INVENTORY

This week might be a good time to inventory your garden seeds. You do not want to spend money on seeds you already have. A few weeks ago you began to plan you garden, this week you can see if you have enough seeds from last year and what you need to purchase this year.

Also check the dates on the packages and see if they may be too old to plant. But do not be in a hurry to throw away the outdated seeds. I have planted flower packets my Mother had from the 1960s with some success.

You can test them to see if they will sprout (germinate), then you will know if the seed will be good this year. An easy way to do this is to put a few seeds on a paper towel, moisten the towel and place it in a zip lock bag. After a few days, (or weeks depending on the seed), they should sprout.

Some vegetables you can tell apart, but when doing several types of flowers, tomatoes or carrots, you will need to label the test towels. I suggest numbering each towel instead, then you can number the seed container with the same number. This way you can use a gallon zip lock and put several 'test towels' inside.

NOTE: You may not want to take a chance on out-dated seeds. If you plant them and they don’t grow, you are out more than the price of the package of seeds, and it may be too late to replant.

FOR THE RECORD

For the past three or four years I have kept a garden journal. I use a binder to write down ideas that come up through the year. It is best to use a binder so it is easy to add extra pages and remove pages to copy or share.

I keep my ideas, dreams and realities in this binder. When I have a new idea I jot it down, this way I do not have to remember the idea until Spring, I can just review it in the journal. When I see something I like in a magazine I tear out the page and staple it inside.

I take pictures of my garden as it grows to have a visual record of my plants and flowers. I write down the things I plant and sometimes staple the pictures from the packaging. This way I know what I planted and what it looks like. It is especially helpful when planting bulbs, I staple pictures and put notes about them. Where I planted them, even where I purchased them.

This log helps me keep on track for this year, and will be a great help next year. For example, when I picked the first tomato, pulled the first radish or list a new flower to try.

Here is a great example of taking a picture of the bulbs to plant.

This is a picture of where I am going to plant them.

The final picture of the flowers blooming. Actually, I didn't remember planting these and I didn't know what they were called. But lucky for me I had taken pictures, so now I know what they are called and I can buy more or tell others what they are. They are one of the first flowers to bloom in the Spring.

PLAN TO PLANT

Well here it is the second week of January, today I thought I would talk a little bit about planning. Now is the time to think about what to plant in your garden this year. I call this preliminary thinking 'plan to plant'.

Know the size of your garden and draw a map of your yard. Include what is already in your yard. It is a good idea to color code the map using a high lighters. Use one color for existing plants and a different color for the flowers, fruits and vegetables you would like to plant. I have garden plans from every year I have planted a garden.

I like to plant most of my garden in rows, so I draw out the rows and write in the names of what I want to plant in the row. Of course it takes several plans or changes in my plan before I have a complete plan. When it comes time to plant my garden, I take this plan on paper with me and make changes if necessary as I plant. I write the name of the seed or the plant on my perfect plan.

This way I know where everything is, what worked, what didn’t and the changes I should make next year. I sometimes take pictures too, so I have a better idea of what everything looks like.

So this week, begin to ‘plan to plant’.

GARDEN DREAMING

January is the month to dream of Gardening. I think I spent most of November and December wishing it was Summer. I think of flowers, vegetables and fruits to grow next year and remember what I harvested. I think of the failures and successes and begin to dream about the next season (always a next year farmer).

I think about the few things I was able to can and freeze for 2009 and I am grateful for the things others taught me about canning. Thanks Nita!!

I have made a few more gardening friends this year. I get very excited to talk to them about gardening, I find I would rather talk about gardening than almost anything.

So this week is the week to prepare for this year’s garden. This week, start to dream about your garden, what to plant and new things to try. Begin to prepare yourself for a successful garden.

Just a few flowers to wet your whistle for your garden successes in 2009.