Something Old, Something New: The '08 Seed Catalogues are Here
Here's a pointer I like to dust off every year about this time, when you have to have a lot of imagination and intestinal fortitude to take on any outdoor gardening tasks. 'Tis the season for . . . seed catalogues, when you can let that imagination run wild.
For this edition, we'll take a look at the seed entities in my own state of Maine where six companies, and at least two non-profit organizations, offer just about anything you could need within the pages of their catalogues. Buy your seeds locally and you'll get the satisfaction of supporting small local enterprises —with the added benefit of all that great local knowledge that you'll never find in the national catalogues.
Here's a rundown, with some of the history and flavor that makes all these catalogues unique:
Allen, Sterling & Lothrop — This company has been around since 1911 and, somehow refreshingly, hasn't changed much at all in the past 97 years. This year's catalogue looks like last year's catalogue, and the one before that, and the one before that.
In this lightning-fast Internet world where change rules, this Falmouth company has carved out a niche by offering mostly the same varieties of seed that our grandparents grew. The packages are still packed by hand in a back room by family members and the orders are processed in a warehouse where the grandchildren and family pets roam free.
It was big news in 2005 when the company went on-line with its offerings, www.allensterlinglothrop.com. For the old-fashioned way of shopping, though, you can order the 31-page black-and-white catalogue by calling 207-781-4142, or better yet, visit the charming garden center at 191 U.S. Route 1 in Falmouth — but not on Sundays. That's their family time and the store remains closed, the day sacred.
UNIQUE OFFERING: The company likes to cater to homeowners and landscapers who grow lawns by blending all sorts of grass seed. For environmentally minded folks, try the Friends of Casco Bay mix, which contains: 40 percent creeping red fescue (endophyte enhanced); 30 percent 'Trifecta' perennial ryegrass (endophyte enhanced); 20 percent 'KenBlue' bluegrass; and 10 percent chewings fescue. This mix will thrive without a lot of extra fertilizer and water and have decent shade tolerance.
Fedco — This revolutionary enterprise was founded in 1978 as a cooperative seed distribution network in which the patrons of the company are the owners. Bulk orders are always encouraged; if you get together with your gardening friends and neighbors and place an order through Fedco, you will almost always save money.
Like Allen, Sterling & Lothrop, this seed source eschewed the Internet as a marketing tool for many years. A website, www.fedcoseeds.com , is up and running and offers a nice, online taste of what the company is all about. The company posts its phone number at 207-873-3333, but won't take phone orders. Everything about the place is based on practicality and, today, that's best achieved through the Internet.
Printed on recycled newsprint, the catalogue and web site teem with invaluable local information. You tell easily tell that the authors of the seed descriptions grow the plants themselves, often in Zone 4 central Maine locations that test a gardener's skill. Organic culture is always stressed and none of the seeds are ever treated with fungicide.
UNIQUE OFFERING: The company breaks its offerings into five categories including "Moose Tubers," which are certified seed potatoes, onion sets, shallots, sunchokes and potato onions — which look sort of like potatoes, but taste like onions. Order by Feb. 22 to get your discount.
Johnny's Selected Seeds — Easily Maine's largest seed company and recognized as a national industry leader, Johnny's still manages to reflect its roots as a tiny proprietorship formed 35 years ago. The founder, Robert L. Johnston Jr., is a research scientist at heart. Through his directive, the now employee-owned company runs the most thorough seed testing process in the country. A trial garden in Albion, measuring 120 acres, allows the staff to evaluate each vegetable, herb, flower and garden product.
The catalogue is also recognized as one of the most valuable in the country. Packed with equal parts information and colorful glossy photographs, it has been redesigned in recent years to be more colorful and user friendly. Buying from Johnny's is easier than ever. The company finally accepts orders toll free (800-879-2258) or through the Internet www.johnnyseeds.com. Even better, orders are filled whenever possible within 24 hours.
Incidentally, Johnny's will offer an article profiling the best new vegetable varieties in the next edition of PPP. Look for it in March, just in time to order for this year's planting season.
UNIQUE OFFERING: I was lucky enough to get an insider's tour of the extensive breeding program at Johnny's late last summer, which included a taste test of some of the new offerings. This year, I'll definitely be ordering some 'Smarty' tomatoes, which grow like clusters of grapes on cascading vines. They were absolutely delicious.
Pinetree Garden Seeds — The size of the average package of seeds always drove Auburn resident Dick Meiners crazy. Why do companies put 100 tomato seeds in a package, he wondered, when the average gardener only grows 12 plants? In 1979, he did something about his pet peeve by founding his own company. Specializing in small packages at fair prices, New Gloucester-based Pinetree Seeds has carved out a unique niche in the home garden segment of the seed catalogue world. By keeping prices down, Meiners has allowed gardeners to experiment with many new varieties of plants—as well as books and equipment.
The catalogue is a cross between the newsprint, no-photo appeal of Fedco, and the glossy, professional look of Johnny's. The descriptions, written by the gardeners on the Pinetree staff, are informative and personal. Order by phone (207-926-3400), fax (888-52seeds) or on the Internet www.superseeds.com.
UNIQUE OFFERING: Quite possibly nothing in the culinary world beats fresh mushrooms and scarcely anything is more fun to grow than spores of your own. Pinetree makes it easy with mushroom farms in a box. With prices starting at about $27, these are a good deal compared to supermarket prices. You need to order by April 1.
Vesey's — Based in Prince Edward Island, Vesey's Seeds Ltd., is not a true Maine company. It does, however, offer a Calais address and a product selection that is ideal for the local gardener. The founder, Arthur Vesey, was a market gardener who struggled to find seeds that would thrive in the short growing season in PEI. In 1939, he published the first catalogue of some of his discoveries; by the '60s, his company featuring "seeds for short seasons" was a full-blown international enterprise.
Vesey's makes ordering easy and affordable with a toll-free number (800-363-7333), along with fax orders (800-686-0329) and Internet access www.veseys.com. The web site is extremely convenient to navigate compared to many in the seed trade.
UNIQUE OFFERING: With container gardening all the rage these days, the "Royal Window Box Collection" makes the decision process easy. These varieties were selected to fill to bloom all season without a lot of maintenance in full to part sun, but you'll need to order the seeds soon and start many of these varieties early: 'Marine' heliotrope, 'White Fountains' lobelia, 'Crystal Palace' lobelia, 'Victoria' salvia and 'Profusion Orange' zinnia.
The Maine Potato Catalog —Facing an uncertain economic future in trying to grow organic produce in Aroostook County, Jim Gerritson needed a way to diversify his family farm in the past decade. His answer became this unique ode to spuds that has grown to become a 36-page full-color booklet.
The family's staple offerings are the Potato of The Month Club that will deliver a fresh supply of organic potatoes to your door each month, and the certified organic seed potatoes that you can grow in your own garden. The catalogue also features carrots, onions, garlic, shallots, parsnips and other crops — all grown organically in Bridgewater, five hours north of Portland near Presque Isle. You may order a catalogue seven days a week at 800-829-9765, or click on www.woodprairie.com to get a virtual tour.
Our television crew visited the Gerritson family during harvest season one September and watched in amazement as the year's crop of potatoes was picked by hand — mostly by junior high school students on farm break. It's one of the few operations of its kind left in America, and definitely worth supporting.
UNIQUE OFFERING: Right from a real Maine kitchen, try any of several scrumptious bread mixes. The 'Breakfast Raisin' is a whole wheat with a hint of cinnamon organic raisins. The 'Old World Pumpernickel Rye' is a dark break with a very deep rye flavor.
The Maine Potato Lady — Another family business specializing in one of Maine's most prolific crops, this company has been on the map for 20 years — emerging recently with a sharply produced web site and catalogue. They offer volume discounts tremendously beneficial to folks with large gardens — or savvy neighbors who group their orders.
In keeping with the practical nature of the offerings, which include shallots, onions and garlic, the Maine Potato Lady also offers soil amendments and cover crops for organic gardening. I'm going to check out the palletized compost and gypsum this year, which are products only recently available in garden centers and other catalogues.
UNIQUE OFFERING: Soft-neck garlic varieties are less prolific in the cold-weather marketplace than their hard-neck cousins. This company offers 'Polish Red,' a great variety for long storage periods. The flavor is more mild than some other garlic varieties, too.
Medomak Valley Heirloom Seed Project — Teachers Jon Thurston and Neil Lash deserve a world of kudos for introducing their high school students to the world of gardening. The students, in turn, spread the information to the rest of us through their truly unique catalogue offering a host of heirloom seeds.
Even designed by students, the catalogue can be ordered by writing to Heirloom Seed Project, 320 Manktown Road, Waldoboro, Maine 04572. Please include a nine by 12-inch SASE envelope and $1. The students don't publish seed prices, but do ask for your donations if you order.
Maine Seed Saver Exchange — Dedicated to preserving genetic diversity in backyard gardening, this nonprofit group promotes saving rare heirloom varieties. Within the 24-page catalogue, you'll find everything from 'Fogg' melons, originally grown at the Fogg Homestead in Readfield, Maine, to 'Cambridge' rutabagas, which the catalogue states were "found and rescued from the steamship 'Cambridge,' which sank in the Atlantic Ocean on Feb. 10, 1886, after striking the Old Man's Ledge off of Friendship, Maine."
It's a valuable endeavor, well worth supporting by joining the Exchange for $15. For the catalogue only, send $2 to cover postage to Box 60, New Gloucester, ME 04260.
Check Out the numerous resources for education, such as www.melna.org or www.rodaleinstitute.org . For video tips specific to organic lawn care, you can now visit www.SafeLawns.org.
Be sure to let us know what you think after viewing the video. Send me an email at Paul Tukey at paul@ppplants.com.
Paul Tukey, January 28, 2008.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Landscape Vision Knows.
Why you should landscape your property.
Check this info out.Researchers at Clemson University conducted a study of Home Sales and compared the results based on varying levels of Landscape quality. Not only were type, size and condition of the plantings considered but also the overall design. Landscapers were rated "poor", "good", or "excellent". Well designed landscaped homes had faster sales because of first impressions...- Research Group, Clemson University 2001Money Magazine had this to say on this matter...Landscaping as a home improvement project has a recovery value of 100-200% if it is well done and harmonizes with the nearby surrounding. This compares to a Kitchen overhead of 75-125% or a Bathroom redesign of 80-120%. - Money MagazineLandscape Vision 5.4.2 design software can help you improve the value of your property.www.landscapeyourvisions.com
Posted by landscapevision at 7:49 AM 0 comments
Labels: Improve your home's value
New Version Of Landscape Vision
New Version Of Landscape VisionHello everyone, we are proud to announce to our new version of our popular landscape design software, Landscape Version. Our new version 5.4.2 is really cool, let me tell you about it.Using a picture or you property you can place real images of Perennials, Annuals, Tress, Roses, Ground Cover, Shrubs and more. Placing them just where you want them. Move them around, resize them, read their bios. Our plant data base was voted, "Best Plant Data Base" by Top Ten Reviews two years running.The new version now let's you import any image and see it on your yard or patio. We also added outdoor living products for you see before you buy. We have Gazebos, Lawn Furniture, Bird Baths, Fountains, Grill and more. Once you see what you like we show you where to purchase it.Landscape Vision 5.4.2 let's you draw walkways and patios and even putting greens. We offer images of stone and pavers along with different mulches. You can even draw a new lawn!Our software is easy to use, we kept it simple seeing the first version was such a hit .Check it out. It's almost Spring so get going. Visit our home page now.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Gardening Jobs by the Month: January
• Use this month to check your houseplants: divide and re-pot any pot-bound plants. Prune judiciously to create a compact, attractive specimen.
• Keep holiday poinsettias in a sunny, cool location with high humidity.
• If you have succulents such as jade, hoya, and sansevieria, they may be reluctant to bloom in the house. Grow them in a small pot and hold back the water. This may persuade them to flower.
• Remove aphids from houseplants with a mixture of equal parts rubbing alcohol and water and add a drop of dishwashing detergent. Apply this to troubled plants with a soft brush.
• Open the doors and windows when temperatures permit to give your house a change of air. This will benefit you and your houseplants.
• Provide extra protection to houseplants on window sills if it is very cold. Place cardboard between the plants and the glass. Be sure the plants don't touch the windowpanes.
• Sponge off your plants or give them a good shower to remove the dust.
• Force a winter bouquet from cut branches of forsythia, pussy willow, deutzia, wisteria, lilac, apple, peach, or pear. Bruise the cut ends and set them in water. Spray the branches frequently. Keep them in a cool place until they bloom, then move to a warmer area for display.
• Check any bulbs and tubers you may have stored to determine if moisture is okay. Repack bulbs that seem too damp, discarding any moldy ones. If bulbs seem too dry, try moving them to another location.
• Start a garden record book now, allowing space to record the dates of first and last frosts, sowing seeds, planting, transplanting, time of bloom, first fruits, fertilizing, problems with pests, and other information. Over a period of years, this will be an invaluable record.
• Make a careful study this month of three important garden subjects: fertilizers, spraying, and best seed varieties.
• Check with your county extension agent to find out whether your particular area really fits into the temperature range suggested by its garden zone. Though seed companies provide information about which zones are best for growing different varieties of plants, keep in mind that considerable variation may take place within each zone.
• Plan your garden and make a diagram drawn to scale before placing your spring order.
• Remember this rule of thumb for planning perennial gardens: The width of the garden should be about twice the height of the tallest plant growing in it.
• Review your gardening chemicals and check for deteriorating containers. Consult local authorities for acceptable ways of disposing of chemicals you no longer use.
• Organize, clean, oil, and sharpen garden tools. A splash of bright paint on tool handles will make them easier to spot out in the yard.
• Examine your land in the stark winter days, looking for places where an evergreen might go nicely.
• Visit a greenhouse or nursery near you and talk with the experts about your growing problems. Ask them about shrub varieties best for your conditions.
• Remember to supply fresh water for the birds. Nuthatches, chickadees, cardinals, and juncos will enjoy any bread scraps you may have.
• Gently shake or brush off snow-weighted branches that have no support. Heavy snow cover protects evergreen foliage from windburn, but too much weight will break branches.
• Prune fruit trees now. The prunes can be gathered up into bundles to be used for kindling after they've dried.
• Neatly trim any shrubs and hedges broken by snow. Finish all pruning of trees before the sap starts.
• Examine willow and poplar trees for borers. Prune out any infested branches.
• Repair all fences, arbors, and garden furniture before the real work of spring begins. In the south, prune early-flowering shrubs when they finish blooming.
• Check roof edges for ice buildup, especially those areas you don't see on a daily basis. Remember that shingles will be brittle now, so be careful if chipping is necessary.
• Avoid walking over the same areas of your frozen lawn or you may find bald spots in the spring.
• Plant lettuce in flats this month and harvest before it's time to start some of the later seedlings. Artificial light may be required, but the air should not be too hot.
• Start some annual flowers this month. Good picks include marigolds, sweet peas, stattice, impatiens, petunias, and snapdragons.
• Choose some perennials to start now from seed. Delphinium, Shasta daisy, carnation, digitalis, and armeria are good choices.
• Start geranium, begonia, vinca, and viola seeds now for spring and summer bloom. Begonia and vinca seeds are among the hardest to germinate, so don't be discouraged if your success rate is low or irregular.
Article By: http://www.almanac.com
• Keep holiday poinsettias in a sunny, cool location with high humidity.
• If you have succulents such as jade, hoya, and sansevieria, they may be reluctant to bloom in the house. Grow them in a small pot and hold back the water. This may persuade them to flower.
• Remove aphids from houseplants with a mixture of equal parts rubbing alcohol and water and add a drop of dishwashing detergent. Apply this to troubled plants with a soft brush.
• Open the doors and windows when temperatures permit to give your house a change of air. This will benefit you and your houseplants.
• Provide extra protection to houseplants on window sills if it is very cold. Place cardboard between the plants and the glass. Be sure the plants don't touch the windowpanes.
• Sponge off your plants or give them a good shower to remove the dust.
• Force a winter bouquet from cut branches of forsythia, pussy willow, deutzia, wisteria, lilac, apple, peach, or pear. Bruise the cut ends and set them in water. Spray the branches frequently. Keep them in a cool place until they bloom, then move to a warmer area for display.
• Check any bulbs and tubers you may have stored to determine if moisture is okay. Repack bulbs that seem too damp, discarding any moldy ones. If bulbs seem too dry, try moving them to another location.
• Start a garden record book now, allowing space to record the dates of first and last frosts, sowing seeds, planting, transplanting, time of bloom, first fruits, fertilizing, problems with pests, and other information. Over a period of years, this will be an invaluable record.
• Make a careful study this month of three important garden subjects: fertilizers, spraying, and best seed varieties.
• Check with your county extension agent to find out whether your particular area really fits into the temperature range suggested by its garden zone. Though seed companies provide information about which zones are best for growing different varieties of plants, keep in mind that considerable variation may take place within each zone.
• Plan your garden and make a diagram drawn to scale before placing your spring order.
• Remember this rule of thumb for planning perennial gardens: The width of the garden should be about twice the height of the tallest plant growing in it.
• Review your gardening chemicals and check for deteriorating containers. Consult local authorities for acceptable ways of disposing of chemicals you no longer use.
• Organize, clean, oil, and sharpen garden tools. A splash of bright paint on tool handles will make them easier to spot out in the yard.
• Examine your land in the stark winter days, looking for places where an evergreen might go nicely.
• Visit a greenhouse or nursery near you and talk with the experts about your growing problems. Ask them about shrub varieties best for your conditions.
• Remember to supply fresh water for the birds. Nuthatches, chickadees, cardinals, and juncos will enjoy any bread scraps you may have.
• Gently shake or brush off snow-weighted branches that have no support. Heavy snow cover protects evergreen foliage from windburn, but too much weight will break branches.
• Prune fruit trees now. The prunes can be gathered up into bundles to be used for kindling after they've dried.
• Neatly trim any shrubs and hedges broken by snow. Finish all pruning of trees before the sap starts.
• Examine willow and poplar trees for borers. Prune out any infested branches.
• Repair all fences, arbors, and garden furniture before the real work of spring begins. In the south, prune early-flowering shrubs when they finish blooming.
• Check roof edges for ice buildup, especially those areas you don't see on a daily basis. Remember that shingles will be brittle now, so be careful if chipping is necessary.
• Avoid walking over the same areas of your frozen lawn or you may find bald spots in the spring.
• Plant lettuce in flats this month and harvest before it's time to start some of the later seedlings. Artificial light may be required, but the air should not be too hot.
• Start some annual flowers this month. Good picks include marigolds, sweet peas, stattice, impatiens, petunias, and snapdragons.
• Choose some perennials to start now from seed. Delphinium, Shasta daisy, carnation, digitalis, and armeria are good choices.
• Start geranium, begonia, vinca, and viola seeds now for spring and summer bloom. Begonia and vinca seeds are among the hardest to germinate, so don't be discouraged if your success rate is low or irregular.
Article By: http://www.almanac.com
How To Get Amaryllis To ReBloom
Your amaryllis may be in glorious bloom right now but how do you get it to re-bloom after the initial one is spent? It’s easy to do if you follow these steps. After the bloom fades, cut the stem a few inches above its base. Grow the plant in a bright, warm spot for several months, fertilize every other week and continue watering. Once September comes, place the plant in a cool, dark spot, fifty five to sixty degrees, and stop fertilizing. Keep it in this position for 3 months and do not water. Then bring the plant to a warm location (seventy to seventy five degrees Fahrenheit). Once it has sprouted, place in a cooler location in filtered sunlight. Water only when needed and within the next eight weeks, your amaryllis will be ready to re-bloom.
Article By: Fran Sorin
www.fransorin.com
Article By: Fran Sorin
www.fransorin.com
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Fran's Favorite Seed Selections For Winter
For those of you who think that you have to wait until January 2007 to begin to peruse and select seeds from those luscious seed catalogues, you’re wrong.
Over the past couple of years, I have made it my practice in mid-fall to sit down with a cup of tea and the latest Thompson and Morgan seed catalogue and begin to leisurely peruse through it marking off the selections that interest me.
During the lull of the winter months, I love fiddling around with at least 8 or 9 different types of seeds to see how they germinate and grow during the winter months indoors. It may seem like extra work to continue to re-pot them and perhaps even bring some to bloom prior to the season, but especially if you’re a precise colorist, it’s worth it.
Here are some of my picks:
Foxglove Mountain Candy: “It is totally unique as it is the first upward facing foxglove from seed. This unusual characteristic enables you, and the bees, to peep inside the stunning rose pink blooms and view their delightful freckled throats, which appear all the way around the stems. These flower stems are so strong, sturdy and erect that in breeding trials Candy Mountain was given the nickname 'Viagra'! Ideal for planting in drifts, creating a colourful display towards the middle or back of your perennial or cottage garden borders.”
Sweet Pea ‘Fragrantissima’: “A full color spectrum formula blended to ensure an even balance of color. Specially selected for quality of blooms and intensity of fragrance. Attractive, large flowered and strong stemmed, making wonderful cut flowers for enjoying several months in the house and garden.”
Salvia lyrata ‘Purple Volcano’: “Stunning mounds of deep purple foliage from which erupt deep purple stems, bursting with delicate white flowers. Perfect for adding color contrast to borders and containers. Hardy in Zones 4-9.”
Anchusa leptophylla ‘Blue Shower’: “Attractive showers of power-blue flowers smother mounds of foliage all summer continuing into autumn, creating a long lasting border display from this outstanding perennial. Hardy in Zones 6-8.”
Centaurea moschata ‘Dairy Maid’: “Attractive, large yellow flowers. Recommended for its cutting and border qualities and delicious chocolate fragrance, that earned it the appropriate name of ‘Sweet Sultan’.
Sunflower ‘Earth Walker’: “A diverse mixture of attractive browns and terracottas, with an occasional deeper chocolate shade. Tall, multi-headed stems flower over a long period, so ideal used in borders or for cutting.”
**All descriptions of specimens have been taken directly from The Thompson and Morgan catalogue and on line site. For more information on these seeds, click on: http://www.thompsonandmorgan.com/
Articles By Fran Sorin
www.fransorin.com
Over the past couple of years, I have made it my practice in mid-fall to sit down with a cup of tea and the latest Thompson and Morgan seed catalogue and begin to leisurely peruse through it marking off the selections that interest me.
During the lull of the winter months, I love fiddling around with at least 8 or 9 different types of seeds to see how they germinate and grow during the winter months indoors. It may seem like extra work to continue to re-pot them and perhaps even bring some to bloom prior to the season, but especially if you’re a precise colorist, it’s worth it.
Here are some of my picks:
Foxglove Mountain Candy: “It is totally unique as it is the first upward facing foxglove from seed. This unusual characteristic enables you, and the bees, to peep inside the stunning rose pink blooms and view their delightful freckled throats, which appear all the way around the stems. These flower stems are so strong, sturdy and erect that in breeding trials Candy Mountain was given the nickname 'Viagra'! Ideal for planting in drifts, creating a colourful display towards the middle or back of your perennial or cottage garden borders.”
Sweet Pea ‘Fragrantissima’: “A full color spectrum formula blended to ensure an even balance of color. Specially selected for quality of blooms and intensity of fragrance. Attractive, large flowered and strong stemmed, making wonderful cut flowers for enjoying several months in the house and garden.”
Salvia lyrata ‘Purple Volcano’: “Stunning mounds of deep purple foliage from which erupt deep purple stems, bursting with delicate white flowers. Perfect for adding color contrast to borders and containers. Hardy in Zones 4-9.”
Anchusa leptophylla ‘Blue Shower’: “Attractive showers of power-blue flowers smother mounds of foliage all summer continuing into autumn, creating a long lasting border display from this outstanding perennial. Hardy in Zones 6-8.”
Centaurea moschata ‘Dairy Maid’: “Attractive, large yellow flowers. Recommended for its cutting and border qualities and delicious chocolate fragrance, that earned it the appropriate name of ‘Sweet Sultan’.
Sunflower ‘Earth Walker’: “A diverse mixture of attractive browns and terracottas, with an occasional deeper chocolate shade. Tall, multi-headed stems flower over a long period, so ideal used in borders or for cutting.”
**All descriptions of specimens have been taken directly from The Thompson and Morgan catalogue and on line site. For more information on these seeds, click on: http://www.thompsonandmorgan.com/
Articles By Fran Sorin
www.fransorin.com
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