Just like the swallows returning to Capistrano, seed racks are again! These harbingers of spring at the moment are showing in shops and nurseries throughout North America, thrilling gardeners with visions of a brand new gardening season.
With out dampening the thrill that these spinning or stationary racks generate, I do counsel that each novice and professional gardeners alike watch out approaching them. Seed racks are magical. They appeal to gardeners like magnets appeal to iron filings. It doesn’t matter that you might have completely good seeds left over from final yr or that you simply already ordered seeds from a catalog; you want to try what's being provided.
Subsequent factor , 10 minutes has handed and you might be wandering to the money register with a handful of seed choices. What occurred?
Seed sellers know gardeners are hard-wired by the “Jack and The Beanstalk” story. Plant a magical seed — and all seeds are magical — and up shoots the stalk. If we simply select half a dozen of these hand-size packets of seeds, we are able to develop a half acre (or much more) of meals or flowers. All it takes are some seeds. Right here they're, multi function place.
So, a number of guidelines gardeners ought to take note after they encounter a spring seed rack:
First, by no means purchase seeds except you've a backyard plan, and one which requires that sort of seed. (This goes for catalog and on-line shopping for as effectively; begin with a plan.) It's OK to take notes on what’s accessible from racks (use your cellphone’s be aware app), however don’t purchase any packets till you want them and have a spot to develop them. Go dwelling, make a easy plan after which come again.
Second, by no means purchase a seed packet based mostly on its image. These are designed to look so good you'll attain out and take the packet, and as soon as it’s in your hand you received’t put it again. Merely put, the image is a gross sales gimmick and doesn't provide the info you want to make a sensible buy.
That info is on the again of the packet, and the third rule of seed racking is that you simply examine this information fastidiously earlier than shopping for. The again describes the plant as an annual, perennial or biennial, which is nice to know. The place applicable, the vary of rising zones will probably be listed. And, so necessary, right here’s the place you can find how tall the plant grows and its anticipated unfold, so you possibly can house seeds or seedlings appropriately.
As necessary, the again of the pack ought to listing what number of days it takes for the plant to go from germination to maturity. (You need to already know the way lengthy your rising season occurs to be.)
There are sometimes further rising directions, too. These will point out if rising the plant matches your degree of experience.
And at all times search for this yr’s date printed on the backside of the packet so you might be getting recent and viable seeds, not earlier years’.
Final, however not least, be aware the variety of seeds within the packet. Normally, a single packet will include greater than you want. (What number of cabbage vegetation does your loved ones need you to plant, anyhow?)
I’ve had encounters with seed racks in a neighborhood mall. My glasses could also be all fogged up from coming in from the chilly, however I see them and so they pull me in. Inside minutes, I'm wandering round with a handful of seed packets I actually don’t want. Thankfully, my spouse makes me put them again (except they're arugula seeds).
There needs to be a fourth rule of seed racking: Make sure that your partner or another accountable soul is with you.
Jeff Lowenfels writes recurrently about gardening for The Related Press. His books embrace “Teaming With Microbes,” “Teaming With Fungi” and “Teaming With Vitamins.” He may be reached at jeff@gardener.com.