Garden Planning In Progress!!!

I have had the garden bug since long before the calendar flipped over to 2013, but I was able to wait until January 1, 2013 before I opened my first garden seed catalog. ;P  I have since spent many hours dreaming about and planning for the upcoming garden season!  How about you?  Oh how I long for the taste of garden fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, peas,.... {DROOL!}

So, what specifically have I been doing?  The same thing I did last year.  I reviewed my garden 'journal', inventoried seeds, made a preliminary 2013 planting plan, did some reading on garden structures (cold frames, green houses, etc.) from one of those free ebooks that have been catching my eye on Facebook, and cruised my Gardening Pinboard on Pinterst over and over.  (Check out my post last January on planning, making notes and reviewing for more details.)

Now, it is already February and it's time to start purchasing seeds since I plan to start my own bedding plants indoors.  I have a fairly large 'To Purchase' list this year.  It includes cucumber, carrot, parsnip, kohlrabi, shell peas, spinach, dill, mint and rosemary.  I also would like to purchase some bedding flower seeds, but that will depend on whether I order seeds or purchase from a local store.

Based on the average last killing frost for my location, May 12, I calculate that my first possible indoor planting date is Feb 17... only twelve days away!!  Wow!  (Fellow North Dakotans see this NDSU Extension link for the frost free dates closest to you, everyone else contact your local county extension agent.) The Indoor Seed Starting and Planting Guide I created will help you figure out when you should start your favorite veggies indoors this year.  If you have never done it before, give it a try!  It is a great way to indulge your garden bug long before the ground has begun to warm up for the season.

I look forward to sharing my gardening journey with you again this year.  :)  I don't plan on posting a weekly 'Plant of the Week' post this year, but be sure to check out previous posts if you are looking of information on a specific plant.  I do hope to get back to my weekly menu post using garden produce and have a weekly harvest post in which we can all share what we are harvesting each week.

Tell me, do you plan to start your own bedding plants this year?  Have you purchased seeds yet?

It is a new garden season and it is full of garden opportunity!  Let us dream big, plan well and encourage each other to make our 2013 gardens a happy, bountiful reality!

Happy Gardening!!! :)