My seed baskets are a jumble after a busy year. I'm piling the same types of seeds together. Lettuces, tomatoes, squashes.... The seeds I remember not sprouting this year go in the trash along with seeds that are just way too old. I came across an endive packet from 2008, gourds from 2007. 8 years old! They might sprout, but if I haven't used them by now, obviously not one of my favorites.
I have lots of bean seeds that have fallen out of packets. Don't know why I save them. I have baggies full of mixed bean seeds. Maybe I'll plant a random bean plot and see what happens. Then again, maybe I'll be organized this year and only grow labeled varieties in separate rows so I know what they are......
After sorting my seeds, I wrapped each type of plant with a rubber band and then put them back in my seed box - alphabetically. I feel so organized now. Soon, I need to get some kind of garden plan drawn up for 2015 so I know what I have room for. THEN, finally, I can go back to my wish lists, check them against what I have, see if I have room for them, and THEN ORDER SOME fun new stuff.
9 comments:
You could grow a green manure crop from your left over bean seeds or any other seeds for that matter. Just plant them and dig them back into the soil.
Sounds like reorg the wardrobe closet, " If I haven't worn it for 3 years, then I probably won't wear it ever again.":-)
Happy holidays, Kathy! Thanks for sharing your gardening experience.
Great idea Stewart! Also I could also let my chickens feast on the sprouts. They would love it and convert it to chickn poop for my compost bins. I'm going to pull the seeds out of the trash and try both uses.
One of the things I look forward to about Christmas time is that it's when the seed catalogs start coming. I always spend way too much time flipping through them and dreaming. I'm pretty sure the best gardens in the world are the ones I plan in my head this time of year, but which I have neither the time nor the space to actually execute.
Joe, I know what you mean. If only we could really plant all we imagine!
One winter, I made an Excel spreadsheet of vegetable (and flower) seeds with columns for crop (beets, tomatoes), variety, source and year (Johnnys 2014, Pinetree 2012, etc), planting needs (sun, spacing, chilling, pre-sprouting), and comments (how much I grew, whether I would grow again, what to do differently, etc.). If I run low and need to reorder, I put that variety in bold.
I update the spreadsheet in January. It saves so much time when I want to know if I have a variety of seed, how it grows for me, etc.
Kathy, I love this blog. Your blog is so great I can spend hours reading this blog.
Thanks Robert! I get a lot of fantastic advice and comments. I just love reading my replies.
That sounds like a great way to keep track, Pam. My dad used an Excel spread sheet too. He records everything, variety, garden location, etc, like you. For me, my blog is mostly my journal for varieties, how things do, what I want to do differently. That reminds me, I want to write up my variety list early this year. Since I have the varieties selected and purchased already.
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