Southborough Open Space Preservation Commission’s Winter Sow Program

Announcing Free Seeds for Pollination Preservation Gardens! The Southborough Open Space Preservation Commission (OSPC) is once again hosting a Winter Sow Program.

You can have beautiful flowers while helping our most at risk pollinators. Our native plants have co-evolved with New England weather patterns and most native plants require a period of repeated freezing and thawing for their seeds to break dormancy and germinate. The OSPC Winter Sow Program allows you to order free seeds, and we will show you how to plant in milk jugs to replicate needed weather conditions so that you will have wonderful plants next summer.

Using this simple method of planting in milk jugs that are then placed outside over the winter, you will be amazed with the bounty of native plants even the most inexperienced gardener can grow for their gardens with extras to share with friends. No gardening experience necessary.

We are offering 36 varieties of seeds this year. If you participated last year, there are a dozen new offerings since last year, so check out the list, make sure to look at 3 plants on the addendum. Go to the OSPC webpage and use the Seed List and Addendum to select which seeds you want to plant. Click here for Seed List

Use this Eventbrite to register for orders. All activities will be covid safe.

Seed pick-up will be drive-through on February 5th at Southborough’s Cordaville Hall. Details provided when you register on Eventbrite. That will be followed by a webinar on how to prepare the jugs and plant the seeds on Tuesday February 8th.

You should start collecting milk jugs – 1 or 2 for each species you plan to order. Start prepping jugs now if you already know how to prepare them. The February 8th webinar/workshop will have a real time demo with plenty of time for Q&A. Or get started now making jugs by watching this video: Preparing_Jugs_for_Planting

This is a Southborough focused event, but out-of-towners are welcome. In fact, some of our best volunteers have come from other towns. Following the Seed Pick-Up all who registered will be provided detailed information on materials needed for planting as well as a link to a Zoom Webinar on Tuesday February 8th, at 7PM. Once registered you will be notified of updates posted on the OSPC Pollination Preservation Winter Sow Workshop file on the OSPC website.

This program is part of the OSPC Native Plant / Native Pollinator Initiative. Since 2015, the OSPC has been working with Dr. Robert Gegear, UMass Dartmouth professor of biology, Breakneck Hill Conservation Land was his first research site after he discovered one of Massachusetts most at risk species of bumblebees on a site visit. His research has resulted in a plant list for at- risk pollinators. All the seeds being offered were collected in Southborough from plants on his list. The OSPC is now partnering with the Southborough Rotary Club to create Pollination Preservation Gardens in town. The OSPC and Rotary Club co-hosted a presentation by Dr. Gegear on his research. Southborough Access Media recorded the event, and you can view it here: "More Than Just The Buzz!" Presentation by Dr. Robert J Gegear December 15, 2021 - YouTube

The OSPC is thankful to the many volunteers who are working hard to make this project happen. You can get updates on this project and other events on the OSPC webpage and on the Native Plant Gardens of Southborough FB group.

Registrations are closed

Seed Orders for Southborough Pollination Preservation Winter Sow Program