Blog Update!
For those of you not following me on Facebook, as of the Summer of 2019 I've moved to Central WA, to a tiny mountain town of less than 1,000 people.

I will be covering my exploits here in the Cascades, as I try to further reduce my impact on the environment. With the same attitude, just at a higher altitude!

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Seed catalog nirvana

Seeds of ChangeI don't know about you, but the seed catalogs are rolling in over here. I know I should be looking at them online, but it's so much more pleasant perusing a bound copy with pictures.

One thing I noticed is that some of the seed catalogs sell gift cards. That would have been a nice Christmas gift for some of us!

What's your favorite seed catalog(s)?

What's new on your list of things to grow in 2008?

Here are my faves:
Territorial Seed
Seeds of Change

For nurseries:
Raintree Nursery
Swansons

I haven't totally decided yet what new things I'm going to grow. But I have decided what I'm not going to bother with this year:
  • corn (not enough space)
  • brussel sprouts (didn't look good)
  • acorn squash (didn't really produce any last year)
  • watermelons (not hot enough)
  • bell peppers (not hot enough)
  • gourds (got nothing last year)
  • pickling cucumbers (these were a disaster)
  • pole beans
  • turnips
Some of the things I'm going to grow more of will be:
  • salad cucumbers
  • pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins!
  • spinach
  • lettuce
  • garlic

19 comments:

Lisa said...

Two more that I like: Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company (http://rareseeds.com/), and Seed Savers Exchange (http://www.seedsavers.org/).

I haven't started making a list yet but am hoping to grow lots more of everything this year and have enough to sell at the local farmer's market.

Unknown said...

In addition to those already mentioned, I like Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply.

Katie said...

I second Presto's comment about Peaceful Valley Farm Supply. They're about an hour NE of my house, so that's pretty local I guess.

Looking forward to seeing your pumpkins and garlic grow!

Abbi said...

We are getting the seed catalogs too. It is so fun to dream about gardening!!

Green Bean said...

I'm also liking Seed Savers and Peaceful Valley. I already placed my order. :) Can't wait to plant everything but have to figure out where to put it! My eyes are always bigger than my yard - all the better to share, though.

Susan M.B. Sullivan said...

I second you on Raintree Nursery. If you order now, you can get 20% on bonus plants. I think the deadline is January 8.

For next year, I am planning on two new elderberry varieties, since mine quite bearing and I think I cut down the pollinator. Also, currants and gooseberries, strawberries and a dwarf fig.

Next year's veggies: Since last year's new garden area wouldn't support life, lots of peas, beans and cover crops. In this year's new area, probably squash. Also in the works, lots of new home-made Earthboxes for tomatoes and eggplants since last year's experiment worked well.

Deb G said...

I've ordered most of my seeds for this year from Seed Savers. First time I've ordered from them. I'm also going to buy some seeds from one of my local farmers. They started selling seed last year at my community co-op.

One thing about Seeds of Change, last year in about August the packets of seeds on their displays were switched to plastic packets. It supposed to keep the seeds viable longer. I don't know if they are continuing this. I'd rather put all my seeds in one reusable air tight container.

Anonymous said...

I second Baker Creek.

I used to do seeds of change, but they are now owned by Kraft so I try to go to smaller, independently owned places.

JacquiG said...

Boy I haven't even thought of the garden yet!

Last year we didn't do a veggie garden since we knew there would be a month mid-summer with no-one to look after it. Year before it was our first garden we got tons of zucchini and tomato. We also did well with acorn squash. Two of us couldn't eat the lettuce quick enough and it went to seed.

I'm planning on trying the garden again this summer. We buy the plants from the local nursery since we don't have a greenhouse to start a lot of seeds.

Anonymous said...

More carrots for me. Anything I can still pull out of the ground in December and January makes the top of my list.

Magpie said...

It's not a seed catalog, but Heronswood makes me swoon.

DC said...

If you are looking for organically certified herb seeds and plants, I recommend Horizon Herbs (located in southern Oregon - ships anywhere). They carry an amazingly diverse selection of medicinal herb seeds from the Native American, Ayurvedic and Chinese traditions. They also carry a wide variety of annual and perennial plants, including cover crops, nitrogen fixers, medicinals, wildlife favorites, etc.

Anonymous said...

I'm ordering Egyptian Walking Onions this year. I hope they like our shady yard!

I'm going to save some seeds this year again (last year and the year before were busts) so I can try to trade for multiplying onions eventually.

And I'm trying tomatillos again. Last year they fell prey to the unmanageable attack of tomato-predating toddler.

Every year I swear I'm scaling back and then in the winter I think...but *this* wouldn't be so much extra work...

Liz said...

Don't give up on all winter squash, Crunchy! I absolutely adore Sweet Dumplings... they are much more prolific and way tastier than Acorns!

Anonymous said...

i havent grown a garden yet, only a few tomato plants. So I don't have a fav catalog. Thanks for the info, I am going to check out the sites. I am going to attempt a small garden in 2008. I will have to put up a barrier to prevent my dogs from eating everything. They will eat tomatoes right off the vine - arrgh!

salmonpoetry said...

ok, most of my favorites have been mentioned many times over on this list (raintree, seed savers exchange, territorial, peaceful valley). but i must also confess to perusing and even ordering from a less-than-sustainable source: thompson & morgan. although they are a uk-based company and many of their seeds are grown outside the U.S., they have a really stunning selection of some varieties not available elsewhere. after all, which local catalog offers seeds to plant a baobab tree? (worth swooning over even if you are die-hard committed to only supporting local companies...)

Anonymous said...

Here's one more enthusiastic endorsment of Baker Creek and Seed Savers. I also love Native Seeds/SEARCH http://www.nativeseeds.org/v2/default.php. They're pretty specific to the Arizona, New Mexico, Northern Mexico areas, but check them out. Much of the high country has a very short growing season, so seeds recommended for the Taos area might do well elsewhere.

Robbyn said...

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. I carry it with me like Linus carried his blanket

Natural Louisville said...

To combine two threads: I'm still not completely finished with Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, but it has helped me with a middle-age moment --

I knew traditional seeds without GMOs were out there, in varieties aside from the standardized "fast food-use" fare, but I didn't remember they were called HEIRLOOM. Very helpful when googling! I have a seed catalog on the way. Yay!

P.S. Thanks for the good catalog suggestions here.