Did you know certain pollinator plants require colder temperatures in order to germinate come spring?

This makes winter the perfect time to prepare for spring pollinator plants – essential for helping our pollinator populations grow and thrive. Nearly 80% of our ecosystem’s fruit, vegetable and grain crops would cease to exist without pollination.

The alternation of freezing and thawing in colder, moist soil is actually good for seeds – breaking down their waxes, hormones and heavy seed coats and allowing them to sprout at just the right time.

In fact, seeds will grow much stronger when sowed or acclimatized in the winter. It’s important to check which climate zone you live in before choosing to do a winter sowing but here’s a general list of seed types that can be planted in January or February:

• Alyssum
• Bachelor Button
• Baptisia
• Columbine
• Coreopsis
• Delphinium
• Forget-me-not
• Foxglove
• Hollyhock
• Lavender
• Larkspur
• Lupine

The traditional winter sowing method for sowing using clear, one-gallon milk or water jugs.

Traditional Winter Seed Sowing Method

With a traditional winter sowing method, there is no need for growing lights, seed-starting kits or anything else – and you won’t have to worry about your seedlings growing spindly on windowsills with weak winter light.

To try the traditional winter sowing process:

1. Use clear, one-gallon milk or water jugs or pretzel containers
2. Carefully cut across the width of each jug, just below the handle, so the bottom becomes a tray. Don’t cut all the way through though – leave an inch still connected at the back, so the top of the jug is still attached in one section and becomes a hinge.
3. Punch out some drainage holes in the bottom and a few holes in the top for ventilation.
4. Add two to three inches of potting soil to the bottom of each jug, then moisten it, plant your seeds and lightly pushed down the soil.
5. Cover each jug with its attached topper and tape the top piece to the bottom.
6. Put the jugs outside! Make sure they’re in the sun but sheltered from the wind.
7. Let seasonal precipitation and low temps do their magic until spring.
8. In early spring, look for seedlings. Open the jug tops and gently check the soil. If it’s dry, moisten gently. Close the tops. As the days get warmer, open the tops during daylight hours and close at night.

When it comes to indoor sowing, growing lights are highly recommended for best results over windowsill lighting.

Starting Seeds Indoors

If you’re not quite ready to get your pollinator garden prepped outdoors this winter, consider starting your seedlings indoors first. This will give you a jump-start on growing pollinator plants and can lead to a successful garden.

Not all plant species can be sowed outdoors during the winter, so starting indoors is your only option unless you live in more southern and tropical climates.

Unsure which seeds to select or when to start your seedlings? Refer to the 2023 Almanac Planting Calendar and check local frost dates for 2023 before you get started.

To begin with indoor seeding, you’ll need:

• Seed-starting soil mix: No peat, as it releases too much carbon. Instead, look for a soil mixture that contains sustainable alternatives such as coconut coir.
• Containers: Use sowing pots, plug trays or – even better – recycled food containers from items like yogurt, ricotta cheese, sour cream or cottage cheese. You can also learn how to make your own biodegradable pots using egg cartons, toilet paper tubes and newspaper.
• Lighting: Avoid windowsills, as they offer insufficient lighting. Growing lights are highly recommended — placed about four to six inches above the canopy of the seedlings. Plants may need as much as 15+ hours of light per day during the winter, but research what your specific plant mixture needs.

These resources also offer tips to successfully get your seeds started indoors:

• Step by Step on Potting and Transplanting Seeds Indoors
• How to Harden Off Indoor-Sown Plants

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