Seed catalog morning

It is a cold, snowy morning.  The sun isn't even close to coming up.  For the first time this season the Christmas lights are shining off of snow.  It is the perfect day to look over seed catalogs.

You would think by now I would have had my fill of plant catalogs.  I had a very able assistant who lined up most of our annual orders and took care of setting up our deliveries.  Still, this past couple weeks has found me knee-deep in confirmations, delivery dates, order adjustments and additions to our present level of service to include some hot house vegetable crops.  This has not dimmed my desire to open up my own catalogs and seed box to start planning MY GARDEN!
I am excited about the prospect of having a much larger space to use this year.  Neglect and repeated sowing of weed seeds are going to make this space a challenge.  I am sure that I will not be whizzing through my beds like I was at home in my tidy 4x8 raised beds.  
I will be able to grow some of those crops that I didn't have the room for.  I will be able to put in some squash and pumpkins in hopes of harvesting from my own plot.  I will also be able to rotate my crops to their best advantage, provided the soil doesn't already harbor some of the nasty diseases I am hoping to avoid.  
I am also excited to open up my seed box and take inventory.  I know that I will have some new items to choose from even before opening a catalog.  Our summer trip to Decorah, Iowa and Seed Savers Exchange put more seeds in my box in mid-summer than I would normally consider adding.  First, Seed Savers participated in the Nordic Fest parade in Decorah and handed out packages of their 2014 seeds.  Not a problem as most seeds have viability for several years when stored in a cool, dry environment.  After the fest, we went to visit their facility where I loaded up on some of their 2015 seeds.  These are all heirloom varieties with stories from whence they came.  I highly recommend a trip to Seed Savers when you find yourself in northeast Iowa.  It is beautiful farm country with rolling hills.
I also have my hold overs from my usual crops.  It will take a bit of inventory to decide what still needs to be added to the mix.  I left my herb garden behind with few exceptions, so I guess that is one place to start.
My new garden has another consideration in its design.  I know that I will have to deal with woodchucks, rabbit, rodents, and deer (we have a few still inside our deer-exclusion fence).  There will have to be a lower fence dug in to keep out the small critters and a higher blockade for the larger critters.
I will have to work the soil as it is very hard.  The trailer full of composted cow manure barely made a dent in the area that I needed to cover with some organic matter.  My plan is to rake up raised beds from the ground.  This way I can still square foot garden without putting in a wood-sided raised beds.  This is a temporary place for me after all.  I will save the time and money for a place we can call our own again.  I will mulch the paths heavily to try and keep some of the weeds at bay.  Hopefully, I can plant dense enough to help shade out some of those noxious weeds.  I do plan on putting in a cover crop to add some green manure to soil as well.
So with hopeful heart and seed catalog dreams, I will plan the perfect garden.  If wishing only kept out the weeds.

Seed catalogs

The seed catalogs have been arriving for over a month now.  I like to sit down in January and look through my favorites and maybe check out a new one or two if I have the time.  My two favorites are Jung and Pinetree.  I also like Select Seeds.  For garden chemicals and such, Gardens Alive! is one on my go to sources.  Sometimes ordering can be a little cheaper than shopping at the garden center.  It is definitely more convenient when the temperatures are below zero.

Some of the things I look for in a seed catalog:

• Quantity- buying more than you need for a season or two is just not worth it.  Pinetree is a favorite because things are packaged in smaller quantities (smaller price) so you are not stuck with a lot of leftovers for years to come.  If you like to try new things, this is a plus.
• Price- remember though, you usually get what you pay for.  If you haven't ordered from a company before, try a few things and see how you like their product and how good their customer service is when they are out of stock or back ordered.
• Location- it does matter where seeds are grown even if a plant has a wide zone range.  Buying seed from a source in the deep south is not the best option for a northern gardener.  Seed genetics vary by the climate they are grown in.
• Delivery- nothing is more frustrating than ordering early and getting your long gestation crops too late.  It is also important when you are looking at root crops such as potatoes.  You really don't want these shipped in February if you don't need them until April or May.  Many companies will time the shipments for your region so you do not have to worry about cold storage for months ahead.  Jung is very good about this.
• Quality- low germination will negate anything you saved on the per seed price.  Jung has a very good germination rate and is more locally sourced which gives them two points in my favor.  Many companies will offer a guarantee on their product if you read the fine print.  There are limits as they can not control the growing conditions that their seeds get once they leave their warehouse.

Pull up a chair with that morning cup of coffee (or the glass of wine after work) and enjoy some time dreaming of your perfect summer garden.

Seed catalogs, a cup of coffee, and a cold morning.

I am just finishing up a nice, long vacation at home which has been especially nice since my husband and youngest daughter were around for most of it.  I am thankful for those lazy days we spent with each other in the comfort of the living room as well as the walks that we shared as part of his knee rehabilitation.
This morning I woke up and knew that this was the day that my indoor gardening was going to have to take priority.  To start the day, I got myself a cup of coffee, my seed catalogs, my box of leftover seeds, and a notebook.  It was time to start planning this summer's garden.
Planning is the key to enjoying garden the most.  If you don't lay out some sort of structure to where you are headed in the coming season you will be disappointed.  I like to order my seeds early so the varieties I want are still in stock.  If something is not available, it gives me the time to get something as a replacement.  This is really important if you are starting some of your plants indoors yourself.  It is important if you want the newest plants that the magazines tell you you just have to have.  It also gives you time to seek out sources for some of the plants and seeds you saw last season but didn't get.
If you don't have one already and you are saving seeds from year to year, now is the time to invest in one of those cheap, plastic shoe boxes and a few index cards.  You probably have your seeds stuffed into jars and envelopes and aren't really sure where they all are.  By dividing your seed into categories such as herbs, leafy veggies, garden start veggies, greenhouse start veggies, annual flowers, and perennial flowers you are able to quickly access those seeds you will need earlier.  Don't throw out your empty packets just yet.  I will come to that soon.
Now that you have all your seeds in one place start to make a list by categories.  Note the varieties of each type of seed, the year you purchased them, and the approximate quantity especially if it is low.  Many seeds can be used for several years and you may have more than you need already in your possession.  If there are seeds that you don't like, pass them on or toss them out.  Make room for what you really want.  Now you have a working inventory so you know what you need from the catalog and what areas you have more than enough in.  You can spend your seed money much more wisely now.  This will also open up avenues to try new things that will fit into your budget.
I do something with my empty packets other than stick them at the end of my garden rows.  I put mine in the back of my seed box so I have them there for information reference to germination, thinning, and transplanting.  They stay there until the next year when I order so I remember the varieties that I planted and really liked.  Those go on my must-buy list the following year.  I also remember the ones that I didn't like and don't reorder again.  If you are a seed saver, you can reuse the envelope for the saved seed.  I wish I had the refrigerator space for my seeds, but they get a cool, dark corner of the basement instead.  I cold treat the seeds that need it when the time comes.  
After several cups of coffee, I finally had the list I really want for this spring's seeds.  I am going to do more of my own annual flowers and I also had a few varieties of vegetables that I want to try.  I finally got down to my basement and transplanted my cutting plants and cleaned things up.  It really feels like spring is on the way and it is only January 2nd.