Winter sowing is one of my favorite ways to start seeds outdoors — but not every flower or vegetable performs its best this way.
In this video, I’m sharing what I don’t winter sow in my Zone 6b garden and why matching the seed to the method makes such a difference.
We’ll talk about:
• Warm-season annual flowers
• China asters (and what I learned the hard way)
• Heat-loving herbs
• Tender vegetables
• Why soil temperature and timing matter
Just because a seed can germinate outdoors doesn’t mean it will thrive there. In my experience, some plants grow stronger and bloom better when started under consistent warmth.
If you’re winter sowing this year, this will help you save time, seeds, and frustration.
I also have dedicated videos on winter sowing and indoor seed starting if you’d like to explore each method more deeply:
Videos:
What is winter sowing https://youtu.be/QiJSLKpy27s
How winter sowing expanded what I grow from seed https://youtu.be/DxRINkY7MD8
Favorite flowers to winter sow that practically grow themselves https://youtu.be/zo0s3qZac5g
If you prefer to read and see photos:https://stacyling.com/best-flowers-to-winter-sow/
https://stacyling.com/how-to-winter-sow-seeds-outdoors-in-9-easy-steps/
🌸 Want to grow more flowers with less work?I’ve written two books for gardeners who love flowers but don’t want gardening to feel overwhelming.
Low-Maintenance Flower Gardening for Beginners shares the exact approach I use in my own garden — how to choose the right plants, work with your climate, and create a flower garden that looks beautiful without constant upkeep.👉 Get your copy here: https://urlgeni.us/amzn/stacylingbook
The Flower Garden Planner is designed to help you take all those ideas and actually put them into practice — from planning beds and bloom times to keeping everything organized season after season.👉 Get your copy here: https://urlgeni.us/amzn/stacylingbook2
If you enjoy the way I garden and talk through things here on YouTube, these books go much deeper and walk you through the process step by step.
🌸 The blog is where I slow things down and go into more detail. Read it here: https://stacyling.com
🌸Are you ready to get your bloom on? Shop Bricks ’n Blooms Merch here: https://stacyling.com/store/
🌸Check out my favorite gardening supplies here: https://urlgeni.us/amazon/shopforgardensupplies
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7 Comments
I winter sow asters and tomatoes. The key is to start the process later. With tomatoes I winter sow them in April.
Very interesting, Stacy. No one really tells you what not to try.
Selling seeds is regulated. They cannot sell the prior year's seeds without labeling it at the very least and most states prohibit it outright.
Have you ever winter sown something that didn’t perform well? I’d love to know what you learned!
I’ve purchased many seeds from big box stores with no issues. I know what you’re saying, but I wouldn’t discount them as a source of good quality, inexpensive seeds. I’ve sourced seeds from many different places including some of the online vendors you mentioned.
Most seed packets have the year date that they were packed for.
Most seeds are good for several years, yes, depending on how they were stored.
Couldn't you use that date?
I’m in zone 8b, PNW. I would disagree about not winter sowing parsley, as mine ‘winter sows itself’. In parsley’s 2nd year (it’s a biennial), it goes to seed. Then those seeds start to germinate (in place in the garden where I’ve allowed/encouraged them to seed) about mid Jan – mid Feb, reliably. Since it’s a self seeding biennial (at least here…) I have a constant supply from year to year. Plant parsley two years in a row, allow them to drop seed each year, and it’s a self completing process ~ a constant supply of self-replicating parsley plants. At least that’s my experience in the Maritime climate of Washington state.