Sources of Spring Seeds - 1999
by Fred Davis, MG, Hill Gardens of Maine (To view other Our Garden Gate articles, click: Archives)
Welcome through Our Garden Gate! Well! It's here - that long-awaited time of the year when we begin thinking seriously about the seeds we'll be sowing during the next very few weeks. We have some decisions to make: which old favorites to stick with; what new and exciting (according to the advertising 'hype') varieties to try; which so-called 'exciting' varieties to never sow again; and, most importantly, where to get our seeds from.
Any good gardening magazine will soon have page after page of new varieties for 1999, so there's little need to press that issue too far. Johnny's has what looks like some really exciting new-ish stuff for the vegetable and flower garden this year. Here are just a few: 1. For you summer squash buffs, ZEPHYR should really hit the spot. Said to be a bit firmer than most other summers, it has an attractive coloration that makes it look like it's been dipped in soft, green paint (but it hasn't, of course!), and it has great flavor. 2. If 'snacking' tomatoes sound appealing to you, there are two exceptional ones going by the names JULIET and SANTA. These are also called cluster tomatoes - small, tasty and in bunches. Santa is slightly larger than Juliet. 3. MRS. BURNS BASIL is a lemon-flavored green basil that's sure to hit the spot in pesto and other European cuisine. 4. If you like hot peppers but prefer them to be full of zing yet tempered enough so they don't take the top of your head off, SUGAR CHILI is a thick-walled gem with sweet flesh. BIG CHILI is similar but more widely adapted to our shorter season and milder temperatures. You'll like them both!
In the flower category, SALPIGLOSSIS, while having a tongue-twisting name, a somewhat 'sticky' feel to the leaves and soft stems, matures quickly (65-75 days from seed) and sports 1-1/2" to 2-1/2" clustered flowers in colors ranging from yellow to purple, and just about everything in between. Though they can be cut and displayed in arrangements, their best place is in the border. Try them.
Johnny's, of course, is in Winslow, Maine - close to home. . .I like that - and if you don't already have their catalog, go straight to the phone and dial 207-861-3900. Their address is: 955 Benton Ave., Winslow, Maine 04901. Johnny's catalog is always on top of my pile! Here's their website: http://www.johnnyseeds.com. Also, they have a smashing retail store. Check it out.
There are a number of other quality sources for vegetable, herb and flower seeds. Here are a few of the ones I like the sound of: Vesey's Seeds, Ltd., York, Prince Edward Island, C0A 1P0, (902) 566-1620. They lean heavily in the direction of seeds for shorter seasons.
- Pinetree Garden Seeds, Box 300, New Gloucester, ME 04260, (207) 926-3400, like Johnny's, is closer to home than many of the others, and has a pretty decent selection. Their web site: www.superseeds.com
- Shepherd's Garden Seeds, 30 Irene Street, Torrington, CT 06790-6658, (860) 482-3638, is loaded with information, and is one you shouldn't pass up.
- Clear across the country, but northern enough to offer the sorts of seeds that'll do well in our climate is Territorial Seed Company, PO Box 157, Cottage Grove, OR 97424-0061. This one also contains an assortment of gardening accessories. www.territorial-seed.com
- Finally, while not actually a seed catalog, this last gem will be a big help for those who'd prefer to garden more responsibly. Gardens Alive!, 5100 Schenley Place, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025, (812) 537-8650, is chock-full of quite literally everything you need to naturally control just about all of your garden problems. I highly recommend this well-established and environmentally-conscious company!
That's the list of what I consider some of the best catalogs. Go ahead. . .lick a few stamps (or dial a few numbers). . .you'll not regret having these resources and suppliers as close as your fingertips.
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