Catalogs are arriving...
- Thread starter velochic
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Neeney
Senior Cook
I'm in zone 5, and I usually order my seeds mid January. I usually start them toward the end of February. I can't usually go in the ground with them until mid May, so the end of February is perfect for my zone.
I've got the gardening itch terrible right now. I look out at my two gardens, one is 1250 square foot and the other is 1500 square foot. Can't see anything...covered in snow.
After today though, quite a bit of the snow will be gone...probably same for Indiana
I've got the gardening itch terrible right now. I look out at my two gardens, one is 1250 square foot and the other is 1500 square foot. Can't see anything...covered in snow.
After today though, quite a bit of the snow will be gone...probably same for Indiana
bethzaring
Master Chef
I start onion seeds in January, celery and parsley in February, so I order those seeds real soon. I put off starting tomatoes, peppers, etc. as long as possible, maybe late April. So I buy the bulk of my seeds in March. I buy most of my seeds from Johnny's Selected Seeds and I have not received their catalog yet.
buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
perhaps he's still selecting them...
ok, i'll quit.
ok, i'll quit.
Neeney
Senior Cook
perhaps he's still selecting them...
ok, i'll quit.
Seems no matter what forum I go to, you're there to make me laugh!Thanks for SEVERAL laughs today
milkdemcows
Assistant Cook
On the topic of the catalogs, I've noticed that a bunch of them (between mine and my dad-in-law, Gurneys, Henry Fields, Michigan Bulb, and Garden's Alive) are sporting a $25 coupon when you buy $50 or more. Anyone else noticed this too? That's quite a deal. Plan on trying some of those (pricey) mushroom kits, and maybe some worms for a vermicompost in the basement, and an upside-down hanging tomato planter. Not much room to grow stuff at our place unfortunately, so don't have too many seeds to order.
I also, consequently, noticed that these companies not only have similar coupons, but similar postage labels/account info section, and have many of the same stock photos, and are all out of Indiana...so then I wondered, are these really just faces of some big mega-gardening company? Or perhaps a company that handles all the ordering part of these nurseries business?
Won't stop me from using the coupons, but curious nonetheless (and somewhat of a shame if it is so). Oh well, happy gardening.
I also, consequently, noticed that these companies not only have similar coupons, but similar postage labels/account info section, and have many of the same stock photos, and are all out of Indiana...so then I wondered, are these really just faces of some big mega-gardening company? Or perhaps a company that handles all the ordering part of these nurseries business?
Won't stop me from using the coupons, but curious nonetheless (and somewhat of a shame if it is so). Oh well, happy gardening.
larry_stewart
Master Chef
Thats what i do. I take advantage of the $25 off if u buy 50... And ill treat myself to something i may not have gotten otherwise, like he mushroom kits. My best success was the white mushrooms or cremini mushroom kids. I never had luck with the shitaki log. Im also going to try the upside down, self watering tomato pot.
Haven't received any catalogues yet. The seed/garden companies must know I can't have a garden any more. Trees have grown too big. Nothing but dense shade.
Constance
Master Chef
I get all sorts of catalogs because I used to run a greenhouse. Scratching out the wholesalers, who require you to buy a quarter pound of banana pepper seed, these are my favorites:
Nichols Garden Nursery
Johnny's Seed Co
Parks Seed
Totally tomatoes
Buntin seed
Shumway's
Nichols Garden Nursery
Johnny's Seed Co
Parks Seed
Totally tomatoes
Buntin seed
Shumway's
quicksilver
Washing Up
I got 5 today - not all seeds though.
Oh, and before I forget..... DITTO, Neeney. BT, LOL!, as usual!
I'll have to let JoeV know I have a $5 coupon on a $25 online purchase from Hodgson Mill.
I won't use it. He's our "breadbaker extrodinaire", so maybe it would reimburse him his shipping costs.
Then I received DOCTORS FOSTER and SMITH Products for
Dogs & CATS, with some good discounts.
I can't remember our family member here that had a problem with doggie eating it's own ummm waste (yik), but they have a product for that to make it unpalatable. (pg.33) (Sour face as I write that!)
And as if that's not enticing enough to look at their catalog;
they even have "Female Pet Bloomers" and "Male No Leak Wraps"
for incontinence. (pg.73)
Who would have thunk it? Not ME! Maybe Buckytom???
Then the seed catalogs - many things you "northerners" have the winter
duldrums and dreams of growing in the spring I can never grow,
as I'm in zone 10a. Things I dream of year round and get homesick for.
The Cook's Garden (www.cooksgarden.com)
the photography is stupendious with a few select recipes. "For european garden vegetables".
gardens alive! is an incredible catalog. (www.GardensAlive.com)
And this year they offer a $25 coupon when you buy $25 more on catalog prices.
But the special thing about this company/catalog, aside from
the quantity of selection is, they tell you about plant
deseases and pests AND show pictures and prevention.
(remember last year when we were trying to identify what was
destroying roses and such?)
And so far, finally,
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (www.rareseeds.com)
Of all of the books I've gotten over the years, heirloom varieties
are what interest me most, and wish I could invest my time in.
So I'm glad Velochic started this thread. I can live vicariously
throughout the year thru you all.
Oh, and before I forget..... DITTO, Neeney. BT, LOL!, as usual!
I'll have to let JoeV know I have a $5 coupon on a $25 online purchase from Hodgson Mill.
I won't use it. He's our "breadbaker extrodinaire", so maybe it would reimburse him his shipping costs.
Then I received DOCTORS FOSTER and SMITH Products for
Dogs & CATS, with some good discounts.
I can't remember our family member here that had a problem with doggie eating it's own ummm waste (yik), but they have a product for that to make it unpalatable. (pg.33) (Sour face as I write that!)
And as if that's not enticing enough to look at their catalog;
they even have "Female Pet Bloomers" and "Male No Leak Wraps"
for incontinence. (pg.73)
Who would have thunk it? Not ME! Maybe Buckytom???
Then the seed catalogs - many things you "northerners" have the winter
duldrums and dreams of growing in the spring I can never grow,
as I'm in zone 10a. Things I dream of year round and get homesick for.
The Cook's Garden (www.cooksgarden.com)
the photography is stupendious with a few select recipes. "For european garden vegetables".
gardens alive! is an incredible catalog. (www.GardensAlive.com)
And this year they offer a $25 coupon when you buy $25 more on catalog prices.
But the special thing about this company/catalog, aside from
the quantity of selection is, they tell you about plant
deseases and pests AND show pictures and prevention.
(remember last year when we were trying to identify what was
destroying roses and such?)
And so far, finally,
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (www.rareseeds.com)
Of all of the books I've gotten over the years, heirloom varieties
are what interest me most, and wish I could invest my time in.
So I'm glad Velochic started this thread. I can live vicariously
throughout the year thru you all.
bethzaring
Master Chef
perhaps he's still selecting them...
ok, i'll quit.
LOL, Johnny, (actually there is no Johnny) has finished selecting, I received my catalog yesterday.
I am still gardening from the 2008 garden, have carrots, kale, spinach, parsley in the garden and yukon gold potatoes, beauregard sweet potatoes, cabbage, carrots, onions and garlic in the house.
I am looking at 3 catalogs; Johnnys, Territorial Seed Co. and Seeds of Change, none are offering any sort of discount. I ordered 5 packets of seeds from Cook's Garden last year and was not happy with the resulting plants. What I have come to believe is I do best with regional, or at least, US produced seed. I am not so much interested in what mesclan lettuce is popular in a northern province of Italy.
Over the years I have tried many different seed companies and seeds, and keep coming back to Johnny's Selected Seeds and ordering the same kale, tomatoes, corn, onions seeds, etc. that have excelled for me.quicksilver
Washing Up
Bethzaring, sorry about Cook's Garden.
I do agree with regional buying, just as I do with my food source
buying.
I still have my Burpee catalog from 2008, but haven't seen Johnny's
since about 2006. Maybe because I'm zone 10a.
Good Luck with your crop this year.
I do agree with regional buying, just as I do with my food source
buying.
I still have my Burpee catalog from 2008, but haven't seen Johnny's
since about 2006. Maybe because I'm zone 10a.
Good Luck with your crop this year.
BreezyCooking
Washing Up
Being a very anal gardener - lol - I keep a spreadsheet of everything I order & from whom, including catalogs. I began ordering catalogs in mid-November & so far I've received from:
Park's Seeds - pretty basic; haven't ordered from them in awhile
Tomato Growers Supply Co. - interesting reading
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds - my top favorite to order from
Kitazawa Seed Company - Asian vegetables; wonderful customer service
Seeds of Change - for some reason they sent me last year's catalog - go figure
Harris Seeds - interesting reading & fairly good volume prices
Johnny's Selected Seeds - wonderful catalog with lots of detailed information
Seeds of Italy - another wonderful European-seed company to deal with; quality seeds & terrific customer service
Territorial Seed Company - another favorite
Jung Quality Seeds - nice catalog, but no personal experience with them
Burpee - for many years a favorite, but I normally buy Burpee seeds locally if I must; haven't been pleased with their customer service since they changed hands some years ago
Dutch Gardens - another top favorite of mine; excellent quality very-well-packed plant material & top-notch customer service. After several years of purchasing different bulbs & perennials from them, have yet to have a problem.
Henry Fields - no experience
Gurney's - used to actually be quite good for seeds, but haven't heard good things about them lately.
I've ordered others, but these are the only ones I've received so far for this season.
I'll be going through my inventory of seeds on hand (I NEVER EVER throw away leftover seed - I still have some seeds that are over 10 years old & still give me excellent germination) this coming week & then start placing orders shortly thereafter. If you wait too long, I've found that chances are good that certain choices may run out quickly - especially with new &/or popular offerings. I don't start indoor sowing until late February - & that's just for cool-weather greens & brassicas; warm weather plants (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants) don't get started until early March. I'm sort of in a Zone 6/7 cusp - sometimes known as Zone 7a.
Park's Seeds - pretty basic; haven't ordered from them in awhile
Tomato Growers Supply Co. - interesting reading
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds - my top favorite to order from
Kitazawa Seed Company - Asian vegetables; wonderful customer service
Seeds of Change - for some reason they sent me last year's catalog - go figure
Harris Seeds - interesting reading & fairly good volume prices
Johnny's Selected Seeds - wonderful catalog with lots of detailed information
Seeds of Italy - another wonderful European-seed company to deal with; quality seeds & terrific customer service
Territorial Seed Company - another favorite
Jung Quality Seeds - nice catalog, but no personal experience with them
Burpee - for many years a favorite, but I normally buy Burpee seeds locally if I must; haven't been pleased with their customer service since they changed hands some years ago
Dutch Gardens - another top favorite of mine; excellent quality very-well-packed plant material & top-notch customer service. After several years of purchasing different bulbs & perennials from them, have yet to have a problem.
Henry Fields - no experience
Gurney's - used to actually be quite good for seeds, but haven't heard good things about them lately.
I've ordered others, but these are the only ones I've received so far for this season.
I'll be going through my inventory of seeds on hand (I NEVER EVER throw away leftover seed - I still have some seeds that are over 10 years old & still give me excellent germination) this coming week & then start placing orders shortly thereafter. If you wait too long, I've found that chances are good that certain choices may run out quickly - especially with new &/or popular offerings. I don't start indoor sowing until late February - & that's just for cool-weather greens & brassicas; warm weather plants (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants) don't get started until early March. I'm sort of in a Zone 6/7 cusp - sometimes known as Zone 7a.
quicksilver
Washing Up
I forgot to mention the online site that keeps offering me good sale/discount prices.
www.gardens-alive.com
I haven't used them yet, though.
www.gardens-alive.com
I haven't used them yet, though.
bethzaring
Master Chef
I forgot to mention the online site that keeps offering me good sale/discount prices.
www.gardens-alive.com
I haven't used them yet, though.
I use Gardens Alive every year for gardening "aides", good company that carries hard to find items for me.
Those are my 3 "go to" catalogs. I order from them every year.
Yes, I have the itch to start. I'm in Zone 7 but the cool sping is so short that I need to get things in early here.
Planning to get the broccoli, cabbage, letuce and spinach started this weekend indoors.
I'll start the tomatoes, peppers, and squash in February in the seed houses.
BreezyCooking
Washing Up
"The Cook's Garden" catalog arrived yesterday, & was not only fun reading, but had pages & pages of a truly large & luscious lettuce selection. I'm thinking that I'm going to have to order a number of these beauties from them to try out both for spring & fall.
texherp
Senior Cook
I got my Burpee's a couple weeks ago. Breezy, I do what you do and just buy the packets through the stores.
This last weekend I noticed Lowe's had all their bulbs and bare-roots in so I grabbed a couple packs of onion and potato seed bulbs. I'm also trying out a bare-rooted asparagus this year. I don't know if they'll get the necessary dormancy down here but I guess we'll find out.
This last weekend I noticed Lowe's had all their bulbs and bare-roots in so I grabbed a couple packs of onion and potato seed bulbs. I'm also trying out a bare-rooted asparagus this year. I don't know if they'll get the necessary dormancy down here but I guess we'll find out.
quicksilver
Washing Up
If you bought local, that's what will do in your area.
And even if you only buy seeds and plants from local sources, those mail catalogs are a great source of information of types and varieties. And like Breezy said, the pics are phanominal.
And they usually tell you something of deseases and fungus and such.
And even if you only buy seeds and plants from local sources, those mail catalogs are a great source of information of types and varieties. And like Breezy said, the pics are phanominal.
And they usually tell you something of deseases and fungus and such.
BreezyCooking
Washing Up
Unfortunately, you can't always count on buying "local" automatically doing well in your area. These days both seeds & plants are shipped in from all over the place. The only tried & true method is to READ READ READ. Read books, research on the internet, whatever floats your boat. But READ. And experiment. Like cooking, experimenting with gardening is truly the only way you'll ever know which plants &/or varieties work for you & which don't.
