Longer days mean we are longing for spring

We're all (it can't just be us) suffering from a full-blown

case of cabin fever now.

Seems like it's too far away to even think about gardening.

May we suggest a few 'action items' to prepare

for the upcoming season and 

make the time go faster?

There are many things we can be doing now to prepare, so that when it is time to be planting,

we're ready and not wasting time with chores like these:

Idea #1:

First thing:  inventory your left over seeds, if you haven't already, and be sure 

they are viable BEFORE you plant them in the ground.

A quick tip for testing seed germination is to take 10 seeds and

put them between layers of wet paper towels.

Use 10 seeds!  

And, if you're testing more than one type of seed, be sure to mark the bag so 

you'll be able to be positive of your results.

Using 10 seeds makes it pretty easy math figuring out 

your percentage of viable seeds (the ones that germinated).

Photo by A Way to Garden

Fold the moist towel over the seeds and slip it in a plastic bag. 

 

Place your little seed incubator in a warm place and check it 

every few days.  Be sure to add a little 

more moisture if the towels are drying out -- just don't add so much that the 

seeds rot.  After a week or so, perhaps sooner, you should see signs

of germination.  

Illustration by Carlsbad Community Gardens

First, the radicle will appear - this is the beginning of the root system.  Then the hypocotyl will emerge, followed by the cotyledons, or the first leaves of the seedling.

It seems like such a shame to waste these little vegetable sprouts, doesn't it?

Throw them on top of a salad!

If you have 10 seeds sprouting, you have 100% germination and likely have

stored your seeds in such a way to maintain viability through the winter.

On the other hand, if you have 4 of the 10 sprouting, then 

a 40% germination rate in the best of circumstances will leave lots of 

holes in your rows where you placed seeds that won't germinate.
Seeds not sprouting in the garden is not the time to discover you have bad seeds.

It's much more efficient to buy new seeds at this point.

Toss the unviable seeds that you

have left over from your germination tests in the compost. 

If you're composting correctly you'll cook any viable seeds in the batch.

Don't beat yourself up if some of your seeds don't sprout.  Some seeds lend 

themselves to saving, others are so particular about storage conditions that you should buy 

new every year.  Your results may vary, but here's a handy chart for reference:

Idea #2:

 Organize all of your seed packets.  If you have a small inventory of seeds and can use them all in a single season, then a photo album works well.

If this system doesn't work for you, buy a three drawer plastic storage bin.

I always put the seeds in a zippie bag to keep moisture out and the seeds viable.

And I keep seeds from the same family together, such as cabbage, collards, kale, etc.

This makes it much easier to find everything I want without digging through the entire bin.

 I always date my seed packets with a Sharpie marker. 

 Idea #3:

Collect all of your gardening tools and clean them, repair them or think about replacing them,

then assemble them all in one handy location so you'll be ready

to tackle all your spring planting tasks with fresh, useable tools.

 

Read the tutorial HERE

If you have anything that needs to be replaced,
Gracie's is offering a groovy line of tools this year that uses a single handle
with removable tool heads....how cool is this? 

Idea #4:

Plot out and plan your garden.  Most of us have eyes too big for our garden space
and try to fit things too closely.  It's also challenging to create a garden plan that 

allows for succession planting...a great way to fully utilize all your garden space

and get the maximum amount of produce or flowers from a single area.

Have a plan for what you'll plant after you've harvested all the spring onions,

have a plan for after you've pulled all the carrots or what to 

plant after the lettuce has all been made into salads. 

Illustration by Territorial Seeds

 There are many tools on the internet that can 

help you with garden planning.  My favorite is from Territorial Seed, as it suggests proper

spacing and you can move things around until you get a plan that suits you. 

You can try it HERE

Idea #5:

Read through cooking magazines or visit epicurious.com to find new

recipes that you want to try this summer.  You can be sure to have 

the proper ingredients if you know ahead of time what to plant.

Idea #6:

Scrub out your pots, planters and hanging baskets in preparation

for planting.  It's always a good idea to start each spring with fresh potting soil and
clean pots to prevent diseases from carrying over to your new plants.

Or,
maybe a better idea is to skip scrubbing pots, and instead grab a glass of wine
 and get a hanging basket from Gracie's this spring.

Longer days and warmer weather are just around the corner, be ready!

Happy Gardening,

Kathy and Patty

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