I ordered this year’s seeds a week ago and they have all arrived. I may order a few more, as I am still weighing some choices with varieties. To think I may be able to begin the season soon, planting things like peppers in about a month in my greenhouse, makes me quite happy.
I did save some seeds last year, with varying results. I am still trying to buy mostly varieties with which I have that option, but I have given up on heirloom or open pollinated broccoli. I have tried it a few different years and at least 3 different types. They produce next to nothing for the amount of garden space they take up.
My experiment with open pollinated corn was basically a success last year. There is likely more I need to learn about harvesting it, but even how I did it, it has been great in soups and baking. I’m growing it again this year.
Here are the companies I ordered from and the items I chose –
Johnny’s Selected Seeds has been my main seed source for years. One year I received a personal postcard from them, after having ordered for several years, saying they noticed I hadn’t ordered for a couple of years and they wanted to just check in. It was the friendliest, kindest note from a business I had ever received. I sent back a short response saying that we were in the midst of a major illness with a child, but would garden again when I could. They responded with compassion.
Here is what I ordered from them:
Broccoli, Arcadia
Brussel’s Sprouts, Diablo
Cabbage, Tendersweet
Cabbage, Storage No. 4
Carrots, Napoli
Carrots, Purple Haze
Celery, Conquistador
Old-Fashioned Sweet Corn, Double Standard
Cucumbers, Northern Pickling
Kale, Nagoya
Peas, Casselode
Canteloupe, Sweet Granite
Bell Peppers, Yankee Bell
Hot Peppers, Hot Paper Lantern
Rutabaga, American Purple Top
Lettuce, Deer Tongue
Lettuce, Panisse
Lettuce, New Red Fire
Pumpkin, Baby Pam
Tomato, Debarao
Tomato, Moskvich
Spanish Eyes (vine w/flowers I grow every year)
(Spanish Eyes, or Thunbergia)
A friend of mine introduced me to Territorial Seed Company a few years ago. I always find good options for seeds, but I especially like their equipment. Last year I purchased some of their sturdy trays for seed starting. This year I bought a fabric to try for insect control over my broccoli and the like.
Cosmos, Antiquity
Delicata Squash
Beet, Flat of Egypt
Nasturtium
Rudbeckia, Prairie Sun
Snapdragon, Frosted Flames
Onion, Talon
Zinnia, Benary’s Giant
Zinnia, Oklahoma
Reemay (aforementioned fabric)
Pinetree Seeds, also apparently known as superseeds.com, is new to me. A good friend of mine ordered from them last year and shared a summer squash with me that I just had to grow this year. I know she had very good success with her tomatoes, as well.
Bush Bean, Royal Burgundy (I used this in landscaping alongside flowers last year.)
Beet, Early Wonder
Broccoli, Major
Cabbage, Glory of Enkhuizen
Corn, Stowells’ Evergreen
Cucumber, Lemon
Summer Squash, Golden Zebra
Tomato, Golden Nugget
Daisy, Cape
Felicia (another flower)
(Royal Burgundy bush beans are the border along the left of the picture)
Other companies that I buy unique seeds from are –
I’ve tried to plan for a mix of early varieties, long season plants, storage types, and flowers that are not too challenging to get going from seed. I still have potatoes in the garden beds that we need to dig. I need to clean my greenhouse. I need to make my planting charts. Oh, joy!!
