This past winter, I experimented with winter sowing, a method for germinating seeds in milk jugs, without the hassle of grow lights, heat lamps, greenhouses, and hardening off plants. (Stay with me – this post is about research, I promise.) If you’re unfamiliar with winter sowing, the short version is: save some milk jugs, cut the jugs in half, poke some drainage holes in the bottom of the jugs, add 4 inches of potting soil, water thoroughly, toss some seeds in, tape the jugs up, and sit them outside in a sunny location, watering when the soil is both not frozen and dry. And that’s it. The jugs stay outside on sunny days, on rainy days, on icy days, and during blizzards. The jugs stay out when there are fluke days with highs in the 80s in February and when the wind chill is in the -30s a week later. In very early spring (in Nebraska, at any rate) the first sprouts in the jugs appear and, when they’re about 2 inches tall, the seedlings are ready to be planted out into the garden.
Image: Milk jugs containing pollinator-friendly plant seeds covered in snow
Image: Poppy sprouts on a sunny day
You might, with good reason, be wondering what winter sowing has to do with the academic research process. As I planted my seedlings this spring, an activity that coincidentally coincided with the 6-week period when I revised a journal article, drafted a book chapter, and wrote an abstract proposing an essay in an edited collection, I reflected on what a fantastic metaphor winter sowing is for the academic research process. So, without further ado, here are ten reminders about research brought to you from my foray into winter sowing.
Image: Rudbeckia seedlings in the garden
- Not all potting soil is created equal, and if you scrimp on this step, your seedlings are going to struggle. Similarly, not all source material is created equal. Free resources found online might be more convenient, but they aren’t always going to give the best results (unless you are winter sowing, and then your neighbor in the local gardening Facebook group is a veritable font of wisdom).
- Winter sowing is about strong roots, not early blooms. In research as in gardening, find methods that let you develop strong, sturdy roots on which you can develop your projects. Early, flashy results can be weak, unable to stand rigorous testing brought about by Nebraska winds and/or peer review.
- You will not achieve 100% germination with the seeds you plant, and that’s okay. Does one backyard pollinator garden really need 5,000 hyssop plants? (The answer here is no; I speak from experience.) Similarly, not every idea for a research project will grow into a conference paper, an article, or a book, and that’s also okay. The healthiest seedlings and ideas will flourish, and you’ll be left with the strongest plants and papers.
- If you do accidentally germinate 5,000 hyssop seedlings or conference paper ideas, share generously with your unsuspecting friends, neighbors, and colleagues. If your goal is to support pollinators or contribute to a scholarly conversation, it’s better if your garden and your research projects do not exist in isolation.
- The internet will tell you that you can winter sow sunflower seedlings, but I am here to tell you that, if you live in Nebraska, it’s a lot of extra work for no good reason. Sowing sunflower seedlings after the last frost produces precisely the same results as winter sowing, with the added benefit of not having to water a milk jug for three months. Research works the same way: test different strategies out, find what produces the best results, and use the methods that work best for you and the research you are hoping to cultivate.
- Label your jugs so you know what you planted. You think you will remember what seeds you put where, but you will not. By the same token, making a mental note of “that really cool article about discourse analysis that I read in the Cleveland airport” is not an appropriate citation management strategy.
- When you do label your jugs, make sure that you use appropriate tools and write legibly. Sharpies are not weather resistant and, if you use them, you will be left with mystery plants come spring. Similarly, if you don’t spend time cleaning up the metadata you add to a citation management software system, you will end up with messy citations.
- Regardless of how well you think you have planned things for a staggered planting season, all your seedlings will be ready to plant out at the same time. This is also true for conference season, which coincides with article revision season as well as Call For Proposals month for next year’s edited collections. Clear your schedule accordingly.
- Squirrels will try to destroy your garden, digging up all the plants you have so carefully planted. Reviewer #2 will always offer comments that make you wonder if they actually read your paper. Re-plant the seedlings, water them thoroughly, ignore Reviewer #2’s snarky asides, and revise and resubmit. Your roots are strong since you followed tip #2 (prioritize strong root systems, not early, weak blossoms).
- Perhaps the most importantly, don’t forget to make time to enjoy your garden and your research project. You worked hard, and you should be proud.
Image: Winter-sown evening primrose
If you have questions about winter sowing or your research projects, please get in touch. Librarians are here to help with every stage of your research. (And your garden.)