January Seed Catalogue Party is Fun that Keeps on Coming

The arrival of the seed catalogues is a great reason to invite your gardening buddies over for some summertime dreaming.

Brew up a kettle of winter soup and bake some homemade bread or biscuits.  Just add gardening friends and a few seed catalogues, and you have an easy party where the fun just keeps on coming.

Pass the catalogues around and ask guests to key in on varieties that interest the group.  In our high desert area, varieties that ripen early, have some drought tolerance, and can tolerate alkaline soil get top billing.

Perhaps people are interested in heirloom varieties that allow for seed saving.  Others may focus in on varieties that do well in containers or small spaces.  If you live in an apartment building or condominium, there are still lots of varieties that will do well on a deck or in containers.

After the group has identified some interesting varieties, you can explore the possibilities of collective seed buying.  Many seed houses offer an outsanding value on bulk seeds. 

Bulk buying can greatly reduce the per/household cost of quality seeds.  Let's face it.  Good seeds are understandably expensive, and sometimes a good part of the pack is wasted.  Sharing the purchase with another household allows everyone to get top quality at an affordable price.

Then, when your January seed catalogue party matures into a great September potluck, you can savor those yummy garden goodies you all dreamed about in January.