Local gardeners who are looking forward to planting seeds don’t have to wait for warmer days. Sowing seeds in recycled containers helps give seedlings a chance to thrive before being transferred to an outdoor garden.

“The best seeds to start indoors will be those that have a growing season that need a longer period than our area provides,” said Linda Pettengill, a Park County Master Gardener.

That includes tomatoes and peppers.

“Many gardeners are left with searching for green tomato recipes due to the abrupt termination of warm, sunny days in the fall,” she said. “Peppers also struggle to ripen.”

Pettengill recently led a program on sowing seeds, giving gardeners tips and walking them through the steps to start seeds in empty plastic milk jugs.

The recycled containers act as miniature greenhouses, according to information compiled by Karen Brown, a Master Gardener with Penn State Extension.

“The containers protect the seeds so more survive to germinate in the spring,” Brown wrote.

Once you’ve decided which seeds to grow, it’s important to learn about the specifics of that particular plant.

“Reading the seed packet carries important information on when and how to plant the enclosed seeds,” Pettengill said. “Careful notice needs to be made on which seeds grow best in our zone.”

Generally, most of Park County is considered Zone 4 under the USDA hardiness zones. That means the growing season here is short, with the last frost typically between May 15-June 1 and the first fall freeze between Sept. 15-Oct. 1. Some parts of Park County are considered Zone 3 if they’re closer to the mountains, or Zone 5 if there’s a sheltered, warmer growing area, Pettengill said.

By starting seeds in a container, they germinate sooner and produce healthier roots when the potting mix is warm, Pettengill said.

“It also allows a jump start on our short growing season,” she said.

A great advantage to sowing seeds in a protected environment is that gardeners can experiment on plants that would not even consider germinating in our zone, Pettengill said.

“The downside is that they will need more of your attention to make sure they thrive,” she added.

It’s also important for gardeners to avoid seeds that do not transplant well and prefer to go directly into the garden, Pettengill said.

Whether you use a plastic milk jug or a two-liter pop bottle, start by washing the container with hot, soapy water to ensure it’s clean. Also make sure you use the right kind of soil.

“Seed starting mixes are sterile so avoid possible mold or fungi issues,” Pettengill said. “It is finer and lighter and makes it easier for tiny seedlings to push through the soil and grow.”

She said a “wonderful reference” is the publication “Gardening Vegetables in Wyoming” by Karen L. Panter through UW Extension.

For a step-by-step tutorial on how to sow seeds in a recycled container, Pettengill recommends a YouTube video by Garden Answer on winter seed sowing. The video can be viewed at www.youtu.be/WgNTAJgW_w4.