As winter approaches, one need not dismiss thoughts of gardening due to
weather-related limitations. It is a
season to rejoice because mail order seed catalogs will soon be arriving in the
mailbox. For many gardeners, anticipating
and planning next year’s garden is as satisfying and rewarding as viewing the
earliest bulbs in bloom or harvesting the first spring onion.
While seed racks at the local retail nursery or garden center offer a good
selection of vegetable and flower seeds, they often display only a limited
choice of seed varieties and they may not appear until later in the winter.
Seed catalogs provide a wide selection of varieties and often feature
attractive color photographs. You can
find more newly introduced, hard-to-find, or exotic types of vegetable, herb,
and flower seeds than can be found on the seed racks. Thorough descriptions of each variety’s
characteristics might include information on flower color, plant vigor and size,
vegetable flavor, nutritional value, number of days to maturity or harvest, and
other valuable tips for a successful gardening experience.
Cultural requirements such as watering, sunlight, temperature, soils and
fertilizer needs are usually described.
Qualities like disease tolerance are important to consider when
selecting varieties that are prone to fungus or virus infection. Seed catalogs allow you to contrast and
compare these characteristics so that you can choose the best seed for your
needs.
Today’s seed catalogs offer more than just seeds. Many catalogs also feature garden tools,
accessories, gadgets, and how-to books related to gardening. Several seed houses cater to the gourmet
cook, providing vegetable varieties known for their outstanding flavor, as well
as recipes for preparing them. There are
a number of seed suppliers that offer heirloom or "old time"
varieties. Some specialize in
organically produced seed, certified free of chemical residues and fungicides.
A word of caution: Don’t forget that winter daydreaming can result in a
summertime burden. Resist the temptation
to choose more than you can actually manage in your home garden.
On-line catalogs are becoming a popular option to mail order catalogs. Either way, the convenience of browsing and
selecting garden seeds in the comfort of your own home will help fill the gap
until the spring planting season arrives.