Seed racks are back: Gardeners, act responsibly

Second, never buy a seed packet based on its picture. These are designed to look so good you will reach out and take the packet, and once it’s in your hand you won’t put it back. Simply put, the picture is a sales gimmick and does not give you the information you need to make a smart purchase.

That information is on the back of the packet, and the third rule of seed racking is that you study this info carefully before buying. The back describes the plant as an annual, perennial or biennial, which is good to know. Where appropriate, the range of growing zones will be listed. And, so important, here’s where you will find how tall the plant grows and its expected spread, so you can space seeds or seedlings appropriately.

As important, the back of the pack should list how many days it takes for the plant to go from germination to maturity. (You should already know how long your growing season happens to be.)

There are often additional growing instructions, too. These will indicate if growing the plant matches your level of expertise.

And always look for this year’s date printed at the bottom of the packet so you know you are getting fresh and viable seeds, not previous years’.

Last, but not least, note the number of seeds in the packet. Usually, a single packet will contain more than you need. (How many cabbage plants does your family want you to plant, anyhow?)