Picking out seeds - Don't limit yourself!

We get seeds for our gardens from all over the place in addition to saving seeds at the end of each season. We love trying new varieties and love having a big variety overall in the garden. This also lets us see what does well and what doesn't, what we like and what we don't, how different varieties perform and what conditions are best for each.

We get heirloom varieties from a local hydroponics store, some basics from the Home Depot down the street and others from catalogs we are sent or we find online. This past year we took a trip to Portland, Oregon, and while there grabbed interesting veggies from a few produce stands and farmers markets to save the seeds and bring them home.

A couple of weeks ago I went online and ordered some seeds for some personal favorites that I love to cook and eat, but never see seeds sold anywhere local. They arrived today, amid a snowstorm that doesn't lend itself to planting, but I'm ready when the time is right.

These are Asian varieties, Daikon Radishes, Chinese Broccoli (also known as Chinese Kale), and Asian Cilantro (a broader leaf very unlike the cilantro we see in the stores but can be found as an accompaniment to many Vietnamese and Thai dishes).

What's the point? Break out of your circle and try some new options for the garden. Every yard, every garden is a micro-climate. Every year is different. Spice up your garden with some unexpected choices in addition to the mainstays. Often these make fun plantings in unexpected places - we like to sprinkle edibles in with the rest of our landscaping and/or pots around the house and porch - nothing like some funky, leggy broccoli or broadleaf coriander to peak the interest of guests...and then end up on their dinner plate!