Are you as excited about the new gardening season as I am?! One of my biggest problems every year is how to reign in my excitement in the form of not buying more seeds than I could possibly plant. So, how to choose which seeds to purchase? I mean, gardeners are kinda notorious for going a bit overboard on the seed shopping. Colorful catalog images coupled with clever variety descriptions are too much to turn down. So I try to approach it like a trip to the grocery store. While planning my garden I make a list and stick as close to it as I can bear. Printed seed catalogs are a real treat and subscribing to a couple is well worth the extravagance of receiving printed mail.
How to choose?
First, think about what type of garden you are planning and that should narrow it down a bit. Pollinator garden, native plants, food, herbs? A little disclaimer here, my garden has all of these plant types, so there is no need to choose just one if you don’t want to. And flowers are a great addition to a vegetable garden to entice more pollinators to visit vegetable plants.
Here’s a quick checklist of points I try to keep in mind:
Check the garden plan. Considering the garden plan, choose what you like and what calls to you! This is especially true for food and herb gardens, unless you are donating food or engaged in mutual aid, there is no point in growing food plants that you are not going to eat.
Is this plant invasive? It is highly recommended to check before buying. Invasive plants are still sold in the seed trade, and I have made this mistake myself many times. I will have a discussion about this in the future, but for now use this USDA website as a general resource for invasive plants. Your local county or state likely has a more in depth list available as well. County extension websites and offices are a great place to start.
Soil. One of my favorite topics! Soil type and health determine the success of all plants. Are your soils heavy clay, sandy? Are they alkaline or acidic? The local county extension office can help with these two questions. Or are you growing in containers or raised beds?
Days to Maturity. Does your local climate offer a season with the right temperature to make the plant happy? What is your growing season like, is it long or short? Are the average temperatures cold, cool, warm or hot? The description in the catalog or website will mention if the plant has a preference. If the seeds are for an annual plant it is important to look at the Days to Maturity listed in the description and determine if it will have time to mature before first frost or the heat of summer sets in. Some areas, like the southern United States, have multiple growing seasons in a year.
Water. Is critical! I always look at the watering requirements of the plant and determine if it will be a good fit for my garden. If it has high water demands, I may forgo it, or make a place for it in the wetter areas of my garden. Vegetable gardens require irrigation, so the watering requirements aren’t as much of a concern for most veggies. But even drought adapted native plants will require a boost of water for at least the first 2-3 years they are in the ground. Just as a note here, gardening method, soil type, and climate also determine the amount and frequency of water needed.
Hybrid vs. Heirloom/Open Pollinated varieties. This is a vital piece of information to know when purchasing seeds for saving seeds. Heirloom and open pollinated varieties basically mean that seeds can be saved from year to year. Hybrids cannot be saved and must be purchased. Look for a future post that will dig into more detail on this topic because, well, it deserves a little more attention. But this is the gist of the matter and what you need to think about when first purchasing seeds.
Organic vs. Conventional. I always go for the organically grown option if there is one. If I am purchasing from a small seed company, organically grown/grown with sustainable practices is fine. Not only does this preference support growing practices that I align with, but organic seeds are better adapted to organic gardens.
I keep a list like this in my mind when perusing seed catalogs, websites, and even when browsing at the annual seed exchange. Do you have a list like this? What do you look for when seed shopping?