Seed Catalog Season

Welcome to the pre-Spring season known as 'Seed Catalog Season.'

Any person who does any amount of gardening can relate to the combination of anticipation and agony that comes with the flood of seed catalogs that begin arriving in mid-December and peak in early January. Obviously, the opportunity to dream about warmer weather with green and growing things is welcomed by many. This is especially true if the temperatures are below zero and the wind is howling.

But, why do I say 'anticipation AND agony?'

I'm going to guess that most people get the anticipation part. But, you are a clearly an addicted gardener if you get the agony part without further explanation. The root of the pain comes from the necessity of eliminating a significant number of the varieties and plants that you initially circled in each of the catalogs you received. Generally speaking, none of us has unlimited time, money or space.

As a result, you simply cannot plant every one of those thirteen dry bean varieties you think would be cool to try. Four might be more reasonable. And so, the elimination process begins. Usually, the first six or seven are fairly easily eliminated. These were interesting, but not really intriguing. But, figuring out the last two to be removed from the list can be a struggle. There are almost always two or three that are tried and true by you - so they HAVE to stay. Then, there is another you've tried before, but you were certain you made some mistakes with it - so another year would probably only be fair. But, you want to try new things too....

Eh.... five isn't that much more than four. We'll do five this year.

Well, maybe six.......