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Is it spring yet?
It must be getting close because it is seed catalog season in a HUGE WAY! All of us here at GA have received dozens of catalogs from businesses selling their seeds, bulbs and gardening supplies.
And it’s got me pumped up for spring!
Over the last couple weekends, I’ve been clearing out the vegetable beds and laying in a layer of mulch - carefully avoiding pulling the remaining overwintering leeks, kale and celeriac. Sadly, I did not plan my winter garden as meticulously as Valria, and ran out of winter veggies early on in the winter. But as spring beckons with it’s seductive gardening catalogs, I’ve begun the planning.
If you have been inundated with catalogs, I’d encourage you to take a moment to determine what plants are good for your area, and not be easily swayed by the colorful images of plants that can’t flourish in your climate. How do you determine this? By finding out what “Zone” you’re in!
Most purveyors of plants and seeds indicate what “zone” a plant is suited for based on the USDA’s “Plant Hardiness Zone Map”.
You can click here to find your zone!
Basically, this map indicates, by region the average annual minimum temperature range. By determining this temperature, you can make an educated selection on your plants, based on which are hardy at those temperatures. For instance, living in Seattle, I am in Zone 7b, which based on these statistics, means that the average minimum temperature is 5-10 degrees Farenheit.
Now, those who live in Seattle know that it is RARE to ever see a winter that cold - thus far, the lowest I’ve seen over this last winter is 22 degrees, and not for any significant amount of time. This relatively mild winter, means that it never “hard freezes”, and that soil can be worked throughout the winter, and that bulbs that remain in the ground over winter won’t necessarily freeze to death.
As tempting as may of those tropical beauties may be, make sure your climate will allow it.
So, the planning continues - take a moment and check out Territorial Seed Catalog!
Tags:catalog map planning winter zonePosted by Les on January 31st, 2008 under Garden Planning, Year-Round Gardening
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