If you’ve never tried winter sowing and love to garden but don’t have all the fancy lights, space and time to start seeds inside, this is the method for you, 

Any plastic container that’s see through or clear works perfectly. Plastic gallon milk containers, food containers, restaurant to-go containers, you name it. A heated screwdriver is used to poke holes in the bottom for drainage, and then a few on top for heat to escape. Add your soil, seeds, water in completely, and then close up the container. Place them is the sunniest spot outside in your yard. Then let mother nature work its magic. 

If you’re using milk containers you don’t need the top cap. Throw that out. In a few weeks your seeds will begin to germinate. As your plants begin to get bigger and the weather warms, you may need to open up the tops. At some point you’ll be able to plant whatever you’ve grown right into the garden. With no hardening off. No hassle with starting seeds indoors, messy counters, watering, replanting into bigger pots, or managing lights. 

The time to start is now. You might have another month to do it here in northern Utah, zone 7. This last sowing for me is lemon balm and then 3 different varieties of lettuces. Getting ready for another epic gardening season.