Well, I’m looking out the window by my computer as the first flakes of the predicted 18″ of snow start falling. You can’t possibly expect me to be polite about it.
I’ve done all the planning I can stand. The last seed order I placed was perfunctory and totally lacking the thrill of previous orders. Y’all, I’m just so done with winter.
It is still a bit too soon to start seeds in earnest. I’ve got a tray each of garlic chives and bunching onions started because I couldn’t wait any longer to get the grow lights going and these were the only things I could convince myself to start. The seed starting set up looks so bare!
I did get the full garden layout done (save a 3’x6′ area that I’ve yet decided what to fill with) and all the specific varieties set up. The only ones missing are the 4 seed trial varieties of Acorn Squash that were selected this year but still in transit to me. I’m fairly pleased with the plan and am aiming for being much better at succession planting and utilizing space throughout the season. Hence the peas and squash sharing a bed with the trial squash. Hopefully it works well.
The color coding is also to help me (the visual creature that I am) see where the early, mid, and late type crops go so that I may better plan and replant areas. I need all the organizational help I can get.
We recently went to our local food co-op to a year ’round veggie gardening workshop with a local gardener and all-around plantswoman. She has a seed company but no website sadly and was tremendously knowledgeable and gave us some really helpful tips. Anyway, she started the talk with a circular calendar to help visualize the growing season here in one snapshot. Where has this circular beauty been all my life?!?!?
(Here is the link to the Permies.com forum that has the Northern Hemisphere 2018 map, here is the link to the parent website- Abrazo House– which is currently not able to link to the 2018 calendar)
I added in all our local data like last frost, average thaw date, and first frost (which I stupidly labeled as last frost, but I like to think I’m smart enough to know what I meant). And this is where the color coding came in handy- I used the same colors on the garden layout to signify what plants go in the ground when. It makes visualizing the whole year and where we are at within the year so much easier for me.
Of course, there is (and always will be) the free calendar we get from our local Farm Store that has the specific dates for starting, sowing, planting out. Honestly though, I really only use it for seed starting.
That’s it. All the planning done. Just waiting for a few more weeks to get the first of the seeds started in earnest and wait out the end of winter. That and watch the snow fall. Harumph.
I’d love to hear what tools and tricks you all use to get yourself organized for the growing season though!
Box & Bay 
