Organizing and Planning Seed Starting

Every year, I go through my seed collection to organize, plan, and make sure I have everything I need for the growing season. I track what I’ve grown, what’s done well, and what needs adjusting. This process helps me determine what to plant, where to plant it, and what additional seeds I need to order.

I increase the number of varieties I grow each year and prioritize plants that are in high demand for donations in the mutual aid network. I focus first on native medicinals—those that are adaptable, perennial, and resilient so they can continue to thrive in changing climate conditions. I also grow a variety of East Asian medicinals for donation and use, and I look for culturally relevant seeds that can be difficult to source, such as huacatay, yauhtli, epazote, and pepicha.

Since I also grow plants for seed saving, I pay special attention to rare or underrepresented varieties that might not be donated otherwise. While most of my focus is on medicinal herbs, I also grow dye plants, plants for pressing, aromatics for aromatherapy and natural perfumery, weaving materials, East Asian medicinals, and food crops.

Over the past few years, I’ve had to rethink how much food I grow. The need for herbal donations has increased, and my now-adult kids aren’t always excited about my food experiments! That said, a sun-ripened tomato with fresh basil and local cheese is good for just about anyone. I grow a wide variety of heirloom vegetables and a lot of Asian greens and vegetables, focusing on diversity and flavor.

With potential tariffs, import/export issues, fires, floods, and labor shortages impacting food security (and herbal access), I’m ramping up food production again. Any excess can be donated to our local food pantry, so I am growing a lot more. I also continue expanding perennial fruit plantings each year. Some trees are finally reaching a size where we might start seeing a harvest (too high for the deer). Mulberries get stolen by squirrels, but I plan to net some of the shorter trees next year.

Because so much planning goes into this process, I have several systems to keep everything organized.

How to Organize Seeds by Sowing Time

One of the best ways to streamline seed starting is to organize packets by when they need to be planted.

📌 Seed Packet Organization:

• I keep one 16 quart clear bin filled with 9x12 clear envelopes. The envelopes hold the seeds, and I organized them by date started. Every week I start seeds, I pull out the corresponding envelope.

• Sort seeds into envelopes or bins labeled by week (e.g., “-10 Weeks,” “-6 Weeks,” “-3 Weeks,” “Direct Sow”). I keep one clear envelope for every single week from -12 to +4 (0=average date of last frost).

• Write the sowing date on the packet itself so you don’t have to check the calendar every time.

• Use colored stickers or a simple label system:

  • Each envelope is labeled with the week the seeds are started (-12 to 0)

  • “DS” envelopes are in there for seeds that should be succession-planted with their weeks on the label (DS-6, DS-4, DS-2, DS0, DS+1, etc.)

  • “TP” is noted for transplant out date, so I know for some of the seedlings they go out much earlier to harden off than others.

  • Track seeds on a sheet with date started, how many started, seed source, etc. This helps if you have failures or bad germination to scan and see what you need

This system prevents missed planting windows and makes it easy to see what’s next in the seed-starting schedule. It is super simple and I can see what I am going and what I have to start with a glance.

How to Track Seeds & Plantings in a Spreadsheet

I keep a Google Sheet to track all the plants I start each year. I have a separate tab for each year, and I track:

• Common & Latin Name

• Source (I often buy seeds from multiple suppliers to compare quality.)

• Type (Annual, Perennial, Tree, Shrub, Medicinal, Culinary, etc.)

• How It Was Started (Seed tray, direct sow, bare root, transplant, etc.)

• Success Rate (What germinated well? What struggled?)

Since I live in Wisconsin, I deal with extreme weather and wildlife challenges, so not every plant survives. Keeping records helps me analyze trends and adjust my methods over time.

Paper Tracking & Printouts

In addition to my digital spreadsheet, I also keep handwritten records. I print out simple seed-starting charts and store them in my seed bin. This allows me to:

• Jot down quick notes on what I started when.

• Have an easy reference guide for next year without opening my computer.

• Transfer handwritten notes to my spreadsheet later for long-term tracking.

• These forms are great as when I’m direct sowing (envelopes marked DS), I just take my clear plastic envelope with that weeks seeds and inside I toss my plant markers, pen, and printout, and I can track everything I planted outside as well, including location and quantity.

📌 Exciting News for Paid Subscribers!
I’ve decided to offer downloadable content as part of this growing series. If you’re a paid subscriber, be sure to click through to the full article so you can download the 10-page PDF with some additional tips, printable seed-starting charts, and tracking forms to help you plan your season.

Sketching & Planning Garden Layouts

Once I have my seed lists organized, I sketch out my garden beds. Since I have a lot of perennials, they grow larger each year, leaving less room for annuals. Mapping everything out allows me to:

✅ See where I have space for new plantings.
✅ Determine if I need to expand or rework certain beds.
✅ Plan succession planting for better yields.
✅ Clear new spaces if I need more growing room (always!)

This year, I’m also:

• Expanding raised beds

• Planting more woodland medicinals

• Expanding my mushroom logs

• Creating a large 30x30 pollinator habitat to support native species and to use for education
  Growing more microgreens inside

• Dedicating more space to grains and squash in the rear acre.

• Adding more native and medicinal perennials

• Succession planting my root plants that take several years to harvest

I also plan to transform the area around our old chicken coop by planting around the coop in the area the chickens used to wander.

Building a Pollinator & Medicinal Garden

This year, we’re applying for a grant to help install a large pollinator garden in the front of our property. The goal is to create a beautiful, functional space that supports both pollinators and medicinal plant conservation and can be used as an educational garden and space.

🌿 As always, we include a lot of native medicinals including those that are already growing wild here, but that we want to incorporate more of including:

• Goldenrod

• Aster

• Culver’s Root

• Bee Balm

• Columbine

• Blue Cohosh

• Black Cohosh

• Solomon's Seal

• Echinacea

• Butterfly Weed

• Milkweed

While we have already planted many of these or have them growing wild on the land, we continue to expand the stands each year, ensuring that these essential medicinals and host plants thrive for years to come.

I’m hoping to create a gazebo with shade and a platform for outdoor classes, and possibly a small fountain memorial for my mom —a welcoming space for visitors, volunteers, and pollinators alike.

This year, I want to go beyond just growing on this feed. I plan to share more about:
🌿 Using plants for fertilizer, companion planting, and pest deterrence.
🌿 Permaculture methods to help reduce the work
🌿 Attractor and detractor plants to manage garden balance
🌿 Natural perfumery and aromatherapy, and how to use the plants for unique things you cannot buy anywhere
🌿 And of course, my favorite medicinal herb, culinary herb and other recipes all summer

I decided that I am going to offer paid content here as well because it will help me continue to do this mutual aid and volunteer work and get supplies and herbal relief to those who need it. Thanks so much! Until next week - happy herbing.