Plastic bags are a good way to sow before the spring weather comes

MOSES LAKE — Winter may be wheezing out its last gasps, but we’re still a ways off from time to put most spring plants outdoors. Seeds can be planted ahead of time in milk jugs or ice cube trays, but there’s a third medium that’s had some success: plastic resealable bags. “You can start sweet peas in bags,” said Valerie Parrott, president of the Columbia Basin Garden Club. “You can start a lot of winter sowing things putting them in the (plastic) bags. Just line them up outside.” The bags should be filled with some sort of absorbent material. Parrott uses potting soil, but moss, coffee filters or towels are also options, according to the website Gardening Tips and Tools.