Oh boy! Its like Christmas Day around here since my long-awaited seed order came in. Now Spring doesn’t feel so far off, even though there is still over a foot of snow on the ground. All my old favorites like Red Salad Bowl lettuce, Chioggia beets and Cascadia snap peas arrived, plus new (to me) varieties like Rattlesnake pole bean, Umamin Tomato, Diablo brussels sprouts and Sparky Mix marigolds. (The last one was definitely an impulse buy. I don’t even like marigolds!) All will be put to good use either in my own garden or yours. There’s still time to order seeds if you haven’t done so. Most seed companies let you order online these days, but hurry, as supplies run out soon. I choose Fedco for the bulk of my veggie seed needs, but I also like ordering from Cooks Garden as they carry varieties tailored to the backyard gardener.  If flowers are your thing, check out Select Seeds , for a great selection of annuals and perennials. I like to also support the local seed breeding efforts of the Hudson Valley Seed Library, in Accord NY. They carry lots of heirlooms and open pollinated varieties to satisfy the unique-special niche-hard to find seed category, have the most beautiful seed packs of any company (designed by local artists) and they are dedicated to organic growing methods.

The first thing I do when my seeds arrive is seal the seed packets in sturdy re-closable Ziploc bags, so I can be sure moisture is excluded, then I put them in a cool, dark, dry cabinet in my basement, out of reach of dampness and mice. Sunlight, room temperature and dampness reduce seed’s lifespan, since remember-they are dormant, but alive! My next task is to start preparing a bed and some flats inside my greenhouse (technically a large cold frame, since its not heated) for the earliest seeds-spinach, arugula, lettuce, onions and peas.

Have your seeds arrived yet? What did you order? What are you most excited to grow this year?