Welcome to Season 5 of the Beginners Garden Podcast. It's so good to be back with you after a two-week break.

I don't know about you, but I spent the week between Christmas and New Year's going through all of my seed catalogs and placing my first seed orders.

I know many of you have done the same, if my Instagram feed is any indication, but if you haven't,

no worries, you're not behind. In fact, I think I've rushed my seed buying process in the past

when I should have taken it a bit slower. One thing I remember doing as a new gardener is buying

all these seed packets based on what I wanted to grow, and I never considered whether

I needed to start those seeds indoors or sew them directly in the garden. Then I realized I wasn't

quite sure when to start planting altogether. Suddenly I realized I had all these seed packets with

more questions and uncertainties instead of pieces fitting neatly in a thought-out

plan. If any of this resonates with you, buckle up because in the next several weeks to begin

season five, I'm going to be giving garden planning tips I don't know that I've ever shared before.

We'll talk about seeds and what you need to know,

especially as a beginner,

that I hear a few people, if anyone, talking about.

We'll talk about choosing your crops strategically

instead of guessing or impulse buying

from that beautiful seed catalog.

I know, we've all done it.

And I can't say that I haven't already done it this year

a little bit too, but I tried to make say that I haven't already done it this year a little bit too,

but I tried to make sure that I didn't get too carried away. We'll also talk about plant

timing tips that are more than just working around your average last frost date. We'll talk

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