Every January I place an order with Fedco Seeds. They are a great seed company located in Maine, which means the seeds they offer should do well in my Vermont garden. Before placing this year’s order I sort through my old seeds. Some seed varieties will last a couple of years while other seeds need to be purchased in order to have a viable seed.
Generally corn, leeks, onions, parsnips and spinach are short lived seeds lasting only 1-2 years. Check the date on your seed packets from last year and make sure they are still viable. Squash, pumpkins, peas, eggplant, parsley, beans, carrots and celery should last up to five years. The seeds that last the longest are broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, peppers and turnips.
Before deciding what seeds to order plan your garden out for the whole year. If you are going to order seeds it is a good idea to order them all at once. That way you won’t run into a seed shortage in the middle of the growing season. For example if you wait until the summer to buy seeds for fall planting the varieties you want may not be available.
Evaluate what you planted last year. Did you enjoy the vegetables you grew? Did you plant too much zucchini? Instead of growing ten different varieties of tomatoes grow the ones that did well.
You can have a large harvest without investing in large quantities of seed. By spacing your plants further apart you may find you have a great yield than by planting more plants close together.
It is also important to choose seed companies for your growing conditions. Find a company in your area that sell seeds that will thrive in your area. That is why I choose Fedco Seeds or Johnny’s Selected Seeds also located in Maine. Both companies offer a wide variety that will do well in my climate zone. By choosing the right seeds you will have a better chance at a wonderful garden harvest.
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