How to Order Seeds Without Breaking the Bank

Most gardeners have a tendency to behave like the proverbial “kid in a candy store” when ordering seeds. In this article, I share my process for avoiding that compulsion.

It’s getting close to that time of year when gardeners start to peruse seed catalogues and dream of all the things they will grow next year. Unfortunately, most gardeners have a tendency to behave like the proverbial “kid in a candy store” when ordering seeds. All of those lush and bountiful pictures play on our emotions and desires, and it’s easy to get whipped into a frenzy that results in that “add to cart” button being pressed far too many times - so I thought I would devote an article to discussing my process for curbing this compulsion when shopping for seeds online.

A garden should always return more value than its initial costs. Buying the right amount of seeds is an important part of realizing that goal. [image source]

What can’t I live without

Before going online, or cracking open a seed catalogue, first make a list of everything you simply must have. This is your starting point. This list will keep things from going off the rails.

Do I have the space?

All gardeners over-estimate what they can grow in their garden - but garden space is finite. With the exception of very small gardens, I think it is almost impossible to plan out a garden in your head, so it’s important to map it out and see if there’s a space for everything. Take a picture of your garden, preferably from above; or, draw a rough sketch of your garden space - then look at your “list of everything you simply must have” and see if there is room for all of those things. An important part of this exercise is bearing in mind how large every plant will be when it is mature. A 4’x8’ bed seems large, but that’s barley enough room for 2 pumpkin plants!