Using seed and plant catalogs

By Deborah J. Benoit, Extension Master Gardener, University of Vermont

It begins in December. By January, seed and plant catalogs will arrive at your mailbox (or email) almost daily. Browsing through their pages provides a welcome escape from the garden-deprived days of winter.

These catalogs contain a wealth of information to help grow a successful garden. The trick is having some basic knowledge about your location to help you choose the best plants.

First, determine your United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Plant Hardiness Zone. You’ll want to choose perennial plants that are labeled for your zone. You can find your USDA Hardiness Zone here: planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

You’ll also want to know your anticipated last frost date in the spring (when the danger of frost has likely passed) and your first anticipated frost date in the fall. The autumn date is useful to estimate how long your garden likely will last before a killing frost puts an end to its productivity.  You can find the average last and first frost dates for your location here: garden.org/apps/frost-dates.

The number of days between the last frost date (spring) and the first frost date (fall) is the length of your growing season. Keep that in mind when selecting vegetable crops. If the “days to maturity” is longer than your growing season, cold weather could put an end to your garden before it’s ready to harvest.

A catalog listing will tell you the plant’s name and the variety being offered (e.g., Cornflower “Emperor William”), the plant’s size at maturity (important when planning the number of plants you’ll need), light requirements, what you’ll receive (i.e., seeds or a plant) and the price. If ordering seeds, the listing will often state the approximate number of seeds in a packet.

The description should also provide the plant’s botanical name. A plant may be known by different common names (e.g., cornflower is also known as bachelor’s button), or the same common name may refer to entirely different plants. The botanical name identifies a specific plant.

It also lets you go beyond the catalog description and research plant care, potential pests and diseases, and other specifics before adding it to your garden.

In addition, listings may include whether a plant is an heirloom variety or a native and if it’s drought tolerant, scented, or suitable for cut flowers. You may also learn whether it will attract pollinators such as bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies or if it’s deer-resistant.

Catalogs often use symbols to indicate useful information, such as appropriate growing conditions (full sun, part shade, full shade). Look for a key to what those symbols mean in the general information section of the catalog or as a footnote at the bottom of the page.

You may find additional information regarding the hardiness of annuals and perennials helpful when deciding which plants to select for your garden. A “hardy annual” would likely resist a light frost without damage, lasting until a hard freeze. A “half-hardy annual” would likely sustain damage from a frost, and a “tender annual” would succumb to temperatures approaching freezing. Plants labeled “tender perennial” aren’t frost tolerant and are often treated as annuals in colder climates. They’d need to be overwintered indoors and moved back outside after the danger of frost has passed in the spring.

Whether you’re planning to start seeds this spring or are patiently awaiting the delivery of plants once spring arrives, catalogs can be a great way to get a head start on the gardening season.