Garden Planning: Seed Buying

The catalogs are coming! The catalogs are coming!

Seed catalogs are the porn of the garden freak. Your hands get sweaty, you drool just a little, your body shakes and you swoon just a little as you open the first catalog that arrives in your mail box. And it doesn't get any better as more arrive.

Do you remember the Sears/Roebuck Christmas catalog that came when you were a child. The 30 yr and over crowd should. It's like that. Your mother hands it over to you on a long trip, or just to keep you quiet, along with a pen or marker and tells you to have had it. Oh the joy! The bliss! You marked the toy catalog up like you parents had all the money in the world.

I want this, oh and that! I will die if I can't have that one!

And then you parents being the downers they are tell you "Oh darling, Santa couldn't possibly bring you all that." Oh the tears that would flow after that statement. Or was it just me?

Unfortunately your parents were right (how I hate saying it) and Santa, or the gnomes in your garden, can't possible help you with all those things.

Smells like chocolate? Tastes like Tapioca? Score!

Take a deep breath. Now look through the catalogs you have around, and every thing you circled. Now read what they are, and what zones they are best suited for. This should eliminate a few of the must haves.

Now, how much land have you set aside to garden? I have over 1 acre to garden, so I do have room to play, but a lot of people have a small area, think about the room you need for each plant.

What are you priorities? Do you want mainly fresh eating or caning foods? Have you been keeping that food journal? What foods do you go through the fastest?

What plants have you successfully grown in the past? Which ones die every time?

Now compare the prices of the same items in each catalog, which ones will save you money?

This should bring you back down to a reasonable amount of seeds. Remember that each plant needs different care, do you have the time and energy for that?

Is the plant listed GMO? Get rid of it. F2? keep it Open high hybrid? go for it. Heirloom or heritage, YES!!!! (that felt good)

So you are now down to the basics. I'm proud of you. And since you have done so well, go grab that special never seen, never eaten, mmmm. . . sounds heavenly plant. Splurge one one new item every year. It will keep the gnomes content.