Spring Preview! Seed Catalogs Are In The Mail

It's spring!

No, no, wait. It's four days after Christmas, and last night, the temperatures dropped below freezing.

So it's not really springtime, although today felt like it. The pansies in my hanging baskets are blooming, birds are singing in the trees, and the sun felt warm on my back as I walked Miss Paws around the neighborhood.

I've already got spring fever, although I know there's more winter ahead. Still, it's a good excuse to start browsing through seed catalogs.

If you've read my book, Gardening with Heirloom Seeds, you've seen a list of about 50 mail order seed companies in the index. If you haven't read it (my book is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other bookstores), please follow me here at the Douglasville Patch. I'm going to start posting about some great seed catalogs you can order from. When spring finally does arrive, I'll share tips about gardening with flowers, vegetables, fruits, and herbs, and I'll answer questions you might have.

Seed catalogs usually arrive with New Year, so I'm thinking mine should show up soon. Has anyone gotten theirs yet?

If you enjoy cooking, check out The Cook's Garden seed catalog, which you can see on-line or request by mail. The Cook's Garden sells plants and seeds for gourmet cooks, and while I seldom whip up more than everyday meatloaf or fried chicken, I like to see what they offer each year.

This spring, I plan to order some of their Cherry Stuffer Sweet Pepper Hybrid seeds. These compact little peppers are said to have a sweet flavor, and they're a perfect size to pop on a grill or fill with stuffing for appetizers.

Another new product I want to try is The Cook's Garden Marinade Herb Collection. Each packet contains a mix of thyme, Greek oregano, garlic chive, parsley, and common oregano seeds.When you harvest your herbs, you can toss them with some oil and something acidic, like lemon juice or vinegar, to make a nice marinade for meat or fish. Love fresh herbs!

Come back to my blog soon. I'll tell you about some more seed catalogs you'll really like!