Well, it is time to do that here. We are wondering when the winter will arrive, actually...but even if it never arrives, we need a plan...and we need to be ready. So then, after several discussions and walkabout's on the lottie the plan is forming. We have made pencil diagrams indicating our rotations. We know the order of actions to be taken. Yes, all our own responsibilities are thought-out but the weak link is; as always, that of the seed and tuber sellers and delivery. Do they have what we want in stock? The foto above was taken two days ago and we have already heard that one seed type is not available this year-- (an explicative finds place here). Tja--the best laid plans of mice and men..... We shall have to make adjustments--well gardening is one big adjustment. He who does not adjust and adapt will not have optimal success. It is the nature of the hobby. Sort of like a form of Darwinism--it isn't "survival of the fittest", rather who can adapt that will determine success. Oké then guys...how is your seeding coming along?
@Sjoerd you’re right, we need to start and plan as spring will soon be here. Last year I left it too late to plant a lot of seeds and as a result we had to buy plants and plugs which was more expensive than it needed to be. This weekend I will start my plan and also look through my big tin of seeds to see what I need to buy.
I just went through my stash of seeds from last fall (our local hardware store realizes local gardeners put in a fall garden, and the store has a good selection of seeds available in Sept. and Oct.). I won't have to buy much since I loaded up last fall and have a good bit of seeds left over. Our weather has been so unpredictable and unusual that I am trying to figure out when to start certain plants like most of our herbs. I'll start seeds indoors soon with heat mats, and grow lights to be turned on when the seedlings emerge. Our guest bedroom is the growing room, and smells of damp earth for a while. Is that a bad thing?
Thanks for reading the thread, KAZZA--Yes...don't leave it too late. Last year the season began early over here. MART--Heh, heh, heh--meid, I know what you mean. JANE--I think that we do things pretty similar. The smell of damp earth...a bad thing?? Well, our seeding windowsill is in our bedroom. I don't think that it is a bad thing. But then we have a WTW system in this apt building, so most of the smell is removed and replaced with fresh air. It keeps the temp very stable throughout the year. ADAM--great news.
My mailbox was full of seed yesterday I'm buying my tomato seed from a local guy that sells at the farmers market I wont go out to his place till end of February as we dont start tomato seeds here till about 2nd week of March. I will be starting onions in a few weeks
What seeds have you bought? Maybe you could upload a pic to the ‘Show us your recent purchases’ thread
I have a couple of seed lists made and will be ordering today. Went through my seeds last week and realized just how long I have been holding on to some of them.....time to replace but the old ones I am going to test when it gets warmer and see if anything actually comes up. Last year I had less than a month of yard working weather, summer temps 95-100 started in early April and didn't let up until November. I really am hoping for a more gradual transition from Spring to Summer this year. And we are having more winter this year than in the last several years too.
I have a number of packets of seeds which are already open, but are still in date. They’ve been out in the garage since this time last year at least. Will they still be OK to use?
KAZZA--Generally speaking, I feel that ought to be good...but there are some types of seeds that deteriorate over the course of a year...like parsnips for instance. There are others.
I've got two drawers full of packets all still in date, probably around 300 packets and yet I still buy anything that takes my fancy. I don't buy many full price as we have a market stall that gets excess stock Suttons Seeds from garden centres in Autumn. Also, I buy end of season stock as it's generally in date for another 2 or 3 years. Not too much of a problem though because the beginning of March I have a sort out and sell what we don't want cheap in the shop I work in. ( They are mostly flower seeds and Tomato's ). I also grow some for selling, especially Tomato's.
I ordered seeds yesterday from two places.....I also ordered yarn for two more projects, a couple of child sized afghans for charity and a sweater coat for me. I also sometimes buy seeds that I forgot I already have a few packets of. So far in my stash of seeds I have found 5 packets of Borage bought over the last 5 years and just how many packets of Sunflower seeds can you use in one lifetime????
@toni you could probably get rid of all your sunflower seeds, by growing a flat full of sunflower seeds as microgreens, to see what all this "microgreen" fuss is about.
