What can be more fun for a gardener than cozying up to the fire on a cold and snowy January day to read the avalanche of seed and plant catalogues that start to arrive after Christmas? The mail I get as a result of being on the gardener’s mailing list is more enjoyable than any other. Straight into the recycle bin go the big flashy catalogues with the latest variety of bigger and better. I’m looking for the smaller, more discreet volume that alphabetizes by scientific name and richly describes the specific plant’s attributes and virtues. I’m looking for the heirloom varieties. Pictures aren’t necessary, I can always Google for those.

Catalogues open around me, it’s time to pull out other books, like Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew, and The New Seed-Starter’s Handbook, by Nancy Bubel. Reading these helps with the planning of the new season’s garden and ignites the gardening passion within which has lain as dormant as the tulips and daffodils, waiting for the warmth of spring. Many hours can be spent pouring over books and catalogues, whiling the days away.

The dreaming, planning and reflecting on past and future growing seasons is as necessary to the gardening year as are the busier, sometimes frenzied, times which are sure to come.

While perusing the seed catalogues and adding this variety of tomato and that variety of lettuce to your list of ‘must haves’ think about planting a little extra. If your garden plot is big enough, you might want to sell your excess at the Grower’s Market. It is set up for just that purpose. Another repository for excess produce is the wonderful Backyard Harvest program, which works through PCEI and is happy to take any amount of extras from the garden and pass it on to local Food Banks.

Our Co-op is always interested in having more farmers and growers provide produce for our consumption. Growers who can provide a consistent and weekly supply from their land are valued. The demand for fresh, local produce exceeds the supply so if you are thinking about getting into small farming it’s a good time to put those ideas into action.

While poking around in my Garden House one snowy day last month, getting bird seed for the feeder, I came across a basket full of paperwhite bulbs that I had discarded after last winter’s (2006-2007) forcing. I was amazed to see a few little green shoots, so brought them inside and found many of them still alive. I also had stashed some of the still planted containers in my laundry room last year, so I pulled them out and they also had green stems. Those I kept in their containers and watered. The loose bulbs I planted into new containers and watered them. I had always read that the bulbs should be tossed out after forcing as it exhausted them. It looks like this may not be true. I’ll let you know how they turn out.