow the seeds on top of the soil; then place 2 plastic bags of ice on top of them. When I lived in upstate NY I even did it. Cause I always forgot some seeds along the way. I used to let the ice melt on it's own and sometimes followed up with more ice. If I couldn't put more ice on top, and it was starting to warm up, then I would put some plastic on top with bent metal clothes hangers (I found that walmart sells metal clothes hangers 10 in a pack for $1.24, plastic coated no less, in white or black.) Very fashionable! The plastic sheeting I used was bought at walmart too; in the paint section. A 3 pack of plastic drop cloth (9'x12' each,) gauge .7 mil. They make nice mini-hoop enclosures. I only bought the 9'x12' (3 pack) cause I can't be bothered finagling around with the larger sized plastic. Using this method I was able to create a winter freezing/warming climate for the seeds that need the stratification method. HTH ~* Robin __________________ It's not how many seeds you sow. Nor how many plants you transplant. It's about how many of them can survive your treatment of them.