New Seeds for a New Season

When temperatures are in the teens and snow is swirling outside, what can a gardener do? Grab a seed catalog and order seeds, of course.

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Unlike many people , I am energized by purdah . And with a frigid , snow-covered Sunday in the offing , I knew just what I want to do : rank vegetable seed . With two woodstoves cranking , a potentiometer of lamb / barley soup simmer in the kitchen , and the dog coil up on “ his ” couch , I open my semen box , only to hear that a mouse had produce there first . All the pea and beet seeds were gone , and some of the lettuces . Sigh . I opine we had plugged all the holes in the foundation this fall , but plainly we had n’t ( and the diminutive mouse tracks in the fluffy novel snow top right to an possibility we had overlooked ) .

To the strains of Vivaldi ’s “ Spring ” concerto fromThe Four Seasons(somebody at NPR has a great sense of humor ) , I opened my trustworthy Fedco catalog and began a slow browsing , flag anything that caught my eye and checking my seed cache . Did I already have bonce , enough for next season ? Or were the come too old to germinate dependably ?

After a duo of hours , my orderliness form was filled out . Yes , I could have put online , but I never do that . I like the process of satiate out a paper form , adding up the number , writing a check . It ’s a seasonal gardening rite , akin to raking leaves off the planting beds or harvesting the first radish .

So what did I spring for ? Another packet ofBlue Coco terminal beans , because last yr ’s harvest was so good . A packet ofHalona melonseeds , because one of these years I am function to come after at growing melon , and in January , everything seems potential . A sentimental order ofEight Ball zucchini , which in my days as a association football mom , we call soccer glob squash . Carnival acorn squash , which I trust will be as gorgeous and pleasant-tasting as the catalogue copy predict . crimson Marble onionseed ( see “ one of these year … ” above).Okra , which I have n’t grown in several years . I love the muted sensationalistic flower that forego the pods . And , as they say in the infomercial , much , much more .

Did I advert my vast assembling of strange tomatoes ? I ’m fond of calamitous heirloom tomatoes , but used up all my seeded player last twelvemonth . So I decided to sample some newfangled ones , both Russian : Black Prince andPaul Robeson . My 2009 tomato crop , 22 flora in all , give in tolate blight . The 2010 Lycopersicon esculentum seedling will be plant in an completely newfangled location , andWapsipinicon Peach and Speckled Romanwill get another hazard to glow .

Seed order completed ( this seed order , not all my seed order ) , I put on my outdoor power train , walked the dog , shoveled the drive , and ventured into the garden for some Brussels sprouts ( frozen food at its best ) . They were luscious with whole wheat pasta and garlic sauce , a last hurrah from the 2009 garden and , one hope , a predecessor of good thing to come in 2010 .

all right Gardening Recommended Cartesian product

Fort Vee - Organic Potting Soil Mix

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Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade , Trenching Shovel

TCBWFY 3x24 Inch Auger Drill Bit for Planting

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