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Winter is the time for spring garden planning
After the holiday season and entering the dreary part of the winter, there are a few bright spots that are starting to appear.
A bright spot for me is the arrival of the seed catalog. Not only is it uplifting to read the descriptions and see the pictures but it also reminds me that spring is only a few short weeks away. I get thinking that in only 10-12 weeks we can actually begin planting some things in the garden and in only two to three weeks we can begin to start some seeds indoors for spring planting. (Actually, some things could actually be started now). What a great reminder that spring can't be long in coming.
Many seed catalogs feature some new items in a section up front or highlight new entries with a brightly colored "flag" appearing beside the picture and description. It is often a good idea to consider carefully when deciding on some of these items compared to "tried and true" items that you've relied upon in the past. Make sure that you try a little seed but don't invest the whole crop in a lot of seed that you don't know much about.
Also, look carefully at the days to maturity for various items. There is a trend to get some items that mature very early in the season and you might think that is a good thing. However, early varieties often produce quickly on a small plant that often "poops out" early. It is a good idea to rely on mostly mid-season varieties for the bulk of your planting items.
Another thing to consider when ordering seeds is the quantity that you order. If you compare the prices the amount that you pay for a small packet is sometimes not much more than you can pay for a large amount that may be a much better value. As long as you are paying to mail or send the order form and as long as they are paying to send a package to you, you might as well get a large quantity. You may want to consider going together with several friends to share seeds. Most garden seeds will keep for about three years from their purchase date if stored in a cool, dry location. If you store the seeds in a sealed jar in a refrigerator you can get a three-year supply at once. If you get a lot of seeds it may become a nuisance to have seeds in your household refrigerator; however, some of us have a spare refrigerator in the basement or storage area that would work just fine for that purpose.
It is also a good idea to keep a copy of your seed order just to make sure that you got everything that you ordered and of the right variety and quantity. Most seed companies do a good job of getting orders straight but there is always the chance that something gets mixed up. Without a spare copy you often don't remember what you ordered by the time that the seed actually gets here.
Finally, many seed companies are now developing their seed catalogs for on-line ordering on the Internet. This allows much faster processing times for you and saves the expense of mailing the order. You can browse the information and pictures in front of your computer about as easily as sitting in front of the fire with your seed catalog.
So, don't despair. Spring is on the way and the way I know it is that the seed catalogs are coming.
Date: 1/13/04
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