Selecting Seeds for This Year’s Garden
A Little Thought, a Lot of Fun
As winter trudged on post-New Year (the real doldrums!), I found myself stuck inside nursing a ruptured Achilles (note to self: stretch more!). With nothing to do but binge-watch the snow fall, I channeled my energy into something a bit more productive—selecting seeds for the 2025 garden. It’s my new winter sport!
When I sat down to pick seeds, I really took a step back and thought about what would not only be great for the garden itself but also fun for Lily. She’s at that age where she’s eager to help with everything, still remembers last summer’s gardening adventures (she even asks if all her winter gloves are “gardening gloves”), and I want her to see the fruits of their labor — literally — in real time. So, this year, I selected seeds with her in mind, focusing on a few simple ideas: (1) big seeds for little hands, (2) colorful veggies, (3) snackable crops (bush beans, cherry tomatoes), and (4) a mix of plants that offer a little something throughout the season. Plus, for me: (5) organic seeds and (6) ideally a local-ish business.
I started with big seeds for little hands — think beans, peas, and sunflowers. Not only are they easier to handle and plant, but they’re also a joy to watch grow, especially towering sunflowers that bring some drama to the garden. I also wanted Lily to feel that instant gratification, so I made sure to include veggies we could harvest quickly, like butter lettuce and rainbow carrots.
And of course, color was a must. Rainbow swiss chard and carrots had to make its way into the mix (if only they had a “sparkle” variety, Lily would be out of her mind). I can already picture Lily’s face as she gets to harvest something that looks more like a work of art than a veggie.
But I also thought about the rhythms of the garden. Some things you can harvest all summer long (hello, basil), while others require a little more planning — like planting things in succession so we have fresh salad all season. This kind of gardening feels a little like a slow, ongoing experiment that’s real to what it actually takes to pull off growing some veggies to snack on.
It was a hard (lots of research), but easy (once I found them, it was obvious I had to try) choice, on where to source my seeds this year. I’ve read a lot about High Mowing and am sourcing the majority of my seeds from them this year. All of their seeds are organic, and their roots are right here in New England. Plus, I trust people from Vermont. They’ve got a great (and big) selection, and I love supporting a local-ish business.
And while I want to keep it fun and carefree, I’m also aiming to stick to the principles of companion planting. My garden plan coming soon…
With all of that in mind, here’s what I’m planting this year—seeds that I think Lily will love, and that will make for a colorful, snackable, and successful garden.
clockwise from top left…
Tomato: Black Krim
Tomato: Pink Bumblebee
Basil: Genovese
Tomato: Sunrise Bumblebee
clockwise from top left…
Bush Bean: Dragon Tongue
Bush Bean: Provider
Eggplant: Turkish Delight
Eggplant: Traviata
from left…
Kale: Meadowlark
Swiss Chard: Rainbow Blend
Beets: Chiogga
clockwise from top left…
Zinnia: Giant Coral
Zinnia: Dwarf Thumbelina
from left…
Lettuce: Gourmet mix
Lettuce: Optima Butterhead
Carrots: Starburst
If you’re reading this and thinking, ‘WHAT THE HECK—didn’t you say we were just doing a kids’ snacking garden?’—no worries, I’ve got you! In the next few newsletters, I’ll break it down for you with a smaller-scale, super simple approach, that can get your kids involved. For now, I just wanted to share what I’m experimenting with this season in case something catches your eye. Happy shopping, and I’ll see you soon with more ‘snackable’ gardening tips!