Things To Consider When Buying Seed Packets Online
A vegetable garden is an excellent way to get outdoors during the summer as well as make your land more productive. If you are new to gardening, the process of choosing what to plant and how to choose the seeds may seem overwhelming. Before searching for seed packets online, there are a few factors to consider that will make your gardening more successful, such as the best vegetables for your area, the available space, and your personal preferences. Gardening from seeds is an inexpensive way to fill your garden with plenty of crops, and online seed catalogs have a large selection of flower and vegetable seeds to choose from. Here are a few things to consider when buying seeds for your vegetable garden.
Read the Description
Before buying seed packets online, it is important that you carefully read the description and information about the seeds. Some seeds, such as broccoli, which are cool weather plants, will need to be started indoors in order for them to be transplanted in the outdoor garden. Other plants, such as peppers and tomatoes, are warm-weather plants and should also be started indoors, but under a grow light. Reading the description of the seeds you are considering will provide insight as to whether you must start the seeds indoors prior to spring and then you will transplant them to the garden after they have sprouted.
Only Buy and Grow What You'll Eat
When shopping for seed packets online, it's important that you only buy the vegetables that you and your family will eat. Planting just the vegetables your family will eat prevents you from taking up garden space with foods you will not use. If you are attempting to get your family to expand their vegetable palette, consider buying your favorites the first season and then adding a new variety of vegetables in the next season. For instance, if you like tomatoes, be sure to include them in your spring planting, but you're not sure if the okra you plant will be eaten, grow one or two plants in the summer. This will allow you to have plenty of room for all of the spring planted vegetables, without taking up space for the foods you're not positive will be enjoyed by your family.
Consider the Garden Size
When shopping for seed packets online, it's easy to order more than you will use or the type of vegetables that you simply don't have room for. Large vegetables, such as cucumbers or squash, shouldn't be planted in small gardens because they are vine plants and require a large growing area. If vine plants are planted in small, confined areas, they won't be able to produce good fruits. But, if you want to plant a few vine plants in a small garden, you can add a trellis so climbing plants can grow upward, instead of outwards. It's best to focus on compact, high-yielding vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers, and salad greens.
One of the most important things to keep in mind when shopping for seed packets online is to look for disease-resistant seed varieties, especially if your garden was previously prone to insects and/or diseases. For instance, if you are shopping for tomato seeds, the best disease-resistant varieties will be labeled with VFN after the name of the plant, which means the specific plant is resistant to various types of nematode damage and wilting.
Contact a company like Vermont Wildflower Farm today to learn more.