Year-End Garden Inventory: Seeds, Supplies, and Soil

Okay, so taking inventory of your garden supplies probably isn't anyone's idea of a good time. I know, I know—it sounds boring. But stick with me here, because spending an afternoon on this now will save you so much headache (and money) come spring.

Last year, I was digging around in my garage and found seventeen—yes, seventeen—half-used bags of potting soil. Some of them were so old the bags were literally decomposing. I had no idea what was even in there. That's when it hit me: I needed to get my act together.

Right now is actually perfect for this. You're not frantically trying to get seeds in the ground, it's cold outside anyway, and you can order what you need without that March panic of "I need tomato cages TODAY." So let's figure out what you've got, what you need, and how to actually find it all come planting time.

First Up: Let's Talk About Your Seeds

Alright, time to gather up all those seed packets. And I mean all of them—the ones in your junk drawer, the ones in the shed, that shoebox in the basement you forgot about. Bring everything to one spot.

Here's the thing about seeds: most of them stick around longer than you'd think. Tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, beans? They're good for 3-5 years if you keep them somewhere cool and dry. Onions and parsnips are the wimps of the seed world—usually only good for a year or two. Peppers and carrots fall somewhere in between.

Once you've got everything out, here's what to do:

• Group them by type – All tomatoes together, all herbs together, you get the idea. You'll immediately see where you went overboard (for me, it's always basil).
• Look for dates – Most packets tell you what year they're from. If you're not sure, do that paper towel test.
• Start a "plant these first" pile – Seeds from last year or the year before? Use those before you open anything new.
• Write down what's missing – This is when you realize you planted every single cilantro seed you had and now there's none left for later plantings.

I keep mine in an old takeout container in the fridge with a couple of those silica gel packets you get in shoe boxes. Nothing fancy. Just needs to stay cool and dry—that's the secret to making seeds last.

Now Let's Deal With All That Garden Stuff

Time for the fun part—going through all those garden gadgets you definitely needed at the time you bought them. (We've all been there.)

What's Actually Worth Keeping

Go grab everything garden-related. Hand trowels, that fancy pruner you used maybe twice, all of it. Here's what matters:

• Pruning shears that actually cut (rusty, dull ones can spread disease between plants)
• Hand tools with handles that aren't cracked or falling apart
• Watering cans and hoses without leaks
• Pots that aren't cracked
• Grow lights that still work

Everything else? Either fix it, sharpen it, or toss it. I kept a broken hoe in my garage for three years thinking I'd get around to fixing it. Spoiler: I never did. Don't be like me.

Seed Starting Stuff

If you start seeds indoors, check this gear now—not in February when you're ready to plant:

• Trays and cell packs – Even tiny cracks mess with drainage and make transplanting harder later.
• Heat mats and lights – Test them now. Nothing worse than planting 72 tomato seeds and then discovering your heat mat's dead.
• Leftover seed starting mix – If it stayed dry, it's probably fine. Just fluff it up before you use it.
• Labels – Yeah, you think you'll remember which seedling is which. You won't. Get labels.

Starting from scratch or need to replace worn-out stuff? The Seed Starting Bundle has everything in one shot. Sometimes that's easier than hunting down each piece separately.

The Important Stuff: Soil and What Goes In It

Okay, this is where it gets good. Let's see what you've got for feeding your soil—because honestly, healthy soil does most of the work for you.

What to Check

Round up all your bags and bottles of soil stuff. Here's what to look for:

• Potting mixes and soil – Half-used bags that lived outside all winter? Probably trash. The ones that stayed dry inside? Usually fine.
• Compost and worm castings – These last forever if they stayed dry. The microbes just go dormant and wake back up when you wet them.
• Liquid fertilizers – Check the dates. Our Plant Juice and Bloom Juice are super concentrated, so a little goes a long way.
• Dry fertilizers – If they've turned into a solid brick, they're done. Moisture got in and ruined them.

What You Actually Need

Most gardeners should have these basics ready for spring:

For starting seeds: Get something light that drains well but doesn't dry out instantly. Quality seed starting mix with good microbes helps prevent that damping off thing that kills seedlings.

For pots and raised beds: Mix some worm castings into your potting mix—about 10-20%. Gives you both good structure and nutrition without burning anything.

For feeding plants: Depends what you're growing. Vegetables are hungry—I add compost or castings every month and give them liquid fertilizer every couple weeks when they're really growing. Flowers need different stuff, especially if you want tons of blooms. That's when Bloom Juice is clutch.

For your regular garden beds: Throw some compost or castings on top in spring and fall. Keeps the soil alive and feeds your plants slowly over time. Way better than synthetic stuff that works fast but kills all the good microbes.

Okay, So What Do You Actually Need to Buy?

Now that you know what you've got, let's figure out what's missing. This is the payoff for doing all this inventory work.

Do Some Quick Math

For seeds: Count how many plants you want. Each tomato needs about a gallon of soil from seed to transplant. Eight tomato plants means 8 gallons of mix, plus whatever else you're starting.

For containers: A 5-gallon pot takes about 0.7 cubic feet of soil. Count your pots, do the math. Then add 20% more because you always need more than you think.

For raised beds: Measure length × width × depth to get cubic feet. A 4×8 bed that's a foot deep? That's 32 cubic feet of soil.

When to Order What

Don't go buying everything today unless you've got tons of storage space. Here's what works:

• Get these now: Seeds, seed starting stuff, replacement tools. They don't take up much room and you'll need them by late January.
• Wait until late winter: Potting mixes and soil amendments. These are bulky. Order them 2-3 weeks before you need them so you're not tripping over 40 bags of soil all winter.
• Buy when you need it: Liquid fertilizers, pest stuff, anything that expires. Get these when you're actually going to use them.

The Elm Power Bundle covers most of your soil needs in one package—soil, castings, and fertilizer together. Way easier than ordering everything separately.

Now Actually Organize This Stuff

Taking inventory is one thing. Being able to find everything in March? That's another. Let's set this up so future you doesn't hate current you.

Group Things Together

Put like with like:

• Seed zone: All seeds, labels, and starting supplies in one container or drawer
• Tool zone: Hand tools, pruners, gloves all together
• Soil zone: All your amendments and mixes (probably in the garage or shed because they're bulky)
• Fertilizer station: Liquids and concentrated stuff, ideally where you'll actually mix them

Label Everything

Seriously. Use a Sharpie and masking tape if that's all you've got. Label seed containers with the year. Mark dilution rates on fertilizer bottles. Tag potting mixes so you know what's what. Your future self will thank you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do garden seeds stay viable?

Most veggie seeds are good for 2-5 years if you keep them cool and dry. Tomatoes, lettuce, and beans are the tough ones—they'll last 3-5 years. Onions and parsnips are picky and usually only make it 1-2 years. If you're not sure, just do that paper towel test I mentioned earlier.

What garden supplies should I replace each year?

Toss cracked seed trays, check if your soil meter still works, sharpen or replace pruners that don't cut right, and throw out expired fertilizers. My favorite trowel is ten years old and beat up—but it works great. Focus on whether it works, not how it looks.

How do I know if my soil amendments are still good?

Organic stuff like worm castings and compost? They last forever if they stayed dry. The microbes just chill out and wake back up when you add water. Liquid fertilizers are usually fine past their date for a season or two, but check the bottle.

Should I buy seeds in bulk or smaller packets?

Depends. Things you plant multiple times like lettuce, beans, and radishes? Go bigger or bulk. Specialty tomatoes or herbs you only plant a few of? Regular packets are fine. You'll use them up before they go bad.

Why This Actually Matters

Here's the real reason to do all this: it takes the stress out of spring. When March rolls around and everyone's freaking out trying to find seed starting mix, you'll already know exactly what you need and when it's showing up.

Plus you'll save money. No more buying the same thing twice because you forgot you already had it. No more paying premium prices during the spring rush or settling for whatever random stuff is left on the shelf.

But honestly? The best part is you'll actually enjoy planting season instead of stressing through it. Your seeds are sorted and tested, your tools work, your soil stuff is ready. You just get to do the fun part—putting seeds in dirt and watching them grow.

Because that's what we're all here for, right? Not the organizing and planning—that's just the stuff that makes the actual gardening easier and more fun.

Take an afternoon this week and knock this out. Put on some good music, maybe pour yourself something nice to drink. Make it less of a chore. Because in March, when everyone else is running around in a panic, you're gonna be calmly starting your seeds with everything you need right at hand.

That's the difference between a stressful garden season and an enjoyable one. Trust me, planned is way better.