I bought my first seed packets of 2012 today at lunch.

[Denninmi]

At the local garden center. Mostly went just to browse, something to do on lunch break.

My mantra for 2012 is "I shall NOT overbuy, I shall NOT overbuy, I shall NOT overbuy".

So, I was restrained -- a couple of packages of favas, a salad mix, argula, and a lettuce. I'm going to do a little experiment and "winter sow" these this week, now that it's warmed up again and the soil is thawed. Let them come up naturally with the spring thaw.

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. You won't believe the number of new seeds I've got this year (then again, maybe you will!)

planting carrots and radishes today in pots outside....what fun!

tomorrow, hot pepper planting - they will reside in my office for germination time.

[Denninmi]

2. Try me -- I probably will.

Remember, I'm the guy that had 93 different kinds of tomatoes in 2009 -- just for my own personal use.

I've been known to spend $600-$700 a year on seeds.

Which is why I've GOT to stop that.

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. fun, isn't it! I think I've got 5000 vials of tomato seed going back to 1986

and hundreds of hot and sweet peppers, eggplant......such a great addiction!

You should join Tomatoville.com.

[Denninmi]

4. Tomatoville. No, thanks, but no.

I approach tomatoes and computers in the same way --- I'm an "end user" and I just want to keep it simple. I'm not really into the breeding, the genetics, the origins, that sort of thing. I'm happy to let others go through all the work, and I'll just lap up their knowledge from the periphery, so I can just "plug and play".

[JDPriestly]

6. You must have a big garden. Lucky you. Wish I had more room, more earth.

Have you read The 64 Dollar Tomato? I really enjoyed it.

http://williamalexander.com/64dollartomato/inside.cfm?page=excerpt

I first heard about Superchuck before I saw him. Anne told me a groundhog was eating the tomatoes. I had so much faith in my fencing that I was a little skeptical at first. I picked a blade of grass and touched it to the fence. Ouch. The fence was working.

"Maybe a large bird," I suggested.

"Then we better keep the kids inside until you capture it. Look at the size of this bite," Anne said, displaying a tomato with a huge chunk missing.

[NCarolinawoman]

5. I "over-buy".

This fall I took packets of dill I had bought back in 2004 and 2006 and sprinkled them in two pots to see what would happen.Three of the 2006 seeds germinated. Two of these plants are now about a foot tall and growing nicely on my windowsill.

This spring I plan to do the same with my accumulated packets of lettuce. So many different kinds... I think I must fall in love with the photos on the packets.

[Tsiyu]

7. I will not allow myself to look

But very soon I will begin adding to the huge piles of seed already in tins and jars.

My eyes are bigger than my garden, but there's a nice feeling knowing you have all that potential