Is your mailbox full of seed catalogs? Mine is and I can’t be happier! I love reading the descriptions, looking at the pictures, dreaming of the garden this year, tidy and weed free….Okay, back to reality. Before you buy a bunch of new seed, do a germination test on seeds left over from last season and any you might have saved.
Germination tests are easy. Place 10 seeds of the same variety between damp paper towels and slide in ziploc bag and put in a warm place. Check daily for sprouting. 10 is good number because it makes it easy to get your germination %. 1 seed sprouts= 10%, 9 seeds=90%. Anything under 50% probably isn’t worth using unless it’s a special variety.
Now you can shop for new seeds with a clear conscience! Don’t forget you can support the IFM and get locally adapted, certified organic seeds through our Online market. Here’s the link: