Seed Catalogs

Got my first one in the mail the other day, Seed Savers Exchange. Johnny's should be coming shortly.

Request them here:

http://www.seedsavers.org/
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/home.aspx?ct=HG

I can't wait. Clara and I are planning a butterfly garden this year. I'm hoping that drawing out the plans and decorating them will help us get through at least a few cold, wet winter afternoons.

Jen

A must read catalog is from "Victory Seed Co." I believe they are in Oregon.A good read and veryy informative.They were selling Heritage seeds before they became popular.
I have grown the Abraham Lincoln tomatoe and loved them for the size and flavor. So name because this was Abe's favorite planting in the White House Garden.

I got my first catalog on Saturday from Jung Seed Company of Randolph Wisconsin. I never heard of them and haven't bought anything from a seed catalog in maybe 10 or more years.

Has anyone ordered from Jung? I was perusing their catalog and looking at some of their fruit or nut trees. My husband wants a shagbark hickory. Unfortunately, I'm sure any nut tree will just be a giant squirrel feeder.

Any thoughts on Jung as a plant/seed supplier? We usually go with Johnnies.

Jen

Jung isn't as good in their realm as Johnny's is in theirs. Burpee is awfully good for general things. But, if you want to go first class in fruit and nuts, there's no one better than Raintree. Wild diversity of products, excellent service, and their stock is healthy and happy.

If you're interested in apples, there is no one better than Cummins. Wonderful people to deal with.

Another interesting place is Edible Landscapes which has the most wonderful line of exotic fruits, nuts, etc., some of which I'm sure can be grown in Chicagoland.

My fave place for tomatoes and peppers is Totally Tomatoes.

Only five months 'til Spring in Montréal!! Lots of time to think gardening...

Geo

Jung bought Totally Tomatoes, among others, from a bankruptcy estate several years ago.

I'm already getting 2011 seed catalogs in the mail. So far I've got Baker Creek and Pinetree Garden Seeds, two of my favorites for unique offerings and heirlooms. I'm looking forward to recieving the Raintree catalog since I'm determined to get a couple of columnar apple trees for our new back deck. Anyone else getting any good catalogs yet?

My catalogue from Richters came day before yesterday. If you don't know these people, you should get acquainted. They have the best line of herbs I have ever seen. Simply incredible. And, they'll ship to the US.

Geo

Geo wrote:My catalogue from Richters came day before yesterday. If you don't know these people, you should get acquainted. They have the best line of herbs I have ever seen. Simply incredible. And, they'll ship to the US.

Geo

Just requested a catalog. Actually I haven't recovered from the 2010 year yet. I should be starting my onion seeds in about a month, but just the thought of it wears me out!

JenM wrote:Has anyone ordered from Jung? I was perusing their catalog and looking at some of their fruit or nut trees. My husband wants a shagbark hickory. Unfortunately, I'm sure any nut tree will just be a giant squirrel feeder.

Any thoughts on Jung as a plant/seed supplier? We usually go with Johnnies.

Jen

We have bought different garden and yard plants from Jungs for years---like their northern grown stock and always lots of interesting supplies and 'stuff' in the retail outlets-- reliable products at a fair price

Just did a quick count - I've received a whopping seven so far! Can't wait to get started. Spring can't be that far away. . . .can it??

Geo wrote:My catalogue from Richters came day before yesterday. If you don't know these people, you should get acquainted. They have the best line of herbs I have ever seen. Simply incredible. And, they'll ship to the US.

Geo

So right you are! I just requested their catalog. Thyme is my favorite herb, but most catalogs have maybe three varieties, if that. Richters has twenty-four!!! I didn't even know that many existed in the world. The Highland Cream Lemon variety looks gorgeous, and I'm more than intrigued by the Caraway, Lime and Nutmeg thymes... I'm going to have to get some more planters!

So far, I've only gotten Territorial's.
They've got a few interesting things: grafted tomato plants (different rootstock from vines, some with two kinds of fruit); thinking about buying some new asparagus crowns as my old ones have gotten crowded out by other plants; pink blueberry plants; mushroom spawn (ever heard of Lion's Mane?); delicata squash.

JoelF wrote:So far, I've only gotten Territorial's.
mushroom spawn (ever heard of Lion's Mane?).

mushrooms in the backyard are pretty good and reasonably easy too---just take a couple years usually to produce
http://www.fungi.com/plugs/plugs.html

Okay. It's cold here. Does anyone start seeds inside?

If so, how do you provide light and warmth?

I'm thinking about one of those lovely heat pads for seedlings.

I tape a heat cable to the bottom of a lid from a big plastic container (roughly 2' x 3'), making a series of "s" curves with the cable. Then I pour in about one inch of potting soil, wet it thoroughly, and plug in the cable. Onto this soil I set the little plastic 'greenhouse' thingys that hold ca. 20 peat expando plugs. Light source is *two* standard two-tube shoplight each of which has exactly one aquarium bulb and one cool white bulb.

To start, the fixtures should be about a foot above the greenhouses.

Works like a champ, should cost $30-40, use it for years. I've been starting seeds this way for 25 yrs.

Geo

I used to just set my seed flats on top of the fridge to get them started, but our fridge in our new apartment is in an alclove under cabinets, so I'm thinking of putting them in the furnace closet until they germinate - if I can come up with a couple simple shelves that will fit in the back. After germination, I usually just stick them in windows without any supplemental light.

I start seeds. I have four shop lights w/ two florescent bulbs each. Two heat pads. Sort of a bench made with 2X4s. Whole deal probably cost about $200 total. Bench is 8 feet long and holds about 8 seed trays. Been using it for about 10 years.

Hughe wrote:I have never heard about seed savers until i read this thread . What do they really offer .
Supply of seeds ? just curious .

They sell "heirloom" seed varieties (flowers and vegetables). Proceeds go to preserve old varieties that have little commercial value, but could be useful after the apocalypse.

http://www.seedsavers.org/

jerryg wrote:A must read catalog is from "Victory Seed Co." I believe they are in Oregon.A good read and veryy informative.They were selling Heritage seeds before they became popular.

I order from a number of places, but I've been ordering most of what I get from Victory for about 10 years. They have a good selection and almost every seed germinates. I gave a friend a bunch of 6 year old half used packets last year and she had really good luck with them. I spent most of lunch today looking at their site and planning out my order - I cannot wait to start some seeds.