How Much Sun For Wintersowing?

by Robin
(Massachusetts)

Question:

Brad, you wrote that I should place the milk jugs where they will receive a few hours of sunlight a day. Would more hours of sunlight be bad? I have a southern exposure that receives sunlight the full day. Do I need to move the jugs to a more shaded place?

Thanks!

Answer:

Hi Robin,
That's a great question, one I had when I first started wintersowing.

If I were in your shoes, I would leave the containers in the full sun spot. The full day of sun, but then a FULL NIGHT of darkness is very natural for the seeds.

The only additional information I would suggest is this: About the time the seeds sprout and the seedlings start to grow, you'll need to scale down the amount of sun they receive per day, and most likely move them out of the southern sun.

Those tender seedlings will burn up very quickly with too much sunlight. I would say....try to move them to a location that gets only about 6-8 hours of sun per day when the seedlings have formed. Even then, try to make sure their not getting an extreme "Southern Sun" during those hours.

I hope that answers your question. Please let me know if you need any other help.

All the best to you during your Wintersowing adventure!!

Brad