Don’t underestimate the power of a colorful garden

This time of year, I look for color in my refrigerator. Every meal, I choose what I eat according to the colors, trying to include green and as many bright colors as possible. As winter wears on in its weary way, the colors come from farther away…boo! Local foods from local farms and gardens are so much more flavorful. But I’ll settle for broccoli and brussel sprouts, cauliflower and potatoes, carrots, radishes, turnips…trying my best to brighten my plate.

I’m also test germinating seeds from my dubious seed stash, so many seeds that aren’t labeled as to when they were harvested. Seed packets with dates on them that (no pun intended) push the envelope of whether they are still viable. One scarlet runner bean sprouting, nudging memories of that year (about 20 years ago) when I dedicated a thirty-foot garden bed to just them. What a riot of color that row was, so worth it just for the joy.

In sharp contrast, five borage seeds are sprouting, along with the memories of small star-shaped blue flowers on fuzzy plants. Blue is not always an easy color to add to your garden. It’s also why a patch of blue sky today is so welcome…

The December Gardener

Today I’m sorting through old seeds. (Spoiler: I don’t throw any seeds away, however old they may be). I have a seed viability chart handy and sort the seeds into two piles.

One is much larger than the other because I’m eternally optimistic. This is the “worth trying” pile. The other is the “probably hopeless but I’ll scatter them somewhere in the spring” pile. As in, the chart says they’re viable for one or two years and these are 8 years old…some may say I’m throwing them away, but I’m giving them to a good home, may they rest in peace if they don’t sprout.

A few at a time (because I have limited space to work with), I’ll wrap a few of the worth trying seeds in damp paper towels, and place the towels into carefully labeled plastic ziplock bags, and set them in a warm place. This is how I decide what to grow next spring. I may supplement with a nursery plant or two (or so I tell myself), but that is planned with seed catalog viewing…after the viability tests are over.

Seed catalog browsing will be my January “gardening”. I buy all my seeds from a local farm, just a few miles from my home. My favorite nursery just a few miles further away.

Seed Viability Chart: https://homesteadandchill.com/old-seeds-viability-chart/