During these long dark days of January the seed catalogs start to arrive and give us hope that Spring will soon be here! Seed catalogs have enticing descriptions that have edible gardeners salivating over future harvests! A few tips for successful seeding. I always order my seeds from companies located in the Pacific Northwest, as their products have been bred for our local climate. There are many local companies to choose from. If you have seed packets stored from previous seasons make sure to check the packaged for date as older seeds will have lower germination rates. Lastly, consider the types of plants you are planning to grow this season and whether they would be better grown from starts versus seeds. Many warmer weather plants, like tomatoes, peppers, and squash are more successful when planted from purchased starts due to our shorter summer seasons. Other crops like radishes, beets, or carrots are much more successful when planted from seeds. So have some fun looking through the catalogs and take a chance on a new unique varietal. How about the "Cash Machine" zucchini or "Millionaire" eggplant!
