riddle@ut-sally.UUCP (Prentiss Riddle) (01/23/84)
It's almost that time of year again. The ads are putting out their
first tender shoots in the magazines, and a lot of us are in the mood
for a little armchair gardening. Yes, our thoughts are turning to...
seed catalogs!
Which brings me to some questions which I would like to pose to the
gardeners on the net: which of the multitude of seed catalogs do you
think are worth sending off for? All of them, or are there two or
three you prefer? When you get them, do you actually use them to order
seeds, or do you just browse through them for fun and then do your
actual buying at the local gardening shop? Are the super-duper seed
varieties touted in the catalogs really worth it? And, finally, do you
have any exotic favorites you'd like to recommend?
Please send brief answers to me and I'll summarize. If you're inspired
to write a lengthy essay on the subject, go ahead and post it to the
net. Thanks.
----
Prentiss Riddle
("Aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada.")
{ihnp4,seismo,ctvax}!ut-sally!riddlewgg@floyd.UUCP (01/24/84)
OK -- As long as we're doing a little mid-winter dreaming,
here are the catalogs I send for, and the seed varieties
from each I have found particularly successful/attractive
and why:
Stokes Seed Co, Buffalo, NY:
Giant Musselburgh Leek. You too can grow leeks
like the handle of a baseball bat! Good flavor.
Hollow Crown Parsnip. Vigorous, good flavor,
avoids some of the usual difficulties with germination.
Butter King Lettuce. Excellent flavor.
Burpee:
Delicious tomato. Not resistant to anything, but
the best tomatoes I have EVER tasted.
Perpetual swiss chard. The best flavor I know of
in swiss chard. Small center rib.
Sugar Snap peas. If you haven't tried them, try
them. A little slow producing (70 days).
Park:
Kuta squash. For my money, the best summer squash
I know. As a winter squash, forget it! Doesn't freeze well.
Waltham Butternut squash. Vines go all over the
place, but fine flavor and heavy bearing. Keeps and
freezes well.
Sorrel. A perennial herb featuring large, lemony
leaves. If you're going to make leek and potato soup,
a sine qua non. Also makes a good soup on its own.
My favorite gardening book, by the way, is "Crockett's Victory
Garden". The month-by-month organization is what I particularly
appreciate about it.
Bill Graves (floyd!wgg)mmr@ritcv.UUCP (01/25/84)
I get seed catalogs from about a dozen different companies. To an extent it is worth getting them, in that I see new and different items in each one. If you are interested expanding your repertoire of vegies and/or flowers it is worth sorting through them all. If you have mostly favorites that you don't want to change, then don't bother - the prices are not that much different between companies for seeds. Here is a summary of my interpretation of the companies strengths: (I am strictly a vegetable person; I get overwhelmed by all the flowers) (P.S. There are many I get that are left off the list - I got tired of typing. The more interesting ones are included below.) W. Atlee Burpee Warminster, PA 18974 They have a well rounded selection of vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruits. Their prices tend to be slightly higher than many of the others - not significantly for seed, but for fruit you might better go to a house specializing in fruit (like Miller's or Stark's) All their seed is untreated, for those that find that desirable. I have had excellent results ordering from them; they are prompt and complete. Gurney's Yankton, SD 57079 I find Gurney's fascinating. The catalog is an unusual format, and is full of unusual seed and plant items. I am ordering much of my seed from them this year, since they have the largest subset of things I am interested in. I have ordered from them in the past and have been pleased. Joseph Harris Co. Moreton Farm 3670 Buffalo Rd. Rochester, NY 14624 They also have a well rounded selection of vegetables, but not as many flowers, and they are strictly seeds - no plants. Their seed is treated, and I understand you have no option about that. For me, Harris is my local seed company so I buy much of my stuff there and have been very satisfied. From what I have read in magazines they have a good reputation as a mail-order business also. Vermont Bean Seed Co. Garden Lane Bomoseen, VT 05732 This catalog has the largest selection of E.H. Hybrid Corn (that is supposed to stay sweet many days after picking). They are primarily a vegetable seed co., and as their name would imply they have an extensive selection of beans: fresh and drying types. Their prices are slightly lower than the other catalogs for many items. I am ordering from them for the first time this year, so I can't report personally on their responsiveness. Stokes Seeds Inc. 737 Man St. Box 548 Buffalo, NY 14240 This seed company has commercial growers as its target more than home gardeners. The catalog is half vegetables and half flowers. They have a few unusual items, like Spartan Sleeper onion seeds, and a section on Chinese vegetables. They have a good reputation; my only complaint is that the format of their catalog is uninteresting - it is almost all on newspaper stock. I have been pleased with what I have ordered from them. George W. Park Seed Co. Inc P.O. Box 31 Greenwood, SC 29646 Like Burpee Park's offers a wide range of seeds, plants, trees and gardening aids. Prices are comparable to others. This is one of the biggies too. I have been pleased by what I have ordered from them, and it arrived in reasonable time. Thompson and Morgan P.O. Box 100 Farmingdale, NY 07727 They seem to be oriented towards flowers more than vegetables. however, if you are looking for a globe artichoke that you can grow as an annual in northern climates, they've got it. I have no personal experience with them. Johnny's Selected Seeds Albion, ME 04910 They specialize in seeds for nothern climates, with short growing seasons. Stricly vegetables and herb seeds. No personal experience. Margaret Reek rochester!ritcv!mmr P.S. I've already got it all planned and ordered - now what?
thomas@utah-gr.UUCP (Spencer W. Thomas) (02/13/84)
Johnny's seeds has a wonderful catalog. Even if you don't order anything, I highly recommend getting the catalog. For just about every vegetable they sell, they have a section on culture, diseases, etc. Many vegetables have planting charts, showing when to plant for spring/fall crops, if using tunnels, etc. A really nice reference document. They also have a really good selection of seeds. Another source, if you are trying to get away from the traditional seed catalogs, is to join Gardens for All (don't have the address here at work). They "run" a seed-swap column - reminds me very much of netnews in flavor. You can get many seeds for trade or often for just a SASE. =S