New Year Resolutions for Herbalists
Follow me this month while I try to clear out my own chaos and get a few tips on how to get your herb cabinet and/or business back in order! January is a perfect time for reflection and planning, but also, we have time for getting things done since the rush of garden season is still a few months away, the snow keeps us at home a bit more....as does the promise of a warm house and hot cup of tea. Each day, I am going to tackle something that needs constant care or attention, but that is often left to become dysfunctional as the year goes on. Will this be the year, I actually keep on top of things? Who knows...but if not, I will repost next year!
January 10 ~
Make Good Gardening Decisions
All my seed catalogs have arrived, so sometime in the next week, I will be doing an inventory of my seeds to see what needs to be replaced. Buying seeds and plants are full of the same hazards as buying herb books are for me---can not control myself!! It used to be worse. Long ago, I eliminated buying from seed catalogs that were based in other regions because no matter how hard I tried, their seeds were not for plants suited to the Northeast. While there are a few exceptions to my rule, these companies are very specific about temperatures/culture needed for success.
Weeding out all those extra catalogs left me a lot more time to really pour over the ones that were appropriate. It takes me a week to go over all of them-- I circle way too much and then go back over them again and keep only the "must haves"--and compare prices amongst similar or the same varieties. Everything is great--until the huge seed orders arrive...and then comes the realization that I have to deal with all these seeds....to plant and care for all them and properly store unplanted seed for next year. So I am overwhelmed way before the busy gardening season even begins.
I experimented last year, with some success, in buying less, but this year is going to be even more extreme. Tough Love!!!
Since getting a greenhouse, I got carried away and ordered things a bit outside my growing zone--did OK, but not really worth the extra effort. So, I'll stick to the tried and true and just grow more of them. The weather changes of the last several years are also making it difficult to decide what to grow. Some things that always did well, are not and others that were marginal are doing better. But I used to be able to grow beautiful peppers/eggplants and cukes and the last years have been complete disasters. I will keep trying with those, however, because I consider them household staples.
Generally, the following are some great guidelines for being an efficient and unstressed gardener. The goal of gardening is to be bountiful, not waste energy and time on plants that are better suited to another climate/soil/gardener....
1) Know your limits: Financial and energy limits can really give you good parameters--IF-- you are aware of them and IF you don't allow total seduction by all those catalog photos!
2) Know your climate: Being a better gardener will not make a plant grow where it does not want to--unless you really take time to baby it, move it around, bring it inside.....
3) Know your needs: What do you really like to grow and eat. Having a beautiful big patch of kale becomes a burden if you don't like it that much.....and we all have our zuchinni stories!! Really pay attention to the catalog description about how much seed you need to grow just the amount you want (providing for regular fresh meals during garden season and for canning/freezing for the year). My one exception to this is Calendula!! I always grow too much, but it is beautiful, it reseeds itself, it is so useful and keeps so well and I use it in so many preparations.
4) Be skeptical: Discard any catalog that does not specify appropriate growing zones--especially if the company is based in a climate unlike yours.
5) Be realistic: Those photos ARE too good to be true (garden porn)--so, will you love the results of the seed you are trying even if it doesn't match the hype? Many beautiful plants are grown with help of greenhouses, hoop houses, floating row covers--and each is worth the investment if it is in your budgets, but if not, the results will not look like the catalog pictures.
6) Go through the catalogs 2-3 times--each time, paring down your choices. By the third time, you will say to yourself, "What was I thinking!"??????
7) Expect ethics from your seed company: Read the text in the front of your catalog, that hopefully discusses the companies thoughts on GMOs, the takeover of seed supplies by a few large corporations and their dedication to offering heirloom varieties. They should also be clear in listing which seeds or plants are/not organic.
8) Be smart--but not boring: I want to be a sensible consumer, but I still want to be fun....and not an old foggie.....This year, I am going to choose a variety (heirloom) or two and focus on them....... read all about them, find recipes, remedies, lore--take time and get to know them and grow them well. I will go outside my "box"--but in a controlled way that won't leave me frustrated and feeling I wasted time and money----and my end goal is to make a few new plant friends. I did this a few years ago with Spilanthes--with fabulous results.
Lots of decisions and planning to make on thse cold, snowy days, but luckily, right now, we have plenty of time.