When I was a younger kid, I couldn’t wait for the Christmas catalogs to come in the mail.

I would spend hours on end imagining what it would be like to have the toys and stuff a kid my age would want.

Now that I’m an older kid, I still like the model trains. However, my favorite wish books are seed catalogs.

I enjoy spending cold nights going through my garden seed and tool catalogs. I like to see what’s new for next year’s garden.

I always start with the tomato and pepper seeds; finding as many heirlooms as possible.

Then I work my way to the other vegetables and then the flowers. What will I plant early and what will I have to wait for?

A sunny window can be your greenhouse, in a sense. You can start your broccoli and celery in small pots.

How about those herbs that are hard to find even at the nurseries in the spring?

I imagine what I will have room to grow in stages to maximize my sunlight and heat.

I decide on a plan which will give me something to plant outdoors every couple of weeks.

The seed catalogs can provide you with information about what you will find in the nurseries in the spring.

They will show you what the pack trials have indicated as good plants that perform.

What kind of color do you imagine in your garden next year?

The wish books offer a way to plan your layout in order to give your neighbors something to aw-from.

Be the first on your block to try some of the new plants.

Seed catalogs can also give you some holiday gift ideas for gardening tools and apparel.

Shop the reputable catalog companies, there are many of them. Some of my favorites are listed on the Home Grown Tomatoes website referenced below.

Use the seed catalogs (wish books) to while away the cold hours and plan for colorful spring.

For more on these and other gardening tips listen to Home Grown Tomatoes every Saturday morning from 6-8 a.m. on 101.1 FM or log on to HGTradio.net.