Essential Garden Tools

Preparing Now for a Blooming Spring Garden

Even though winter still lingers, a thriving spring garden starts with what you do right now—especially if you’re dreaming of homegrown vegetables from seed. Territorial Seed Company makes it easy to plan varieties, timing, and even clever companion plant pairings before the soil warms up.

Dream Up Your Vegetable Beds

Use these colder weeks to map out your edible garden: raised beds, in‑ground rows, or large containers. Territorial’s vegetable catalog is full of heirloom, organic, and container-friendly options, so you can choose tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, and more that actually fit your space and climate.

• Sketch each bed and mark full sun, part shade, and wind exposure.

• Group crops by season (cool vs warm weather) so you can rotate and succession plant through spring and summer.

• Note where tall crops like corn or trellised peas will cast shade on lower plants such as lettuce or spinach.

A simple example: one 4x8 bed might hold early lettuces and radishes at the front, carrots in the middle, and a trellis of peas at the back—every inch working for you.[5]

Choose Seeds Now

Ordering early means the best selection. Territorial Seed Company offers curated vegetable lines, from tried‑and‑true staples to new varieties tested for flavor and performance.

• Start with essentials you cook with all the time: lettuce mixes, snap peas, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs like basil and parsley.

• Add a few “fun” varieties—purple beans, rainbow chard, or specialty tomatoes—to keep your garden and content visually interesting.

• Check their planting charts and regional notes to time your indoor seed starting and outdoor sowing dates.

  
  

Keep seeds organized in a simple box or recipe file, grouped by sowing month, so you can move through spring without scrambling.

Start Seeds Indoors for an Early Harvest

Several vegetables do best when started indoors and transplanted out after frost. Territorial sells seed for tomatoes, peppers, brassicas, and more that you can start under lights 6–8 weeks before your last frost date.

- Good candidates to start inside: tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cabbage, onions, and some herbs.

- Use seed-starting mix, label each tray, and keep it evenly moist—not soggy—for strong root development.

- As seedlings grow, brush your hand lightly over them or run a small fan nearby to encourage sturdy stems ready for spring winds.

When you’re ready to harden off, move trays outside for a few hours a day, gradually increasing time before planting into beds or large planters.

Layer in Smart Companion Planting

Companion planting lets you tuck more food and flowers into the same space while improving plant health and deterring pests. This is where your Territorial seeds can really shine as a thoughtfully designed mini‑ecosystem rather than random rows.

Classic vegetable companions include:

• Tomatoes with basil, onions, or marigolds (basil and marigold can help with pests and boost flavor).

• Carrots with onions, leeks, or chives (their scents confuse carrot and onion pests).

• Beans with corn or potatoes (beans add nitrogen; corn or potatoes benefit from richer soil).

• Cucumbers with radishes or sunflowers (sunflowers give light shade and structure; radishes help break up soil).

• Lettuce with carrots and radishes in the same row for efficient, layered harvesting.

You can also plan a Three Sisters–style bed: corn, pole beans, and squash grown together so corn supports beans, beans feed the soil, and squash shades the ground.

Companion ideas table

Keeping this table handy while you shop Territorial’s vegetable and herb sections helps you build combinations right into your cart.[3][2]

## Add Flowers and Herbs to Support Your Veggies

Don’t forget the “pretty” layer: flowers and herbs are hard‑working companions in a productive garden. Territorial offers edible flowers and pollinator-friendly blooms you can mix among your vegetables.[1][7][2][5]

- Marigolds, nasturtiums, and calendula attract beneficial insects and may help deter common pests.[5]

- Herbs like dill, parsley, thyme, and oregano draw pollinators and beneficial predators that keep aphids and caterpillars in check.[7][5]

- Border your beds with flowers and herbs to create a softer, more decorative edge that still serves your harvest.

A raised bed edged with nasturtiums and calendula, filled with lettuce, carrots, and bush beans, can look like a cottage garden while feeding your kitchen all season long.[7][5]

## Pulling It Together for Spring

By ordering your Territorial vegetable, herb, and flower seeds now, sketching out companion groupings, and starting key crops indoors, you’ll step into spring with a clear plan and a head start on harvest. When the first warm weekend hits, all you’ll need to do is grab your tools, tuck those seedlings and seeds into place, and watch your thoughtfully planned garden come to life.[1][2][3][6]

If you’d like, tell me a few specific vegetables you want to highlight, and I can rewrite one section as a more product‑style feature with links and calls to action.

Sources

[1] Territorial Seed Catalogs https://territorialseed.com/pages/catalogs

[2] Vegetable Seeds and Plants from Territorial Seed Company https://territorialseed.com/pages/vegetables

[3] Territorial Seed Company https://territorialseed.com

[4] Succession Planting - Territorial Seed Company Blog https://blog.territorialseed.com/blog/succession-planting

[5] Companion Planting Guide - Denver Urban Gardens https://dug.org/gardening-resources/companion-planting/

[6] Planting Chart - Territorial Seed https://territorialseed.com/blogs/spring-growing-guides/planting-chart

[7] Companion Planting & Botanical Pesticides: Concepts & Resources https://attra.ncat.org/publication/companion-planting-resources/

[8] Companion Planting Vegetables - Survival Garden Seeds https://survivalgardenseeds.com/blogs/survival-garden-training/companion-planting-vegetables

[9] Fall & Winter Seed - Territorial Seed https://territorialseed.com/collections/fall-winter-seed

[10] Which vegetable plants should not be planted together? https://www.facebook.com/groups/1156935537680311/posts/25373393678941159/