Time to order seeds: vegetables, herbs and flowers

Created on 2/23/2009

I know that spring will be here. I have the utmost faith. I see subtle signs all around me. The graceful branches of the willow trees are changing to a bright yellow green. The witch-hazels are blooming, and seed catalogs are arriving in the mail.

With snow still on the ground and temperatures below freezing, it’s a great time to dream about the spring and summer garden. So, sit by the fire with a cup of herbal tea and soak up the luscious images of purple peppers, orange tomatoes and chartreuse zinnias that are glowing in the photographs. The seed catalogs are a great resource for how to plant, what to plant and when to plant, but it can be overwhelming. Let me give you a few suggestions on planning your garden.

1. Partner with a friend.
My friend Holly and I set aside a few hours each spring to get together and start our seeds. It’s more fun to work with a fellow plant fanatic; someone who also talks to those little baby seedlings nurturing them and coddling them as if they were precious children. It’s also good economics- we share the seeds we order and double the varieties we grow in our own gardens each year. Vegetable, herb and flower seeds can last a few years, depending on the variety. You don’t need to plant your entire order this year. Fold over the seed packet, store and save for next year.

2. Order what you love to eat.
Not a fan of okra- pickled, fried or fresh? Skip it. Focus on what you like. Want to stay with the basics? Remember that the everyday green bean doesn’t have to be boring, nor green. Try Purple Podded Pole beans for dark purple beans that magically turn green when you cook them.

3. Add flowers to your vegetable garden.
Edible and non-edible annual flowers add sheer enjoyment to kitchen gardening. Colorful and fragrant blooms will bring a smile when you walk through the garden; they’ll also attract butterflies, hummingbirds and neighborhood children. Pick a favorite color theme and sow sweet peas, scarlet runner beans, zinnias, calendula, sunflowers and signet marigolds. Sweet peas love it cool and can be sown outdoors in the early spring. The others are easily sown outdoors after the frost free date.

4. Focus on what’s easy to grow from seed.
You don’t need to start seeds indoors under grow lights to have a successful kitchen garden. There are some herbs and vegetables that do better sown directly in the garden. Basil is one of those herbs. Wait until a week after the frost free date, (basil likes it warm) then sprinkle the tiny black seeds on the soil. Radishes, lettuce, squash, beans (bush and pole) and corn prefer being sown outdoors, directly where they will grow.