Winter Sowing Medicinal Seeds

This year I’m trying winter sowing.

We had quite a bit of snow the first few weeks of February, just when I felt the early stirrings of spring. I celebrate Imbolc February 1st & 2nd, which is the mid-point between Winter Solstice and the spring Equinox, which means we’ve gained enough light for the darkest days of the year to now be behind us. Like clockwork, the first days of February bring cheerful new birdsong to the garden while joyful snowdrops emerge from the frosty ground. It’s also the time of year I gather with my coven of 20+ years. We light candles, confess our hopes and dreams, plant seeds of intention while speaking aloud our commitments for the coming year. It’s my favourite season because it symbolizes the promise of a new year to come. 

While dreaming about next year's garden, I came upon an interesting blog about winter sowing. This is the practice of starting seeds outdoors in the cold, wintery weather to cold stratify seeds which leads to strong, vigorous plants that are well adapted to the cool weather and produce stronger root systems. This makes sense if you think about the cycles of nature. When forgotten tomatoes rot into the ground in the fall, the next spring rogue tomatoes pop up, producing strong vigorous plants. I had some containers kicking around, and I thought, why not try it? It’ll satisfy my gardener's itch as I dreamily sort my herb, flower and vegetable seed collection.

During the early years of the Covid pandemic, when supply chains were compromised, I started to think a lot more about growing the herbs I usually get shipped to me such as Astragalus, Codonopsis, and Licorice root. I love supporting small organic growers and herb companies. However, experiencing the disruption in the delivery system (and the recent Canada Post strike)  made me simultaneously appreciate these small companies even more, and also feel an urgency to keep my own seed stock.

Thankfully, our local seed company Salt Spring Seeds has many of the seeds of these precious herbs I used in my clinic dispensary. This local company grows their seed stock organically in the beautiful, fertile Cranberry Valley, where I spend quite a bit of time with my friend Kathe and her 3 horses. 

 Among my medicinals, I've started to grow beautiful flowers for a cut flower garden. There is nothing more rewarding than having giant blooms that the bees love that I can harvest for my office where I see patients. The older I get, the more I appreciate beautiful flowers. They attract pollinators, add colour and variety in the garden, and many of them are companions to the medicinals and vegetables. In recent years I've fallen in love with snapdragons and Icelandic poppies. 

Some say winter sowing only works for cold hardy plants. Others have experimented, even starting heat-loving plants like tomato seeds in winter. As you see here in my record-keeping book, I'm starting with flowers and a few medicinals. Soon, I'm going to sow more medicinals and vegetables. I'm logging the name on the seed packet, the seed company name and year they were purchased, and the date I sowed. I'll keep an eye for the first sign of germination and log that date. Then, once the plants have their first few sets of true leaves, I'll pot them up or plant them in the garden if they are ready. 

To winter sow, poke holes in both the lower tray and the top dome. The holes in the tray allow for drainage, and the holes in the dome provide moisture from rain or snow.  fill containers with potting soil then sow your seeds in the soil as directed on the seed packet. I tape up the containers so wind does now blow the top dome away. This also helps deter curious critters from nibbling the seeds. 

Set the containers anywhere in the garden that gets decent light. Here, the containers are sitting in last year's tomato patch. They are protected from wind in this location and also get morning light. I’m keeping good notes, so I’ll keep you posted!

Have you tried winter sowing? What were your results? 

Please share below.