It's Time for a Seed Order in Anticipation of the New Year

It's the most wonderful time of the year. I'm not talking about the holidays. I'm talking about seed catalog time, of course!

I highly recommend you take a couple minutes to buy your seeds for next year amidst the chaos of the holiday season. By New Year's, you'll already have the promise of spring shipped right to your door and ready to grow in your garden. (Way better than resolutions, if you ask me.)

The seeds I focus on buying in December fall into five different categories:

• microgreens and sprouts for my indoor garden
• herbs to start indoors
• leafy greens to plant before my last frost date
• cool season favorites
• popular warm season seeds that sell out by spring

Let's look at each of these categories and all the wonderful possibilities for your 2024 garden they contain.

Wait, It's Not Too Early to Order Seeds?

Even if spring feels a really long way off, now is the best time to order your seeds.

If you wait until February or March, you'll find that a lot of your favorite brands and varieties are already sold out. I've even found my choices to be limited by what's in stock in January. I've learned the hard way year after year that it's best not to procrastinate when buying your seeds.

Seed buying tip: If you don't plan to grow high quantities of plants, then I recommend getting together with a gardening buddy and planning what you want to grow in your gardens over a cup of coffee or hot chocolate—this way you can share your seed order and split the total.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links and links to ideas lists. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Seeds for Microgreens and Sprouts to Grow Indoors Over Winter

Growing microgreens and sprouts indoors is my trick to staving off those winter doldrums. They not only give me my fill of gardening in the months when there's not much to do outdoors, they also deliver delicious and nutritious harvests each and every week. You don't have to miss out on the flavors of spring and summer during the colder months—you just have to find those flavors in much tinier leaves and stems!

To grow microgreens indoors during your winter months (or anytime of year, really), you just need some simple containers and grow lights. (Learn more about growing microgreens indoors.)

Note that we're talking about buying seeds in bulk so that you can grow enough microgreens or sprouts to fill a bowl instead of just a spoon. My two favorite sources for microgreens and sprouts seeds are Botanical Interests and Rainbow Heirloom Seed Co., which you can find on Amazon. Both companies have fun mixes so that you can try out lots of different flavors. If you're feeling stuck over which seeds to buy, go with flavors you know you already love.

My Top Microgreens & Sprouts Seeds Recommendations

• Cilantro microgreens seeds
• Arugula/Rocket Salad microgreens seeds
• Radish sprouts seeds
• Sunflower microgreens seeds

You can find my top recommendations for indoor gardening supplies and my favorite microgreens and sprout mixes in my Amazon ideas list.

Look forward to harvesting your own baby greens for a delightful garden-fresh salad even when the weather outside is, as they say, frightful.

Herb Seeds to Start Indoors in the New Year

No matter where you live, you can (and should) be ready to start some herbs indoors in the New Year. Some of you in warmer climates will be able to move those herbs outdoors in just a couple months, and the rest of you can grow these herbs in sunny windowsills or have slower growers ready to transplant the minute your weather is right. Fast-growing herbs like dill and cilantro can be moved outside weeks before your last frost date as long as you cover them with frost cloth on nights you're expecting a freeze.

To start your herbs indoors, you'll need some seed starting trays, organic seed starting mix, and some LED grow lights. (Learn more about the supplies you'll need.) December is also a great time to buy any seed starting supplies you still need.

My Top Herbs to Start Indoors in Winter

• Basil
• Chives
• Cilantro
• Dill
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Thyme

These herbs have similar growing habits, so you can start them all in the same tray. Learn more about these herbs and watch me plant out the teeny tiny seeds in this video.

Leafy Greens Seeds for the Salad Garden

Larger leafy greens like kale and cabbage should be started by seed indoors about 100 days before your last frost date in spring. If you take advantage of this head start, you can be harvesting your first leaves from these cold-tolerant plants before your last frost date (basically before your neighbors have even started gardening for the season). But for some of you, that means getting kale and Swiss chard seeds started this month. (Find all my recommended seed starting supplies here.)

Smaller leafy greens like spinach and lettuce can be direct sown in your garden as soon as your soil is workable.

For those of you in warmer climates, your prime salad growing time might have already started! You definitely want to snap these seeds up fast so you don't miss out on the healthiest greens you can find.

The seeds I order for my salad garden in December include:

• Arugula
• Cabage
• Kale
• Looseleaf lettuce
• Romaine
• Spinach
• Swiss Chard

Again, you can plant all these leafy greens this month if you live in a warmer climate, so don't hesitate in ordering your salad seeds.

Seeds for Cool Season Favorites

What would your garden be without cool season favorites like peas and carrots?

Peas can be started indoors as early as 100 days before your last expected frost date. That's actually this month—yes, December—in warmer climates like Houston. The magical moment for those of you in colder climates might not come until February, but it's a good idea to grab your favorite varieties now (especially if your favorite variety happens to be sugar snap peas cuz I'm buying all the rest).

Carrots, radishes, and beets can be sown outdoors as soon as your soil is workable and your average high temps are above 45°F.

Cool Season Favorites to Stock Up On

• Beets
• Carrots
• Pole peas
• Radishes

Make sure to grab seeds for your favorite root crops so you're ready to start direct sowing them the second your temps are right.

Seeds for Your Warm Season Garden

This is the group of seeds that people often don't think about until like March or April, long after the popular varieties are already sold out.

You'll start seeds for the larger warm season plants about 45 days before your last frost date, so that date could be nearing for some of you. My Houston friends start tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants indoors as early as January. You'll wait until your last frost date has passed to direct sow beans and cucumbers in the garden.

Seeds to Buy Now Before They're Hard to Find in the Spring

• Bush & pole beans
• Cucumbers
• Eggplants
• Peppers
• Squash & zucchini
• Tomatoes

You'll be so glad you secured your favorites long before the seed rush in January!

Your Checklist of the 30 Seeds to Buy in December

• Arugula
• Arugula/Rocket Salad microgreens seeds
• Basil
• Beets
• Bush & pole beans
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Chives
• Cilantro
• Cilantro microgreens seeds
• Cucumbers
• Dill
• Eggplants
• Kale
• Looseleaf lettuce
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Peas
• Peppers
• Radishes
• Radish sprouts seeds
• Romaine
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Spinach
• Squash & zucchini
• Sunflower microgreens seeds
• Swiss chard
• Thyme
• Tomatoes
• +Seed Starting Supplies

Yes, I do buy two different types of cilantro, arugula, and radishes. That's how much I love them. For your outdoor garden, you'll focus on varieties that are used to growing in your climate.

One more thing: the quality of seeds you buy can really make or break your 2024 garden. Avoid those colorful displays that pop up in big box stores in the spring, and prioritize buying organic seeds from local sources or reputable seed companies online now. Some of my favorite online seed sources are Baker Creek, Botanical Interests, Johnny's Selected Seeds, High Mowing Seeds, and Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. 

Ready, Set, Go Order Seeds for Your Garden!

There's a sixth category of seeds you should go ahead and order, and that's whatever else you're excited to grow. Don't be afraid to try something new or push gardening boundaries this year. It's about to be 2024! I want you all to grow more in 2024, so grab a type of plant you've never grown before and give it a go. You never know until you try, right?

Once your seeds arrive, I recommend storing them properly and organizing them by type and when you're going to plant them to make planning and planting easier.

Just imagine all the beautiful things that will grow in your garden from this seed haul. I hope you're feeling inspired to open those seed catalogs and make your dream garden happen in the New Year.

Thanks for growing with me!