You’re probably wondering what in the world this is all about, right? But as soon as I clarify, you will definitely want to host your own Seed Summit. Don’t worry, it’s nothing complicated or snooty, but it IS very beneficial and a whole lot of fun.
We have several close friends who are avid gardeners. And that means whenever we get together for a visit, gardening is the main topic.
About 20 years ago, we thought it’d be fun to start a new winter tradition. We would get together to discuss the crops that performed best for us. The time frame has been right after the holiday season was over. We’ve talked about problems we encountered during the previous season. Everyone brings seed catalogs along so we can start deciding what to grow in the next season. We always want to see what’s new, too.
That’s how the Seed Summit idea began and it’s something we look forward to every winter. After all, there’s not a whole lot of outdoor gardening going on this time of year, right?
Here are some thoughts about starting your own annual Seed Summit:
- Invite your gardening friends (no matter how experienced or new to gardening they are).
- Invite neighbors.
- Ask them to bring along the seed catalogs they’ve received so far. And if they don’t have any, that’s totally OK because others will!
- Make a list of what you grew this past season. Include what did well, what didn’t, what was new and your wish list for the coming year.
- Share your experiences. For example, I grew ‘Zephyr’ summer squash for the first time in 2025 and it was AWESOME! Is it going back on my list for this year? You bet!
- Consider making cookies or other types of snacks to add to the fun. Encourage others to bring something to share.
- One other idea is to bring excess seeds to share with your gardening buddies.
Nothing will perk up a gardener’s spirits more this time of year than talking about gardening, right?
The photo at the very top of this post shows the seed catalogs I’ve received to-date. But I know plenty more are on the way! Some of my favorite companies are High Mowing Seed, Renee’s Garden Seeds (online only), and Johnny’s Selected Seeds. I also buy organic seeds whenever they’re available. I should also add that the folks at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds offer free shipping.
One resource to get you started:
Every year, I create a chart showing what we plan to grow in the coming season. It includes the crop names, specific varieties, and potential sources for the seeds. I’ve just barely started on my 2026 chart, but here’s a link to our 2025 garden chart. It should give you some ideas and help spur the dialog among your fellow summiteers! I promise to announce when the 2026 garden chart is available.
I also want to mention the importance of patronizing your local garden centers! If we don’t, they won’t be around. Most of the time, they carry the same varieties of seeds that you’re in the market for. So help keep them in business!
The bottom line is that we can ALL learn from each other and this is such a fun way to do it.