The snow is melting! The birds are chirping!Another winter is almost behind us and spring is just around the corner. Here in Wisconsin, our winter has been brutal. There were far too many days where a Polar Vortex brought arctic temps down our way forcing many to stay-in and bundled up... even more than usual!
But there is a glimmer of hope in all this cold... it is time to start planning your garden.
First thing's first... There is no point in planting seeds for a plant which is not going to thrive in your area. Don't know which zone you fall into? Check out this helpful planting zone map to get the scoop on what plants fair well in your region. Ours is Zone 5b.
Now on to the fun part of picking out the seeds for your future garden and imagining all the delicious food you can make. Take an inventory of any seeds you didn't plant last year, beware as they may not grow. We have, however, done this in the past with mixed success.
If you are in need of some seeds... You can check out your local garden center.
Or my favorite is to order from Botanical Interests seed catalog. In my opinion, this is a great source for quality, high-yielding seeds. Plus we love getting the catalog in the dead of winter.
If you're just starting to learn how to grow indoors, your may want to pick some plants that are easy to start from seed:
Here is what we have planned to start indoors for the 2014 season:
Lettuce - Romaine
Onion - Ringmaster
Pepper Chile - Early Jalapeño
Quinoa - Brightest Brilliant Rainbow
Tomato - Principe Borghese
Tomato - Red Siberian
Watermelon - Moon & Stars
Let's get planting.
The back of the seed packet usually specifies how many weeks to begin seeds indoors prior to the last frost in your region. Check out my tutorial on starting seeds indoors for step-by-step instructions.
Now on to the fun part of picking out the seeds for your future garden and imagining all the delicious food you can make. Take an inventory of any seeds you didn't plant last year, beware as they may not grow. We have, however, done this in the past with mixed success.
If you are in need of some seeds... You can check out your local garden center.
Or my favorite is to order from Botanical Interests seed catalog. In my opinion, this is a great source for quality, high-yielding seeds. Plus we love getting the catalog in the dead of winter.
If you're just starting to learn how to grow indoors, your may want to pick some plants that are easy to start from seed:
- Vegetables - Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Leeks, Lettuce, Onions, Peppers and Tomatoes.
- Herbs - Basil and Chives.
- Annuals - Alyssum, Cosmos, Marigolds and Zinnias.
- Perennials - Shasta Daisies, Columbines and Hollyhocks.
Here is what we have planned to start indoors for the 2014 season:Lettuce - Romaine
Onion - Ringmaster
Pepper Chile - Early Jalapeño
Quinoa - Brightest Brilliant Rainbow
Tomato - Principe Borghese
Tomato - Red Siberian
Watermelon - Moon & Stars
Let's get planting.
The back of the seed packet usually specifies how many weeks to begin seeds indoors prior to the last frost in your region. Check out my tutorial on starting seeds indoors for step-by-step instructions.
