How to Use Square-Foot Seed Packs for Winter Sowing in Western Oregon and Washington

Winter sowing is the most reliable method for starting native seeds.

At East Portland Plant Club, native meadow seed packs contain the right amount of seed to cover one square foot of meadow when grown in clusters. This system eliminates the guesswork of traditional seed packets, reducing seed cost and waste.

It also makes winter sowing incredibly simple:

If you want a 10-square-foot meadow, buy 10 seed packs. If your hellstrip is 2' × 20' (40 square feet), buy 40 packs. This square-foot method brings professional restoration logic to home gardeners and makes meadow establishment far more predictable, especially in tough sites.

Winter sowing is one of the most successful ways to start a native meadow in Portland—especially in tough sites like sidewalk strips and recently cleared lawns. Square-foot seed packs make the process even easier, as one seed pack can be winter sown in one pot.

How Many Seed Packs Do You Need?

Use this simple rule:

1 pack = 1 pot = 1 square foot of meadow.

For a 10-sq-ft meadow:

• 4 grass packs

• 6 flower packs

For a 25-sq-ft meadow:

• 12–13 grass packs

• 12–13 flower packs

For a typical Portland hellstrip (2' × 20' = 40 sq ft):

• 20 grass packs

• 20 flower packs

Meadow Inspiration: Color Palettes for Winter Sowing

We offer five meadow collections designed for Portland conditions:

• PNW Fog

• Neon Bee Highway

• Warm Desert Sunset

• Hazy Amethyst

• Golden Hour Prairie

Each palette includes both grasses and wildflowers for a balanced, ecologically resilient meadow. Browse all meadow collections here.

Order seeds and winter sowing kits for January 10th pickup.