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Weekly Gardening Thread (Catalog Fever) Vol. 1 Jan 6, 2012
January 6, 2012 | JustaDumbBlonde

Posted on 01/06/2012 9:53:54 AM PST by JustaDumbBlonde

January is not the most hospitable month of the year to be sure. If you're like me those cold dreary days are best spent curled up in a chair (for the guys that don't *do* curl -- sit there very manly) with a cup of tea (insert the manly beverage of your choice) and a stack of garden catalogs that you need a front-end loader to move (got you with the front-end loader, didn't I?).

I've got to hand it to the catalog people, the covers are exceptional this year and, by golly, with all of the $25 to $100 coupons right there on the front ... I saved $475 just walking in from the mailbox!

Your first five minutes spent thumbing through will tell you something, regardless of which catalog your choose: Prices. Are. Up. Must be that ol' supply-n-demand thing, because I choose to believe that MY favorite seed suppliers would never take advantage of a market that is growing by leaps and bounds as people discover that you can feed your family the highest quality foods and save money at the same time. Not to mention, you know exactly how your food was handled and by whom. It must be said -- produce from Mexico just doesn't have the same tropical appeal that it once did.

These are the catalogs I've received as of this morning. I've put these in the form of a link that you can take to that company, if you so desire. You can request a catalog of your own or, do what I do, which is peruse the paper catalog and then place an order online.

Gurney's Seed & Nursery Co.
Musser Forests, Inc.
Michigan Bulb Co.
Agri Supply
Growers Supply
Stark Bro's Nursery
The Greenhouse Catalog
Gardener's Supply Company
Totally Tomatoes
The Cook's Garden
Burpee
Henry Field's Seed & Nursery Co. *
Gurney's Seed & Nursery Co. *
Jung's Seeds & Plants
R.H. Shumway's Illustrated Garden Guide

* Henry Field's and Gurney's are one and the same group. I suspect that Burgess is also owned by them, but haven't confirmed

Please let us know about your favorite catalogs and gardening-related companies. I know that we all love to discover something new that will further our fun in the garden.


TOPICS: Agriculture; Food; Gardening; Hobbies
KEYWORDS: catalogs; gardening
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To: Disambiguator

LOL


81 posted on 01/06/2012 1:54:24 PM PST by rightly_dividing (1Cor. 15:1-4)
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To: tubebender

That lady is nearing sainthood.


82 posted on 01/06/2012 2:12:50 PM PST by JustaDumbBlonde (Don't wish doom on your enemies. Plan it.)
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To: rightly_dividing
Ahhhh-haaaaaa ... take a looky at this for an explanation of creole tomatoes and Creole tomatoes!

http://neworleans.about.com/od/fooddrink/qt/Creole-Tomatoes.htm

I have absolutely no clue what kind I'm getting in the seed packet that is sold as "Creoles". But, they do make exactly the same tomato every year and across the years, so I'm thinking that they are true decendents of the LSU creoles. At this point it is all as clear as mud!

83 posted on 01/06/2012 2:36:16 PM PST by JustaDumbBlonde (Don't wish doom on your enemies. Plan it.)
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To: ResponseAbility

There was an article that I posted in the form of a link last year about dry farming tomatoes. I do remember that it is mainly done in Texas and mainly using the Early Girl variety. Those babies are highly-sought in central Texas and fetched a premium price. I seem to remember that some people were on a waiting list each year.


84 posted on 01/06/2012 2:39:39 PM PST by JustaDumbBlonde (Don't wish doom on your enemies. Plan it.)
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To: Ellendra
I've successfully grown many different cukes, beans, peas and squash without them cross-pollinating IF you keep them far enough apart. Even with my beekeeping, I still didn't get any crosses this year. For instance, I'll plant my tomato rows in between different kinds of beans, and my corn between different squashes. Don't know if I'm doing it right or just lucky, but it is working so far. I miserably messed up with yellow squash and zucchini one year, and everything was mottled yellow and green. Still tasted good, but strange to look at. Some of them were just a bright lime green instead of being bi-colored.

As for a crop to take to market, that meets your criteria of bringing a good price with the least effort, I'd recommend okra, cucumbers and/or sweet corn. I've not yet reached the point of growing too many of any of those. Okra sells very well in my neck of the woods, and it is by far the easiest and least expensive to grow. Takes little work except to pick once or twice a day. Small, tender pods bring a good price too. I got $3/pound last year.

Sweet corn is easy, as the picking does not require stooping. It will grow in a wide variety of soil types, but will require nitrogen fertilizer. Not as picky about phosphorus and potash, but you will almost certainly have to add nitrogen. Remember that corn is actually a grass, so anything that will keep grass happy will generally grow corn. Water is important, but you can get by with less water if it comes at critical times in development.

If grown on a trellis, cukes are about as easy as it gets. No stooping, not a big bug problem child, but you will need water. Not enough water makes cukes bitter and you can't sell them or won't get a repeat customer if you do. I try to plant 3 or 4 pickling varieties, 3 or 4 slicing varieties, and at least 1 burpless. There are varieties of pickling and slicing that will overlap as far as use goes, and those are really great.

85 posted on 01/06/2012 2:53:23 PM PST by JustaDumbBlonde (Don't wish doom on your enemies. Plan it.)
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To: greeneyes

backyardaquaponics.com has some good tips on raising fish at home.


86 posted on 01/06/2012 2:53:55 PM PST by Ellendra ("It's astounding how often people mistake their own stupidity for a lack of fairness." --Thunt)
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To: Ellendra
I forgot to add to the info on corn, that it is more perishable than the others, and to make the most of it, you need some sort of refridgeration. Some people rent a semi trailer with a reefer for a month or so. I'm going for a walk-in cooler as soon as I can get built.

Also forgot to mention that you want to stagger your plantings so that all of your market crop doesn't all come in at once.

87 posted on 01/06/2012 2:57:33 PM PST by JustaDumbBlonde (Don't wish doom on your enemies. Plan it.)
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To: JustaDumbBlonde
OK, I'm confused more than ever!

I guess I should give it up and just get some in La. when I am passing through next time during the season.

At least I do know where to get great boudin. We stocked up when we went through La. at Christmas.

88 posted on 01/06/2012 3:19:44 PM PST by rightly_dividing (1Cor. 15:1-4)
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To: Ellendra

Hate to keep bugging you, but I remembered something else that I wanted to tell you. Don’t worry so much about what other people are growing or market saturation. Concentrate on offering the least blemished, best tasting whatever you’re growing. People will flock to a quality product.


89 posted on 01/06/2012 3:27:55 PM PST by JustaDumbBlonde (Don't wish doom on your enemies. Plan it.)
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To: JustaDumbBlonde

Here’s a few favorites of mine:

J.L. Hudson, Seedsman
P.O. Box 337
La Honda, CA 94020

No website - totally snail mail. Worth it, though - 95 illustration-free pages of rare seeds by botanical name.
********************************************************

Irish Eyes Garden Seeds
http://www.irisheyesgardenseeds.com

Your potatoe headquarters; always pleased with their certified stock.
********************************************************

St. Lawrence Nurseries
http://www.sln.potsdam.ny.us

Zone 3 nursery with nearly two hundred apple varieties. Other fruits, too, including a silver maple (A. saccharinum) cultivar that has twice the sap sugar content at 3-5% over the sugar maple (A. saccharum) around 2-2.5%.


90 posted on 01/06/2012 3:44:46 PM PST by WorkingClassFilth (Soon to be a man without a country.)
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To: left that other site
Several days ago I got three large pots and moved different size banana suckers into them, so I could move them into a spare room once it cooled off, and hopefully get bananas during other times of the year.

While I was picking up the pots, I found these pots that are designed to fit on a fence rail. So I picked up a couple and some plumbing and expanded the hydroponic system to a nice sunny spot on the edge of the dock. I went ahead and planted tomatoes, knowing it's not the right time, but I figured if we got any cold this year (here along the north edge of Tampa Bay there are many winters I don't see freezing) I could just take them inside for a night or two.

The next day I see that the weather is coming. Into the house went the existing tomatoes. Lessons learned:

  1. They are a lot bigger than they looked.
  2. They are a lot heavier than they looked.
  3. Before you pick it up, figure out where, and how, you are going to put it down.
  4. Before you pick it up, make sure you have a clear path to where you need to put it down.
  5. If, even though you found the perfect place to put it down, tomato plants fall in your living room and no one is awake to hear it, they do still make a mess.

91 posted on 01/06/2012 3:45:52 PM PST by Darth Reardon (No offense to drunken sailors)
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To: rightly_dividing
Boudin is one of my favorite sausages! Hard to get good stuff, but the last time I had to visit my Lyme doctor in Alexandria, I dropped-in on a new specialty meat market that I saw in Pineville. I brought home a couple of pounds of their homemade boudin and, boy-howdy, it was delish.

Have to go to the doctor again this coming Wednesday, and I can't wait to bring home a bunch this time.

92 posted on 01/06/2012 3:46:53 PM PST by JustaDumbBlonde (Don't wish doom on your enemies. Plan it.)
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To: WorkingClassFilth

Wow, thank you so much! All of those sound great.


93 posted on 01/06/2012 3:49:08 PM PST by JustaDumbBlonde (Don't wish doom on your enemies. Plan it.)
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To: Darth Reardon
Oh, my goodness, too funny! I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing with you.
94 posted on 01/06/2012 4:09:46 PM PST by JustaDumbBlonde (Don't wish doom on your enemies. Plan it.)
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To: Ellendra

Thanks for the link. Sorry for the delay - I am having trouble online - keep getting a message that the link appears to be broken.

I don’t know if it is my computer or whether FR is having some issues.


95 posted on 01/06/2012 4:15:02 PM PST by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: Ellendra

As JADB stated , have the most flavorful , blemish free veggies that you are able ; they will flock to you.

Arround here, a bunch of leeks ( 3 in the bunch ) are going for $4.00 @ bunch . Leeks are like a mild tasting onion. They command a pretty good price especially if the bottom 3-4 inches are ‘blanched’( either by hilling up the soil/ or the use of wooden boards).

Depending on your soil type, cukes are always in high demand, especially the ‘burpless’ , elongated ones as they can be used fresh in salads, or pickled (sweet or dill) .


96 posted on 01/06/2012 4:15:44 PM PST by Tilted Irish Kilt
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To: JustaDumbBlonde

Thanks for the links, this will help the Indiana winter pass a little quicker.


97 posted on 01/06/2012 4:17:27 PM PST by muddler (Chaos is coming..)
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt
"... especially the ‘burpless’ , elongated ones as they can be used fresh in salads, or pickled ..."

It is interesting how region affects markets for produce. Where I live, burpless my least asked-for variety, and it seems to be mainly senior citizens that like the no-burp aspect. Mostly people look for the "old-timey" cukes, which are the pickling varieties that they remember from the grandmothers' garden. I don't get nearly as much business out of the dark, shiny varieties like you most often see in the grocery store.

98 posted on 01/06/2012 4:30:24 PM PST by JustaDumbBlonde (Don't wish doom on your enemies. Plan it.)
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To: muddler

You’re most welcome. Thanks for checking-in.


99 posted on 01/06/2012 4:35:08 PM PST by JustaDumbBlonde (Don't wish doom on your enemies. Plan it.)
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To: rightly_dividing

Yep! Great Boudin was a staple for me for many years for a breakfast when I was working and living in La. easy to just squeeze out of the casing and take a bite of a cracker while driving.


100 posted on 01/06/2012 4:45:07 PM PST by Red_Devil 232 (VietVet - USMC All Ready On The Right? All Ready On The Left? All Ready On The Firing Line!)
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