Thursday Thirteen - December 14, 2023
It's spring garden planning time! Which means it's time to order seeds. Sure, some won't be planted for months, but some will be wintersown next month. Plus the snap peas can go in starting next month.
So, here are thirteen of the seeds (or images of what I ordered if the seeds haven't arrived yet). I haven't ordered a lot over these thirteen, just six.
These first seven from eBay sellers I 've used before with success. I browse the catalogs that pour in, then check out what eBay offers for cheaper options with free shipping. There is one big company that offers free shipping, however their seed count is half what others offer, and the prices higher. If there are more seeds than I need (and I don't need 300 poppies or 25 tomatoes) seeds save for years.
1 - Calendula, Sunset Buff
Now six images of what I hope my seeds-ordered-not-yet-arrived will look like!
7 - From eBay, a perennial sunflower, Maximillian.
From Pinetree Garden Seeds, not free shipping, but they had the peas and beans I wanted. The images are theirs.
8 - Beans, Blue Lake pole
Time to prepare the wintersowing jugs. I think only have 20 this year. \ Quite a difference from a few years ago when I had over 120!
I live in a place where gardens aren't possible, although I'm not known for my green thumb!! And #1 would kill me. Okay, maybe a slight exaggeration, but I'm HIGHLY allergic to calendula!
ReplyDeleteThat's what a lot of people don't understand. "It's an herb, it can't hurt you..." is said about lots of plants. I've heard it in passing about weed often. I have a relative who IS allergic to weed! "But... it's an HERB!"
DeleteYeah, I don't get that. I have to be super careful with natural beauty/health products and herbal "tea" blends because of it.
DeleteLemon cucumbers - experimented with them many years ago - I think we picked them when they were too mature. We have variable luck with cucumbers, for some reason. It's too bad as we eat a lot of them. Zinnias are something we have great luck with, on the other hand. We have used Pinetree in the past, but shipping has gotten so expensive we try to order from just one catalog. So buying from Ebay sellers interests me - the free shipping part, especially.
ReplyDeleteThey aren't very good once they've gotten more than even 2" diameter. Yes, try eBay. After you search the seed type, just limit it to free shipping. I also have it show only in the U.S. unless it's something unusual.
DeleteIt sounds like you've got plans for the growing season.
ReplyDeleteHopefully the plans will work out! Last year didn't, since I got COVID in March that threw a wrench in the entire gardening year.
DeleteI like your choices. This year I decided to plant all of the vegetable seeds that I’ve saved from my mom’s collection. I had an opened package of 10+ year Blue Lake seeds. I was happy to say they grew and looked just like the picture on the package. Happy Sowing!
ReplyDeleteThat's fun to try old seeds! I have a lot of seeds from the past few years to use too.
DeleteBlue Lake are the best green beans! We had old loofa seeds we planted last year, the first time I'd ever planted them (someone had given me a pod with the seeds in it, and I'd saved them). Boy, do those things ever take over! So much vine and such deep roots.
ReplyDeleteI haven't grown pole beans in years, or blue lake at all in longer. I know people have loofa contests to see who can grow the largest.
DeleteI collect some when my plants go to seed, like cilantro and turnip greens. Zinnia is my favorite and easiest flower to grow. I never think about the garden in winter. Just crave those garden tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteI don't plant cool weather crops. I just do the wintersowing for transplant in spring.
Deletei hope that i will see some growth in my garden this coming spring... those dragon's tongue beans look so cool.. haven;t seen them before
ReplyDeleteThey produce a lot, and even if you miss picking, they are still tender.
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ReplyDeleteThis post made me think of my mom. She took her yard very seriously! For Mother's Day, my sister would always take her to a nursery and I tried to give her accoutrement for the garden. In fact, one of the last gifts I ever gave her was gloves with special fingertips. Thanks for bringing back some nice memories.