It's Time to Buy Garden Seeds!
It’s winter. Why in the world would you be ordering garden seeds now? Fact is, for garden enthusiasts, the beginning of the year is the most popular time to shop for seeds, whether looking for the perfect seeds online, in a seed catalog or in local garden centers. There are three main reasons to shop for seeds well ahead of spring:
- You’ll find the best selection of plant, flower and vegetable seeds
- You won’t run the risk of your favorite seeds being sold out at the height of the growing season
- You can plant many seeds inside right now – and they’ll be all grown up and ready for outdoor planting by the time spring comes around. And of course, by growing your plants from seed, you’ll save a lot of money.
Have a seed supply left over from last year? Keep in mind that these seeds might not be viable if they weren’t stored properly, and won’t germinate when planted. However, if you sealed your seeds securely in a container and stored them in a cool, dry location, the supply could last three to five years.
Whether you’ll be using last year’s seed supply or ordering the best seeds now, make sure to take the time to do some garden planning to make sure you’ll have a bounty of blooming plants throughout the season. Here are some tips when planning a seed garden:
Visualize. Map out what you want to grow in your garden and where to get the best idea of how much seed you’ll need. You can get help calculating the right quantities from many seed catalogs and online seed stores.
Time it right. Get familiar with frost dates in your area to help you plan when to plant your seeds. Visit the USDA Hardiness Zone Map to find that information.
Go with heirloom seeds. Because of their high quality, these seeds have been saved and passed down from generation to generation, giving you greater chances for gardening success.
Consider certified-organic especially when ordering vegetable seeds. Like certified-organic food, these seeds are free of chemical pesticides and are not genetically modified.
Take care of your seeds. Your seeds may arrive in packets, but to make sure they germinate well when it’s planting time, be sure to keep the seeds stored away from warm, humid areas.
Get a head start indoors. Don’t want to wait to see some green? You can start your seeds in the warm indoors. Choose a container two-to-three inches deep, and use rich planting soil with fertilizer. Then just find place your container in front of your sunniest window. If you don’t have enough sun, you can also use fluorescent or plant lights.
In the end, your gardening success depends in large part on the quality of garden seeds planted. It’s really worth the investment to purchase good quality, fresh seed from a reputable seed company.
