4. Deciding what to order

The next step is to decide what to order.

• Think about what you want in your garden, and where.

• Pay attention to the descriptions of the plants, check the zone or hardiness ratings with where you live.

• Consider light requirements: full sun; partial sun; full shade; etc.

• What is length of your growing season? Take care not to order plants (in particular food producing plants) that require more growing days then you can offer, counting from when you start them indoors.

• Consider resistance to pests and diseases, a key consideration in organic gardening.

• Be reasonable in how much you order. I know, it's easy to get carried away by temptation, the "my Grandma, what big eyes you have" syndrome, but do try to be realistic. Of course, it is true that seeds will keep for years if stored carefully, so it's not as essential as when ordering potted plants or bare root stock.

• Consider as well, the price. This is especially important if you are a Canadian (like me) ordering from an American company - remember that the prices will be in US currency, so take the conversion into account. There will also be shipping, and possibly taxes added in.

• Another consideration for international orders is that many plants can't be imported, so read the fine print in the catalogue carefully for any international shipping restrictions.

The only thing left is to place your order. Each company will have their own requirements, so read the order forms carefully, including the fine print. Then just sit back and wait for your seeds or plants to arrive.

1. How do I order from Mail Order Catalogues, and why would I want to?
2. Why start plants from seeds?
3. Sending away for mail order catalogues
4. Deciding what to order

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