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T his is a wonderful time of year if you're a gardener. Seed catalogs are pouring in and you can hardly keep track of them. Right now I have 26, and counting, to review. Maybe you want to try something new or just want to make sure you get what you want. Either way this is the perfect time to start planning this year's garden. I get questions all the time on how we start plants at the greenhouse. We try to do a lot by plugs because of lack of seeding space, but sometimes it's simply more cost effective by seed. Also, many specialty vari- eties, especially vegetables and herbs, are only found in seeds. So in order to offer you the best variety, we must find seeds. One of the hottest food trends right now are spicy foods and hot peppers. In order to offer our customers some of these really hot and interesting pepper varieties, again I must go searching for seeds. Also, more people are starting their veg- etable gardens with plants these days. This includes many things us old timers always started from seed. Corn, lettuce, radishes, kale, cucumbers, squash, melons and many others are now offered as plants at garden centers. Many of these are only available by seed unless we start them for you. But what about gardeners that want to start their own seeds? Sometimes all these catalogs can become overwhelming. Where do you start? Which companies are best? What should you start by seed and what should you purchase as plants? First, start with a plan. Going in blindly doesn't help. Then pick out your favorites and things you know you want to grow.I also usually like to try at least one new thing every year so I start looking at the new introductions. Actually, sometimes it's all about what's new! There is always something out there. For me it's usually a new hot pepper or tomato. Now, which catalog(s) do I choose to shop from? Please don't always go by price. Price is important but quality seed is even more so. If you need help determining which com- pany to order from talk to your local garden center, or gardening friend, we've probably tried them all and can give you good advice. Here at the greenhouse I also shop in bulk so that makes a difference. Only certain companies offer larger quantities. But, if you have a small farm or really large gar- den, find those companies that can offer you larger quantities at better prices. Many seeds will last for years as well if stored properly. So, what seeds can be planted directly into the garden in early spring? I like to start anything with a short- to moderate-growing season (lettuce, radishes, spinach, peas, etc.) by seed in my gardens. Warm season crops like beans, melons and zucchini I like to wait until late May/early June, or after the last frost date which is around May 20. But like I said earlier, more people like starting these from plants today. Therefore many of these are also now avail- able as plants at your local garden center. What seeds can you start indoors? Since I don't want to wait until September to get my first tomato or pepper, I start these inside. Some of the hot peppers I grow need 100 days from transplant. But you can start anything indoors if you wish; you just have to time it right for when you can move them out into the garden. Start seeds of peppers in early March, Tomatoes mid-March, cool weather crops (peas, spinach, lettuce, broc- coli, etc.) in April and warm weather crops (beans, winter squash, cucumbers, etc.) in early May. I guess it's personal, what can you wait for and what can you not? So, don't get overwhelmed with all those catalogs: Sit back, plan and enjoy. If prob- lems arise in starting your own seeds, remember your local garden center is there to help. Happy gardening! (Michael Timm is chief horticulturalist for Ebert's Greenhouse Village in Ixonia.) (StatePoint) — Radon is present at high levels in a surprisingly large number of American homes, schools and other build- ings. While this naturally-occurring gas is odorless, tasteless and colorless, it's far from harmless. Experts are raising aware- ness about the serious health risks associat- ed with radon exposure and what you can do about it. Elevated radon in homes is more common than you may think. In fact, at least one in 15 American homes have elevated levels of radon, and this is something that shouldn't be taken lightly. Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, says Albert Rizzo, M.D., chief medical officer for the American Lung Association. The good news is that it is easy to test for radon. Do-it-yourself test kits are simple to use and inexpensive. In an effort to eliminate this preventable lung cancer risk factor, protect all commu- nities and buildings, and save lives, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with strategic partners like the Amer- ican Lung Association, have launched a new five-year National Radon Action Plan. The campaign is sharing five important things to know about radon: 1. Radon exposure is life-threatening. Radon-related lung cancers are responsible for an estimated 21,000 deaths annually in the United States. 2. Smoking and radon exposure can separately increase the risk of lung can- cer. If you smoke, exposure to both tobacco and radon enhances the risk of lung cancer even further. 3. The only way to detect radon in your home is to test the air. The EPA urges anyone with radon levels above 4 pico- Curies per liter (pCi/L) to take action to fix their homes. Both the EPA and the Ameri- can Lung Association recommend that miti- gation be considered if levels are greater than 2 pCi/L. After high levels are detected and confirmed, a radon mitigation system should be installed by a radon professional. 4. Radon testing should always be done when you buy a home and after building a new home. Many states now require radon results (if known) to be dis- closed during a real estate transaction. Some states require testing in priority buildings like schools and daycares. 5. When high levels of radon are detected, professional radon mitigation should be a priority. Do-it-yourself radon mitigation is typically not an effective long- term solution. Some state health depart- ments offer financial assistance or low- interest loans for radon mitigation. Learn more about radon testing and miti- gation at Lung.org/Radon. HOME FEBRUARY 2022 6 MICHAEL TIMM Catalogs, catalogs, everywhere catalogs! Get in touch with gardening's roots with seeds Photo by Michael Timm This is what Michael Timm's desk looks like in January. 5 important things to know about radon exposure

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