02 03 Gallimaufry Grove: Time to Plan that Garden! 04 05 15 16 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 31 32 33

Time to Plan that Garden!

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I'm looking out the window right now.  The sun hasn't come up yet, it's cold out there and it's snowing.  It doesn't exactly make me want to rush outside and get my hands in the dirt.  I'm thinking more of a warm blanket by the fire and a good book.  And tea -- because tea makes everything better.




Believe it or not, though, it's the perfect time to plan the garden.  Where we live, we can get some seeds in the ground pretty early in the spring.  Other things can get a head start on our window sill if we order our seeds early enough.  So we are pouring through the seed catalogs and dreaming of warmer days to come.

I delegated the garden planning to May-May a couple years ago.  You'd be surprised how interested kids can become in gardening when they get to have a real part in the process.  She pours over the seed catalogs in January and early February looking and makes her seed choices.  The other kids collaborate with her over their favorite vegetables and herbs (Rocket-Boy claims pepper picking rights, and I make sure his picks aren't so hot that we can't eat them.  You gotta love that boy.)  When they have made their choices based on what they wish we could grow and what will actually grow in our climate, they bring the list to me for the final verdict.  We make our order and wait....


This is our patio garden planning schematic from a few years ago.
We sketched out the space we had and planned what plants would go where.


Once our seeds arrive, we plan out what needs to be started indoors and when.  Having little seedlings growing on the window sill makes the winter a little less dreary, don't you think?  And having the kiddos fully involved in the gardening process makes everyone happy -- especially when it's time to weed... (okay, that only makes me happy.  But it makes me really happy.  *snicker*)



We like to order heirloom seeds.  Heirloom seeds have not been messed with in a lab and the seeds can be saved for next year.  There is more variety and we just think they taste better.  Heirloom seeds make us happy.  Our two current favorite heirloom seed companies are Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds and Seed Savers Exchange -- in case you want to brighten your winter, too.



Have a great day!

Angela
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