Thanks for the replies everyone! I didn't sow into individual cups -- I just loaded the whole shebang up with dirt and sowed into the dirt. Some stuff I sowed HOS-style, some stuff (like sunflowers, larkspur, etc) I sowed in tiny rows that I made with a fingertip. Of course, as soon as I finished all my containers it started to rain here in Pittsburgh. I moved all of my containers onto a covered porch for the night because I didn't want to flood them so soon! I'm going to move them back out into the yard and the sun today. I had lots of condensation inside my containers so I know I did it right! I labeled my containers by duct taping a snack sized ziploc bag with the names written on a slice of paper. I don't know if that will hold up over the next few months so I will have to check frequently! I've read about the paint pens you guys use. BTW, making the soil was SO EASY! I'm so glad I didn't plunk down all that money for seed starting soil bags. Here they are about 4 dollars for 8 quarts, and with the amount of soil I used it would have been a small fortune. Just a big bale of peat, some compost, and the perlite and it looked almost the same as the MG stuff. I mixed it in a big bag and used the dishwashing liquid tip! Next time I think I would try the mushroom compost over the cow manure compost. Mine had a LOT of large chunks of wood and rocks and stuff. I wound up using only a very small amount. I guess I can use the leftovers out in the beds! Happy growing! Kara

Page 2???? Looks like this thread needs a bump!! Wendy I had to take a peek looks like the swamp is doing great over there on the exchange side. Whooooo hooooo!! Great games you have going which I don't know why I didn't think of anything like that. I guess I am just boring, blahhh. I knew you would do an awesome job!! I hope you are having a blast. Looks like you got close to 50 signups!! That is awesome!! Whooooo hooooo hope it is a great swap girl!!

Dem-Pa, I love your pics. I can't wait to see flowers again. Some of my camellias are blooming, so it isn't like I don't have color in the yard, I am just too ready for spring. I know it will arrive here sooner than a lot of other places, I am just not a winter person. After about a month I am ready for spring again. I started about 40 different varieties in ziplock baggies yesterday. Now the waiting begins. I have checked the two wintersow jugs I have already started, but there is no sign of life yet. I have been collecting jugs and bottles of all shapes and sizes. I have a question though, when you cut windows in the jugs, do you let them sit open all winter? I haven't ever done that and wonder with my temperatures fluxuating ( sp) as much as they do if the windows would help. It will be 52 here tonight, but 30 tomorrow night....

NEWBIE SEED PROJECT / UPDATE December 30, 2016 This year (as last), I started the Newbie seed offerings early in October. In December alone, I've had 24 requests and sent out most of those packages already. And I thought December would be a SLOW month!! I would GREATLY appreciate any seed donations if you have extra seeds you would like to donate to the newbies to help get them started. I need both vegetable/herb/edible seeds as well as flowers, but am currently out of enough veggie seeds to offer the newbies, and can only offer the flowers that I still have left. If you dont have any seeds, but would like to donate ziploc or paper seed packets ready to fill, address size labels for labeling seeds, bubble mailers or make a monetary donation, this would ALSO be GREATLY APPRECIATED. I have purchased seeds as well for newbies, to help round out some packages/add more variety on my dime. This is my way of 'paying it forward" and I spend alot of time prepping before packages can go out...Not that I am complaining. but an additional help would be GREAT! THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION! HAPPY NEW YEAR! Val