So the other day, I blogged about how we had our first fairly hard freeze, which means the end of planting for this season and soon to be brown and lifeless for a few months. It also means more time inside. It can be rather depressing when all you want to do is go outside and plant.
So fast forward to night and when I got home from work, there they were...shining like jewels in the mailbox...SEED CATALOGS! GARDENING CATALOGS! PLANT CATALOGS! All of these came on the same day. Weird huh? There are more coming, I think I usually end up with almost twenty that all come in within a week or two of each other. It couldn't have been better timing to head off the Winter blahs.
So I laid them all out, poured myself a nice glass of
RED WINE (blogged about here), and sat down on the comfy couch to enjoy a trip into the future...Spring of 2012.
I can spend hours looking at gardening and seed catalogs. There is nothing better in the middle of a cold night than looking at the promise of Spring and all the potential that it holds...exotic vegetables we want to grow, dozens and dozens of different kinds of tomatoes, fruit and nut trees, flowers, bushes, plants, bulbs, shade loving plants, sun loving plants, perennials, annuals...the mind (and wallet) races at the very thought.
Tonight (and more or less on and off all weekend) will be part two. What I usually do first is page through them and get a feel for what I'm interested in, and then go back later and look through them with a little more quality time and a red marker...you know, for circling the important stuff!
Winter planning leads to Spring planting
Later this weekend, I'll publish a list of my favorite catalogs and seed companies to share. As I said these are just a few that I got, there are more coming, hopefully even today and/or tomorrow.
What about you, what are your favorite catalogs for planning your Spring?
So I laid them all out, poured myself a nice glass of
RED WINE (blogged about here), and sat down on the comfy couch to enjoy a trip into the future...Spring of 2012.
I can spend hours looking at gardening and seed catalogs. There is nothing better in the middle of a cold night than looking at the promise of Spring and all the potential that it holds...exotic vegetables we want to grow, dozens and dozens of different kinds of tomatoes, fruit and nut trees, flowers, bushes, plants, bulbs, shade loving plants, sun loving plants, perennials, annuals...the mind (and wallet) races at the very thought.
Tonight (and more or less on and off all weekend) will be part two. What I usually do first is page through them and get a feel for what I'm interested in, and then go back later and look through them with a little more quality time and a red marker...you know, for circling the important stuff!
Winter planning leads to Spring planting
Later this weekend, I'll publish a list of my favorite catalogs and seed companies to share. As I said these are just a few that I got, there are more coming, hopefully even today and/or tomorrow.
What about you, what are your favorite catalogs for planning your Spring?
Not only am inundated with catalogs, my email is bombarded with gardening related stuff! But I love it! Every time I read one my brain screams-I want that, and that, oooh and that! haha
ReplyDeleteSo far my favorites are Baker Creek Heirloom seeds and Stark Bros Nursery. I also order from Burpee from time to time but I have to pace myself. I can go crazy ordering plants and seeds if I don't watch it. I'm like a seed addict, lol. I have so many more seeds than I could possibly use and I just ordered a few more.
ReplyDeleteTonya - I "suffer" from that affliction as well...I want I want oooh oooh I want that..." LOL! Nice to know I'm not alone.
ReplyDeleteLeslie - Wow I don't get one of those, I'm pretty sure I get Stark Bros but I'll double check. I know I don't get Baker Creek for sure, so I'm off to their websites to see if I can get a copy. Woo hoo! I've never had a "real" place to plant before, and now I have 10 acres. I'm liable to become a first time seed addict this time around!
I think I'd have to pick Johnny's and Baker Creek as my favorites. I seldom, however, order from any of them as I find shipping and handling prices to be ridiculous. I read the catalogs, then buy seeds off the racks or from Ed Hume or Ohio Heirloom seeds from their on line catalogs. Both have very reasonable s & h prices. Ed Hume seeds are sold off the rack here, too. One store always has a buy one get one free each spring, so I always stock up on them at that time. Burpee seeds are also readily available from the racks, usually priced at $1-$1.50 per packet. Once in a while there is a variety that isn't carried by one of my favorites, but I refuse to spend $7-8 plus the cost of one packet of seeds, so I pass.
ReplyDeleteBe sure to get some tomato seeds from Wintersown Org.! You get six packets for the price of a self addressed stamped envelope. I'm still growing some from seeds I sent for in 2008!
http://www.wintersown.org/wseo1/YourChoiceTomatoSASE.html
Annie - WOW thanks for all that great info! I will totally be getting some seeds from the places you mentioned. Awesome!
ReplyDeleteI love Baker Creek. they have a HUGE selection of exotics from all over the world. Plus they are really active in the fight against nasty GMOs and keeping things heirloom and organic. Theyre prices are good and the catalog is fun to read with all the pretty pictures and delicious veggie descriptions. It also has neat recipes.
ReplyDelete