I don't think the non-woven floating material would provide enough warmth for the cold snaps I have.

I'm thinking of clear plastic, that might have to nurse a small bed through a few episodes of a week of longer of 10-15 degrees of frost. With a somewhat cold-hardy crop, they would only need the protection occasionally, but then they would need more than 5-10 degrees which I thought that the woven material gave.

Here, usually snow melts too quickly to serve as a "blanket".

I'm also hoping that (some day) hoop tunnels would be enough to get tomatoes into the ground a month earlier in the spring or early summer. The problem there is not so much COLD snaps as "nights hardly EVER stay reliably above 50-55" until July. Maybe the non-woven stuff would be enough for that.

But I know that I'm not going to find enough time and energy in the near future to get this ambitious. I HOPE to get some weeding done, then peas, bok choy and lettuce planted while it's still spring.

But thank you very much for the offer!

I never direct sow much here- too long to bloom in my zone.

Karen

>> 'indirect sow'.
>> plant them out but not in the ground, put them in pots so if you have a late unexpected freeze I can just bring them inside the garage for that one night, or cover them,

My version of that is to come up with some portable shelter that I can put over hardening-off pots that might be "hardening off" for several weeks, waiting for soil to get warm, but too many to fit indoors under lights.

That's sort of my version of wintersowing. The milk jugs afford some protection. If it's REALLY cold I throw a blanket over the jugs. And for colder than that, they go into the garage overnight. The cold isn't much problem for the hardy perennials or annuals, just the half-hardy or tender ones that I baby.

Karen

It was a problem for me, the baby sprouts froze. Mine were in a milk jug, but because of our climate they sprouted too soon and then they froze solid and died. The purpose of winter-sowing is for the cold strat right? They all will grow when it gets warm. I just plant them in the spring so it is warmer and they grow faster. If you plant them after the last frost date you probably won't have to shelter or move them. I do not trust my frost dates, also I do not have as many as Rick or Karen. LOL.

What was it that froze Susan?

I have had that happen, but only a few sprouts and only once or twice. You can avoid that, depending on your climate, by starting wintersowing later for tender plants and/or protecting them in case of frost.

Cold strat is one reason for Wintersowing, though I have other reasons too
- I'm lazy, and WSing is easier : no sterilizing soil or containers, no watering or nurturing until well into spring
- I have very limited space under lights inside
- the process seems so natural that I seem to get greater satisfaction

The problem with wintersowing : As the butter commercial said, you can't fool Mother Nature. Last year was my 8th year wintersowing, and I had my worst results ever. The weather stayed cold, it rained and rained and rained, there was no sunshine to warm the seeds... and my germination was poor. So it's always a gamble.

Karen

You are right about that! I had several to freeze but one was Arizona Apricot, I would need to go back and look at my pictures.
I am sowing mostly Milkweeds. I am also direct sowing some Evening Primrose under my Birch trees! The part that gets morning sun. Wish me luck. They had a picture of it for a banner yesterday only mine is the Mexican kind because of dry soil in that area.

susan

Oh yes, another big storm on it's way. 10 inches of snow for our area on Thursday.

This will end up being the longest February ever.

I heard it. I really heard the meteorologist say in 10 days it will be 50. I can get thru anything now.

pirl said:This will end up being the longest February ever.

It sure is not looking like a good month.

50 sounds like heaven!

50 degrees would be great , last I heard they were calling for 12 to 16 inches in my area.

I heard Georgia already got 6 inches and is getting more today. They are not use to this and I am not even sure they have salt or sand to put on roads. It looks like a horrible storm for a whole lot of people. Take care everyone!

I just watched a news item on the weather for 2014.The question was asked "Why such extremes in weather"
Answer was "the Jet Stream is becoming unstable due to warming at the north pole"
The weather pattern for summer of 2014 is HOTTER than normal.
It was stated that this might be the " new norm " so make adjustments for it.

Our cars already have a thick coating of ice and the lights have started flickering! We're prepared, except no internet if power goes out. Just cellular until those batteries die.

Do you have a car charger for you phone? That's how we charge phones when our power goes out (which happens a lot!). There are also portable back-up chargers you can buy. I bought my son one for Christmas.

Karen

Yes, we have a car charger so that will help. My son is 12 miles away and has already lost power.

We have a fire going already but someone posted this:

http://www.whydontyoutrythis.c...

Pretty clever. I wonder if it works?

Karen