“When Should I order my seeds?” I hear this question a lot and my answer is “Don’t wait!” Order them now.

Winter is the best time to order seeds. Seed catalogs start pouring in around Christmas. Often we are busy then, and put off garden planning.

Next thing you know, it’s spring and you don’t have any seeds. Then the scramble to buy something happens, and you don’t get the varieties you hoped for.

Maybe you are not reading this in December. Don’t despair. Whatever you do; don’t give up.

When should you order your seeds?

December to January is the best time to order most vegetable seeds if you live in a northern climate like I do.

It’s easy to get carried away when the snow is four feet deep outside and the wind is blowing. At times like those a seed catalog is every bit as exciting as a toy catalog is for a child.

I love this time of year because the busyness of Thanksgiving and Christmas are over and I have time to settle in, do some organizing around the house, and catch up on my writing. I also get to attack that stack of books. One of the best parts of early winter is checking the mail. It starts with Christmas cards and boxes of gifts. Then comes the flood of seed catalogs.

Even though I am one of the few people living in the north who actually LIKES snow, I also love dreaming of warm summer days in the garden; of gathering in flowers and vegetables from my little farm. The seed catalogs feed those dreams. Don’t put off your summer dreams until it’s too late! Don’t wait until that one perfect variety is sold out! When should I order my seeds? Don’t wait. Now is seed buying time, don’t wait until they are sold out

Keep in mind that some flowers need to be started from seed quite early. Check the seed catalog carefully for information about each plant.

When you should NOT order your seeds:

When you have no idea at all where you are going to plant them.

I’m all for winging it. I like adventure, and there are a lot of great things I would never have done if I fussed about knowing all the details ahead of time. But, believe me when I say a garden is better with a plan.

You won’t be locked in and you can certainly move things around later, but no plan is like setting out on a trip with a destination in mind but no idea how to get there.

How to make a garden plan you can feel good about:

Grab paper and pencils. Graph paper works well. I like to do my garden plan with some color, but it’s not necessary. There are online sources for planning a garden. You can find one source for free online planners here.

I still like paper. I can keep a planner just for my garden and record expenses and placement. Each winter I can go back and review what worked and what didn’t. I can even make a copy of my garden “map” and stick it in the pocket of my garden apron. I don’t have to worry about it getting all dirty out there in the garden while I’m using it.

Soil Type Matters

Fedco is the plain, black and white old fashioned seed catalog. It’s unassuming appearance made it one of the last for me to really pick up and pursue. Oh, but when I did! The articles make perfect winter reading.

Not only do they give good descriptions of the product but Fedco also provides detailed growing instructions suited to the Maine climate. They have a website which you can access here: https://fedcoseeds.com. The website gives great color photos so you can see what you are getting, but don’t let that deter you from reading the catalog on a cold snowy evening.

Seed Savers Exchange is located in Iowa. They work on an exchange principle hence the name. Many independent growers and small farmers donate seed in exchange for more seed. The good news is you don’t have to be into saving your own seed to benefit. While the idea of growing and saving my own seed does appeal to me I have never really given it a try and you do need to prevent cross pollination for proper seed saving. I just buy from them. They have good quality seeds, promote very small business and farming and the seeds are inexpensive. They send out a color catalog with decent descriptions but not as involved as Fedco. Seed Savers also has a website with you can access here: https://www.seedsavers.org. You will have to do some research to know which plants will grow well in your area

I ordered a lot more variety from Seed savers including some large white onions, salad turnips, a variety of lettuces, more kale and beets. And my favorite paste tomato, Amish paste. I will warn you that this variety is a little more susceptible to blight than some. The huge meaty tomatoes are worth it though. Good weeding and removing lower leaves help prevent the blight.

I don’t want to leave out Johnny’s Seeds. They are also a local company and have good seed. I have purchased from them in the past with good result. Their website is here: https://www.johnnyseeds.com.

And there is Pine Tree Seeds They are also in Maine. There website notes they had difficulty in 2020 because of harsh weather and COVID restrictions. They are planning for a strong 2021. You can find their site here: https://www.superseeds.com/pages/about-us

I can’t leave out Bob’s Healthy Hardware in Dover Foxcroft, Maine. This unique little store has great seeds and starting supplies. You can find Bob’s Hardware on Face Book.

When Should You Order Your Seeds?

If you have gardened for very long you already know the temptation to go overboard with ambitious plans only to find your dreams are bigger than your space.

Besides, you might want to go to the lake or something on a hot day rather than pull weeds. It’s important to have a plan of action.

Allow enough space for your plants to thrive and they will reward you. Some plants don’t like each other while others work well together. An example of this is in the title of an older gardening book called Carrots Love Tomatoes. I think it used to have a subheading like “but green beans hate onions”. Anyway, you get the idea.

Part of the planning involves a plan for what to do with the harvest. Will you sell some at a roadside stand or farmer’s market? Will you store some up for the winter? How about donating extra produce to a church food pantry or a community food cupboard? I have another post on putting up the harvest over here: 5 Ways to Preserve Food at Home

If you are new to gardening then I want to give you a little advice. Starting plants indoors (as is needed in Maine) can get pretty expensive.

I do know of people who grow their seedlings in sunny windows in recycled salad containers from the store. It works well for them. When I had an old farm house with a porch on the south side and single pane windows, I could start seeds easily and cheaply. They started in the kitchen by the wood stove them moved out to the sunny porch. I don’t have that option where I am. I do have a supply of fluorescent lights and a couple of folding tables. This all goes in the cellar. It gets messy. I dream of a greenhouse. I practice contentment and gratitude.

Honestly, if I had a small garden I would probably still start a couple things in the house as the process is quite therapeutic in the late winter. Since my garden is huge, allowing the mess in the cellar makes sense.

NOTE: Don’t start your seedlings too early. The result is terrible. Trust me on this one. Do make plans now and buy seed before you will actually need it.

Will You Start Seeds? Will You Buy Plants?

When should you order/buy your seeds or plants?

So…. buying seeds can actually add up. To top it off you probably won’t need an entire packet of zucchini seeds. Consider going in with someone on the project and sharing. I also often plant last year’s left-over seed. At on time this was frowned upon and the plants didn’t do well. Most seeds that have been stored in a cool dry place over winter will grow just fine.

Buying plants saves some investment expense and the mess. On the other hand you lose the late winter theraputic effect of getting your hands into the soil. And seedlings are expensive as well. Also some seeds just need to be planted straight into the ground- carrots for instance

There are distinct mental health benefits to starting seeds indoors. Getting into the soil and watching things grow even when the ground in covered in snow brings joy.

So, consider a plan – and then order your seeds in time.

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Leave a comment and let me know what your favorites are. Also let me know if there are any gardening topics you would like to see covered.

Happy planning