Time to start planting your SEEDS!

     Its almost that time!   One of my Favorite times of the year!  (OK, so I have a lot of favorite times, spring chicks, fall harvest, etc. etc.)  I just ordered a few seeds to supplement my already overgrown stockpile of Organic Garden Seeds!  I started growing Organic, non-GMO or non-hybrid seeds several years ago as I began to learn the importance not only of eating non genetically modified foods, but also protecting the earth, environment, and even our future seed stock.
     As a prepper, its important to grow plants that seed can be harvested from, dried, stored properly and used again.   Most of the seeds available in stores are what is called "HYBRID."  Hybrid means that when you plant a seed harvested from the fruit of your hybrid crop, you will not get a plant that produces true to type.   Many of these seeds produce either weak plants with growing issues, and subject to diseases, or the plant is beautiful but won't produce a healthy fruit, if any fruit at all.
     You do have to know a few things to become a successful seed saver, but with a little trial and error most people can use their own garden seeds season after season.  We will get into seed saving later on, but today I want to talk to you about planning your garden, and getting your seeds ready.

Shelley's 6 rules of Gardening:
          1 - Plant what you will eat.
          2 - Choose non-hybrid, non-GMO seeds.
          3 - Start your seeds as naturally as possible
          4-  Compost your beds, learn to use a compost pile
          5 - Mulch, Mulch, Mulch!
          6 - Experiment with different Methods, and HAVE FUN!

We are going to go over the first several points today, and then I will address the other ones individually with detailed posts and information.

Plant what you will eat.

     This is more important than some of you may realize if you are a new gardener.  It is so easy to get excited and want to plant your whole yard, and do 50 of everything just so you can feel like you've accomplished something.   But at harvest time when you are bringing in buckets of food, 1/2 of which you don't even like, it can get stressful trying to use/ give away so much food.   If eggplants gross you out, or you don't' like hot peppers, DON'T GROW THEM!
     Think about what your family eats and uses on a regular basis and start with that.   For us it is Tomatoes, Peppers, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Melons, and a few other odds and ends.  And yes, we do like Eggplant.   I'll post my Ratatouille recipe later on in the year closer to harvest time.   I also have a space for what I call my Green Smoothie Garden.   I grow Red Russian Kale, Lacinto Kale, blue Kale, and 2 varieties of Swiss Chard.   Then I go out with my Scissors every morning and chop a bunch of leaves for my smoothie!   I am soooo missing that right now!   My GS Garden was producing right up until about  a month ago when all these heavy snows hit!

Choose non-hybrid, non GMO seeds
     We talked about this a little bit already, but your probably wondering how to tell the difference between hybrid and non hybrid seeds if its not obvious.   Some of the tell tale signs of a hybrid seed, are that usually they will have a # in the title next to the item.   ie: F1 tomato, or FL0504 Hot Pepper seeds, etc.   Not always, but if it does, its definitely a hybrid.   Also if they say they are resistant to some disease or high heat, they are usually hybrid.   The verbage is critical.  Because the word "tolerant" for example is not generally used for hybrids.   So if something is drought tolerant, or tolerates drought, that is likely an indication of the plants natural properties.

Ok, so where do I find non-Gmo seeds?
     There are several online seed companies that offer quality seeds.   I will list a few of my favorites here:
               BAKER CREEK HEIRLOOM SEEDS

               VICTORY SEEDS

And there is also several options on Etsy.com, but this one is my favorite:

                CUBITS

And for PREPPERS, you'll like these storeable "Garden in a Can" options:

              GARDEN IN A CAN

              HEIRLOOM ORGANICS - SEED VAULT

 I planted Sunflowers in front of the Chicken coop to help block out the mess.

Start your seeds as naturally as possible
     So what exactly do I mean by that?   Learn about each type of seed, and figure out how it grows best and in what conditions.   If those conditions exist naturally where you live, there is no need to go to extra trouble getting your seed to grow.   Many nurseries sell some of the most ridiculous seedlings I've ever seen, and i have to admit early in my gardening career, I fell prey.   For example, why would somebody buy started corn plants?   In most parts of the country, you can practically drop corn seed on the ground, and it will grow.   Just know when its safe to drop it, and your all good.   With corn, you have to  make sure the ground is warm enough (about 70) and it will germinate no problem.
     Cucumbers and Melons are often started indoors, but if you live in an area that has nice hot summers, you can drop seed in the ground in July and have a bigger cucumber than the nursery plant you bought and planted in May.   So when I say start as naturally as possible, I mean KNOW your seeds, and your weather, and plant accordingly so you don't waste seeds.
     I start most of my plants indoors (except corn, ha ha), OR I use those green "Wall of Water" cones to start some directly in the garden much sooner than I normally could.  We have long winters, and a good chance of at least one late freeze every spring, so its generally not safe to set plants out into the garden until mid-may, and this year I'm thinking more like first of june.   But alot of expert gardeners around here do start seeds directly in the garden and try to protect them.  
     Depending on the type of seed, I have few methods.  For any of my "greens" that i want to start ahead, I usually get a foil tin from the dollar store with a lid, fill with organic seed starter (That I have pre-moistened) from the nursery or hardware store,  and try to systematically sprinkle the seeds over the top.  Not too many, but quite a few.  Then I get some more seed starter, and lightly sprinkle just a bit over the seeds.   If your doing it in your house in a sunny window, Use the lid.  However in a greenhouse, I learned the hard way, it gets way too hot in that little container when the sun comes out in the afternoon, and I fried my seeds.  So if starting in a greenhouse that is somewhat climate controlled, I wouldn't recommend using the lid.

I like to do a more of a mixed use garden so that its pretty as well as edible.  Too bad I hadn't removed the old supports for the winter garden extender we put up in the fall.  It obviously did not hold up well.

     For Tomatoes and other Vegetables, I like to use Coconut Fiber Pellets.  Really, just because I am somewhat lazy.   Its a heck of a lot of work to fill seed trays with dirt, and tap down each little section.  I prefer to just add water, and let the "pot" or in this case pellet, prep itself.  Then I just use the handle of a plastic spoon to make my little holes to deposit seeds in.   I will do another post with pictures and details as soon as I get MY seeds planted here in the next week or two.   I don't have a specific date I do it, it just goes on the to-do list for February, and when I feel ready to do it, I go for it!   I need to tidy up my greenhouse first and make a place for all these seed flats.  

Also as a resource, I want to point you to a site about winter sowing seeds.  Its not too late to start your seeds this way, and when I tried it, it worked out great.   Especially for flowers.
The idea is to sow your seeds inside mini greenhouses made of milk jugs or other plastic containers.  You water them, and seal them, with the exception of a few small holes for ventilation, and then set them outside.   The seeds are more protected than they would be in the garden, but they also are in the natural temperature so you don't have to harden them off when they sprout.   Go check out this site for a great description with photos:

WINTER SOWING

Stay tuned for posts on each one of my other 3 rules individually!  Composting, Mulching, & Garden Methods.  Please be sure to subscribe via email, rss, or facebook, up on the right hand corner.  

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