Seeds, Seeds, Seeds

I LOVE seeds and sometimes I get excited and buy way too many.  I think I have a problem but each seed packet represents a new plant(s) and that is thrilling for me, especially in the spring when it is almost time to plant outside. I even joined a seeds of the month club and that is what my children gave me for Mother's Day last year!! I was in the garden center at Menards yesterday and I had 10 or 12 seed packets in my hand and then put them back because I have so many seeds already.  It is such a hard thing to do.  I will just use the seeds I already have at home!  Happy Planting!

Best Seed Companies

As a gardener who strives to only plant heirloom and/or organic seeds in the garden, I have found a few companies that are the best for seeds.  

Here are my Top Ten(in no particular order):

1. Heirloom Gardener: https://www.heirloomgardener.com/
2. High Mowing Seed Company: https://www.highmowingseeds.com/
3. Seed Savers Exchange: https://www.seedsavers.org/
4. Seeds Now: https://www.seedsnow.com/
5. Burpee: https://www.burpee.com/
6. Seeds of Change: https://www.seedsofchange.com/
7. Seeds from Italy: https://www.growitalian.com/
8. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds: https://www.rareseeds.com/
9. Johnny's Selected Seeds: https://www.johnnyseeds.com/featured/heirloom/
10. Mary's Heirloom Seeds: https://www.marysheirloomseeds.com/

      

Order some catalogs today, or visit their online catalogs for faster service, and start dreaming of your spring garden!

January Garden Chores

Here is a list of the things I did in my garden this January.  Maybe you can do some of them too!

1. Perused seed catalogs and prepared my order.
2. Check my stored seeds for decay and for inventory on what I have.
3. Bought grow lights...I forgot these last year after I got my first little greenhouse for seeds.
4. Started vegetable transplants under those new grow lights.
5. Replaced mulch layers as needed.
6. Curled up with several good books and learned about gardening!
7. Washed the dust off my indoor plants...helps them to get more sunlight.
8. Watered my indoor pants with room temperature water...each and every tome!
9. Rotated my indoor plants to develop well rounded plants.
10. Repaired and cleaned my garden tools...even got a few new ones.
11. Kept my bird feeders and water supplies filled for feathered friends!

10 Fall Garden Tasks

1. Compost disease-free or frost-killed annual plant material, or work it into the garden soil to decompose before spring. 
2. Weed. Weeding helps keep them at bay and not getting a strong hold in the garden.
3. Add compost or manures to the fall garden soil so they have time to mellow before spring planting, feeding beneficial soil microorganisms over winter.
4. Mulch fallen leaves with a mower (bagger on) or a leaf sucker, so they break down more quickly. Incorporate mulched leaves into beds or compost. Leaves increase organic matter, which helps soil absorb and hold water, as well as feed soil organisms. 
5. Cut back perennials. If you live in a wet winter climate, cutting back in fall can help plants from staying too wet and rotting.
6. Clean tools. Remove any soil left on tools with a stiff, steel-bristle brush. Remove rust by scrubbing your tools with steel wool until the signs of rust are gone. Then rub the metal and wood with mineral oil, and store in a dry area.
7. Make notes. As gardeners, we’re already thinking about what to do differently next year.
8. Soil test. Fall is a great time to do a soil test. Look to your local county Cooperative Extension Service, which often performs soil tests, or can advise you on a local place to submit your test.
9. Store seeds in a cool, dry area. This is a good time to take inventory, creating a reorder for next year. 
10. Request seed catalogs!!!

For further reading got to: Essential Fall Garden Tasks