Photos and article: Cydney Ross, Deep Roots’ Outdoor Education Manager
Our native plant species depend on cold winter days to rest and prepare for the next growing season. Many seeds benefit from freezing and thawing, known as cold-moist stratification. Come spring, this process boosts germination rates for some. December-February is a great time for outdoor winter sowing or to plant pre-refrigerated seeds indoors.
Throughout the year thousands of seeds are planted in the greenhouse at the Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center. From quintessential Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) to robust Blazing Stars (Liatris species) we grow native plants to support nature at home. These plants are given away during Missouri Department of Conservation’s Go Native and Monarch Mania annual events in April and September.
Starting January 2025, Deep Roots is hosting three monthly greenhouse workshops at the Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center. If you’ve gardened with me, you know my favorite way to learn is by hands-on experience. During these in-person sessions you can learn how to grow native plants from seed indoors. Like our outdoor Discover Native Gardening sessions, this is also a great way to enjoy camaraderie and learn new skills.
Registration for our upcoming Discover Native Gardening – Greenhouse workshops are free, but spaces are limited. Questions? Contact Cydney cydney@deeprootskc.org
Want to learn more about winter sowing? Check out our archived Winter Sowing Webinar where I discuss various methods for growing seed outdoors.
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