Throwaway Thursday

 

Do you hold onto things a bit past expiration date, including your seeds? Before you peruse the glossy seed catalogs or online specials for your spring seed order, it’s time to review those hidden stashes and evaluate your sealed but outdated packets.

Check the expiration date. If it isn’t there, that’s a sure thing for the ‘throwaway’ category. Need a general rule of thumb? The older the seeds, the less yield these seeds produce. If you want the highest yield, don’t take any chances. Yes, you guessed it – 'Throwaway Thursday' but don’t throw away everything. If you aren’t a commercial grower or limited for space, it’s an individual gardener call. But don’t keep seeds way past prime. That’s a garden failure waiting to happen. We need victory gardens to build our garden self-esteem.

Speaking of one more throwaway, are you feeding your winter compost bin? This recent January thaw is perfect weather to loosen up the frozen pile. This allows more room for the remaining winter waste. Coffee grinds, eggs shells, veggie bits can turn to black gold eventually. It’s one small way of turning your throwaways into recycled goods. One more big plus - come spring you create great organic matter for your soil. 

Okay, just one last tip on Throwaway Thursday; back to your seed orders. Don’t place it too early. February/March (depending on seed type) can be perfect months to place your order. Always buy from a reputable seed supplier but make sure you inquire - are you getting this season’s (2013) seed crop?

Before signing off, it’s a short excerpt from the book, ‘Focus’ by Daniel Goleman. “The common cold of leadership is poor listening.” A lot of tweets have surfaced lately that relate to listening. On this throwaway Thursday, don't toss good listening skills out the door. Turn off the unnecessary and make a point to listen. Let us know what's on your mind. Stay tuned for more seed talk bound to sprout in the coming weeks. 

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©Image by Ann Bilowz 

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