Below, we share our best guide for getting started on winter sowing.
What Is Winter Sowing?
Winter sowing refers to planting seeds outdoors during winter.
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This can include food crops, cover crops, or spring-blooming annuals, among others.
Winter sowing requires planting seeds that are hardy in cold temperatures.
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Many cold-loving annual flowers that bloom in spring can be sown at this time.
Early-spring herbs like dill, oregano, and mint can also be winter sown.
Consider your space and available sunlight.
Do a bit of research to explore different seed varieties to try.
We’ve recommended some cold-hardy varieties that may grow with no protection in USDA Zones 4-7.
In extremely low temperatures, a simple cloth cover can protect them.
Plant these in mid to late fall to help them get established before frost.
Clover: These plants produce food for pollinators and help to fix nitrogen in the soil.
Best sown before first hard frost.
Try crimson clover, red clover, and arrowleaf clover.
you’re able to mix them with a bit of sand for easier casting.
Winter Cereals: These include oats, barley, wheat, and rye.
Sow them in autumn.
There are many varieties, including heirlooms and organic seeds.
These can be gently raked into the soil and lightly tamped down.
The young shoots can be eaten in many ways.
Harvest the shoots in spring before they go to seed in May.
Spring Blooming Annuals
These flowers germinate in winter for early spring blooms.
These can all be sown in autumn through early winter.
Other colors include pink, white, purple, lavender, red, and many bi-colors.
Forget-Me-Nots: The paleblue flowersare a welcome sight in spring.
Snip back the stems when they go to seed to avoid having them reseed too assertively in the garden.
The small clumps can be easily pulled and replanted elsewhere if they come up in an undesirable spot.
Yes, winter sowing can be done directly.
Loosening the soil a bit with a rake gives the seeds a better chance to germinate.
Cover crops like winter cereals (rye, wheat, oats) also make good winter sowing choices.
