WEEKLY GARDEN THREAD VOLUME 51 DECEMBER 21, 2012

Free Republic | Dec 21, 2012 | greeneyes

[greeneyes]

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you.

This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks. No matter what, you won’t be flamed and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked.

It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread ... there is no telling where it will go and that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us!

[greeneyes]

I hope not. My eyes don’t do on line that well. I like to look through the catalogs, and then order on line. Maybe I need to visit a few sites and request a catalog? It’s worth a try.

[greeneyes]

Which seed catalog did you get?

[Alas Babylon!]

Collards are coming along fine; look like small trees. Kale and lettuce doing ok. Pulled the last of the turnips.

Will plant broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower next week.

[rightly_dividing]

I like the sound of those fresh tomatos at Christmas time.

After the first, I will start some tomato seeds. Having such a small garden, I am not going to start 300 seedlings this time, maybe 75, and cull to about 25 or 30 at planting time. I am procrastinating again on getting my soil sample done; I wanted to do that before now, but....

[TEXOKIE]

Please add me to the list! Glad to see someone picking up the torch!

[greeneyes]

LOL. Procrastination is one of my mortal shortcomings.

[greeneyes]

You have been added. I usually try to post sometime after Noon on Friday. Ellendra has the backup list. JDAB was posting for a while, but she had other fish to fry.

Here’s another for the list, Ellendra.

[WorkingClassFilth]

Going down to 6 degrees above tonight here. Heat lamp goes on in the chicken coop and I’m narrowing down the last of my seed list for ordering.

Anyone ever try Baker Creek’s “Paul Robeson” tomato? It sounds good: “sweet and smokey” but I’m struggling with a tomato named after a communist.

[WorkingClassFilth]

SEED & STOCK SUPPLIERS (V=veggies; H=herbs; F=fruits; M=misc. plants)

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (Fantastic eye candy catalog but not the best value)
2278 Baker Creek Road V,F
Mansfield, MO 65701
417-924-8917
www.rareseeds.com

Bountiful Gardens (Founded by John Jevons - I think. Bio-intensive 18001 Shafer Ranch Road methods stressed along with seeds selected for this
Willits, CA 95490 growing strategy. Fine for other operations, too.)
www.bountifulgardens.org V,F,M

Burnt Ridge Nursery & Orchards (Unusual trees, shrubs and vines for edibles)
432 Burnt Ridge Road F,M
Onalaska, WA 98570
360-985-2873
www.burntridgenursery.com

Growers Supply (Market grower and greenhouse equipment)
1440 Field of Dreams Way
Dyersville, IA 52040
800-476-9715
www.GrowersSupply.com

Forestfarm (Extensive listings of shrubs, vines, grasses)
990 Tetherow Road F,M
Williams, OR 97544-9599
541-846-7269
www.forestfarm.com

Gourmet Seed - International (Garden seed from around the world - mainly
HC 12 Box 510 Europe. Imagine Italian tomatoes in your
Tatum, NM 88267-9700 spaghetti sauce…) V,F,H
www.gourmetseed.com

Horizon Herbs, LLC (Numerous medicinal herbs & New Age
PO Box 69 kookiness) H,M
Williams, OR 97544-0069
541-846-6704
www.horizonherbs.com

Irish Eyes Garden Seeds (Nice selection - most notably their potato stock)
5045 Robinson Canyon Road V,F,H
Ellensburg, WA 98926
509-933-7150
www.irisheyesgardenseeds.com

J.L. Hudson, Seedsman (Amazing rare seed catalog - ethnobotanical even)
PO Box 337 M,H, some V,F
La Honda, CA 94020
www.JLHudsonSeeds.net

Johnny’s Selected Seeds (Good selection of OP and F1 seed, supplies & info; 955 Benton Avenue they trial grow their seed and are highly reliable)
Winslow, Maine 04901-2601 V,F,H,M
1-877-564-6697
www.johnnyseeds.com

Jordan Seeds, Inc. (Local boys specializing in market growing
6400 Upper Afton Road operations. Bulk seed at good prices, irrigation
Woodbury, MN 55125 and ag cloth supplies.) V,F,H www.jordanseeds.com

Kitazawa Seed Co. (Specializing in Asian vegetable seeds)
P.O. Box 13220 V,F,H,M
Oakland, CA 94661-3220
510-595-1188
Seeds@kitazawaseed.com

Nichols Garden Nursery (Supplier of herbs and OP veggie seed)
1190 Old Salem Road NE H,V,M
Albany, OR 97321-4580
800-422-3985
www.nicholsgardennursery.com

Oesco, Inc. (A source for orchard and production scale
PO Box 540 equipment.)
Route 116
Conway, MA 01341
800-634-5557
www.oescoinc.com

Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply (Organic everything - I do mean everything)
PO Box 2209 V,F,H,M
Grass Valley, CA 95945
888-784-1722
www.groworganic.com

Pinetree Garden Seeds (Good range of OP & F1 seed for cheap prices)
PO Box 300 V,F,H
New Gloucester, ME 04260
207-926-3400
www.superseeds.com

Potato Garden (The name says it all) V
12101 2135 Road
Austin, CO 81410
800-314-1955
www.potatogarden.com

Raintree Nursery (Very large selection of unusual nursery stock)
391 Butts Road F,H,M
Morton, WA 98356
360-496-6400
www.raintreenursery.com

Richters (Herbs - tons of seed, cuttings and preparations)
Goodwood, Ontario H,M
LOC 1A0
Canada
800-668-4372
www.richters.com

Sand Hill Preservation Center (Rare OP seeds and poultry)
1878 230th Street V,F,H
Calamus, IA 52729-9659
563-246-2299
www.sandhillpreservation.com

Seeds of Change (Politically correct supplier of OP seed - like a cross PO Box 152 between Karl Marx and Luther Burbank) V,F,H
Spicer, MN 56288-0152
1-888-762-7333
www.seedsofchange.com

Seed Savers Exchange (Grand-daddy of Heirloom seed - members can 3094 North Winn Road order over 13,000 OP varieties.) V,F,H,M
Decorah, Iowa 52101
563-382-5990
www.seedsavers.org

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (Good source for a number of offbeat P.O.Box 460 varieties) V,H,F
Mineral, VA 23117
www.southernexposure.com

St. Lawrence Nurseries (Zone 3 grown fruit stock - useful in our climate)
325 State Hwy 345 F,M
Potsdam, NY 13676
www.sln.potsdam.ny.us

Territorial Seed Company (Good standard issue OP and F1 seed - another field
PO Box 158 trial seed house) V,F,H
Cottage Grove, OR 97424-0061
800-626-0866
www.territorialseed.com

Totally Tomatoes (Name says it all - OP and F1 seed; peppers, too)
334 West Stroud Street V,F
Randolph, WI 53956
800-345-5977
www.totallytomato.com

Vermont Bean Seed Company (Snap, shell and dry beans & other veggies)
334 West Stroud Street V,F
Randolph, WI 53956
800-349-1071
www.vermontbean.com

[WorkingClassFilth]

Oops. Sorry for the formatting glitches. Oh well, y’all can figure it out.

Merry Christmas, y’all!

[greeneyes]

LOL. Well, 1 Jar at a time might help, but it wouldn’t last very long, so I don’t know. Course the real culprit would be the bread and butter than would go with a lot of it.LOL

[greeneyes]

Well, if you order the communist name, you could reserve it for everytime you get frustrated with today’s bunch of lefties. Then you could either make a salad and stab it or throw it at a picture of your least favorite politician. LOL

[greeneyes]

Thanks for the list WCF that’s a great resource.

I’ll add another link for interest to WinterSown:

http://www.wintersown.org/

They offer some free seeds, along with an interesting winter garden technique for those who can’t or don’t want to start seeds indoors for some reason or another.

I usually order 10 packets of tomatoes for a $5.00 donation. They have over 150 varieties. I like to sample varieties that I haven’t tried before.

The seeds are open pollinated.

[greeneyes]

Collards is one veggie that I haven’t ever tried. Can you describe the taste?

[tubebender]

GOOD JOB WCF!!!

[tubebender]

GOOD JOB WCF!!!

[tubebender]

Did I ever tell you it has been known to rain... and rain... and rain... and rain in Benderville. I haven’t been in the “garden” for a week

[ApplegateRanch]

Been getting a few catalogs over the last 2-3 weeks.

Some of our Walla-Walla sweets, thanks to the screwy weather this season, started to put out new tops just as the original tops started to die & drop over for pulling. Since we collect coffee grounds from both a local restaurant & a coffee kiosk, those onions have been heavily mulched in coffee grounds, now that the ground has frozen.

The 18 apricot seedlings are doing great, despite 2 (as of today) still being barely out of the ground, and the last one probably not going to emerge. These were taken on the 16th.

[TEXOKIE]

Thanks!

[bgill]

Sweet!