Wow, winter's upon us, which means ONE thing...GARDEN/SEED CATALOGS!

Yep, it's that time of year again.  If you're a gardener, then you're probably getting your seed, flower, and other garden catalogs in the mail already...I know I have been.  I've probably gotten at least 7 seed catalogs since mid December, some I don't even remember signing up for (but I imagine that I did).  I've had my garden journal out, updating things from the fall and winter, I STILL have brussels sprout plants growing and producing healthy, green brussels sprouts, they're the only thing pretty and green down in the garden (I need to take a pic and post it for ya'll).

What this means is it's time for me to start my planning.  A true gardener learns from their previous season and adjusts some of those lessons for the next season.  I've gone through my seeds, have started sharing some with a couple of friends, even in other states.  If you're going to share, then try to get started now, especially if you'll be mailing them, so they'll have them for when it's time to start them indoors.  And while I was doing this, it dawned on me, I need to check out Wintersown to see if they have any new types/varieties of heirloom tomatoes.  Last year, out of 12 tomato plants, only ONE of those plants weren't heirloom...yummm!  Once you have an heirloom tomato, you'll never want to grow another hybrid ever again, lol.  They're SO much more flavorful, and also have more acid in them (which I 'spose some people don't like).  But the high acidity in heirlooms are GREAT for canning, it means you don't have to worry about adding citric acid like you sometimes have to think about when canning with hybrid or store-bought tomatoes (some aren't very high in acid at all, which can increase your chances of poisoning all those canned tomatoes that you worked so hard on).  Anyway, you may remember me talking about Wintersown last year.  I learned about it from my gardener blogger pal, Mimi, from Gardening in the Boroughs of NYC.  And boy, I still can't thank her enough for turning me on to this great organization.  Check it out for yourself, they offer FREE seeds for wintersowing (or winter starting, I spose...I don't winter sow, but I request seeds from them), donation is not required but they really can use the funds to help to continue what they do...I always donate.  AND they take your seed donations, as well.  So if you collect and save your seeds and wish to share with them, they'd love to receive them.  Check on their site to see how you go about donating them.

So, what are your garden plans?  Have you started?  If you're a gardener, believe me, I have no doubt that you're already itching to get out there, lol  Where's Spring when you're ready for her? lol  I fear that since we've had a very lite winter (here in STL anyway) that it will have a negative effect for our gardening this year...bugs galore, snakes galore, maybe even some fungus and plant disease issues that we wouldn't normally deal with even...ugh!