How to winter sow
Most native plants need their seeds to go through a process to cool and warm the seeds so that their outer shell softens, enabling them to sprout (also called cold moist stratification or CMS). This cycle is naturally provided by our winter and spring seasons.
Plants that require stratification cannot simply be sown directly outdoors either in the soil or in pots in the spring.
Quick step-by-step videos are available on our YouTube channel (How to winter sow playlist).
The Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia also has a Guide for Youth on Winter Sowing.
You can also print winter sowing instructions by scrolling at the end of this page.
Plants that do not require cold moist stratification are listed on the Prairie Moon Nursery website.
How to transplant and repot seedlings
Quick step-by-step videos are available on our YouTube channel (How to transplant and report seedlings)
We ask you to donate extra seedlings during our in-person event or during individual plant exchanges (in the summer only).
Additional resources
- How to build a simple hoop house cold frame for growing native plants outdoors, Blooming Boulevards
- Micro-Nursery Q&A, Sundaura Alford-Purvis
- Native Plant Propagation: How to Set Up Indoor Grow Lights, Blooming Boulevards
HOW TO WINTER SOW- COMMENT SEMER EN HIVER (Bilingual)
