Rooted Ramblings: It's seed season!
- Master Gardener Volunteers
Written by Debbie Barber, Portage County Master Gardener Volunteers
Our family is known for keeping our home fairly cool during the winter months. We say that it’s healthier, but really, it’s to lower our heating bills.
When the children were young, about this time of year we would make a pilgrimage to the Columbus area, drop off the kids at the grandparents’ house, and my spouse and I would check into a hotel for the night, turn up the heat as high as it would go to finally feel warm, spread out all of the seed catalogs we had recently received, and start dreaming about the garden we were going to plant in the spring.
Well, it’s that time of year again, when dreams know no bounds, and everything is possible. Here are some suggestions to consider as you begin to envision your garden.
What do you want to grow? Did you have success last year with something you want to repeat? Or maybe you want to try something similar but disease resistant?
Heirloom varieties are often a popular choice. These seeds have been passed down generations and are typically unique in taste or appearance. However, heirloom seeds haven’t been bred to resist disease and that can sometimes be problematic. Maybe you are interested in organic seeds. These are grown without fertilizers or synthetic pesticides. If you are growing flowers, how important is color variety and length of growing season? There are so many and they all look beautiful in the publications.
There is a lot of good information in the seed description in the catalog and on the seed packet.
Read the seed packet description to know the time to harvest, or days to maturity. Pay attention to whether the time is for direct sowing into the soil or at the transplant time. Oftentimes, transplant time is used for tomatoes, brassicas, and peppers.
Note descriptions of flavors of the plants. For instance, some may be mild, or sweet, or spicy. This could be consequential, particularly when selecting varieties of peppers.
Growth habits can be important, especially if space is a consideration. For example, tomatoes may be determinate or indeterminate. The former tends to grow to a set height and not run amuck. The fruits tend to ripen at approximately the same time. Indeterminate tomatoes will grow and produce fruit until frost. They tend to spread, grow tall, and need a lot of support. These could result in crowding out other plants, and they will need to be pruned regularly.
Consider whether the plants are compact/dwarf vs. trailing or vining. The latter will need support. Examples include squash, cucumbers, beans. One year my butternut squash grew all over my blueberry bushes with abandon.
Be aware of disease resistant codes. Most seed catalogs will include this information. A code of “V” or “F” means there is resistance to two soil-borne diseases: Verticillium and Fusarium. Powdery mildew and downy mildew resistance is indicated by PM or DM. Disease Resistant Vegetables
Other codes to understand include (OP), which means open-pollinated. These seeds are naturally pollinated and can be saved for following years once they are harvested. Hybrid seeds, (F1), are better for crops that are susceptible to disease, although saving the seeds will not produce a reliable next harvest. These have typically been bred to produce higher yields and/or prevent disease.
If you are choosing flower seeds, try to select flowers that support our pollinators and beneficial insects. Some seeds will indicate “pollinator friendly” on the packet and watch for mildew resistant varieties.
Your personal goals are what matter. Consider the beauty of the results, your desired yield, flavor, and variety. Be sure your choices can thrive in your soil and climate conditions. Most importantly, buy from reputable and trusted sources.
Whatever your choices, enjoy the journey and dream of what could be. This is how we get through winter in northeast Ohio!
Ohio State University Extension Portage County Master Gardener Volunteer program. As OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, our articles will never endorse specific products or companies. Questions/comments/suggestions/want to find out more/become a PCMGV: 330-296-6432 • OSU PCMGV web • portco.mgv.oh@gmail.com • FB PCMGV • PCMGV Speaker’s Bureau
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