Garden Catalogs

Now that they are coming out "hot and heavy", thought I'd mention one, to CoolBreeze in particular, who mentioned that she is addicted to Dahlias. I don't know if any of you received the Ferncliff Gardens 2005 catalog (www.ferncliffgardens.com) who are out of Mission, BC. They specialize in Dahlias and in their 2005 catalog, they have some real beauties. The also carry Iris, Peonies (they have some lovely Japanese ones) and Daylilies. So check it out, Coolbreeze if you haven't received the catalog yet. :D

I'm not getting any catalogs, I wonder who I've p.o'd?

Hi. How are you?
Happy new year to all.
First time to come DG in this year.
Talking about new catalog, I received 2005 richters, and David austin.
I really enjoyed looking at David austin rose catalog. They are very beautiful.

Thanks all of you who have mentioned a number of different seed sources in several different threads recently. I'm learning about lots of places that I didn't know about before. I don't get many seed catalogs other than those that a friend passes on to me. It's been fun looking them up on the internet.

Sandy

Here is another one,lots of veggies.
http://www.damseeds.com/

Hi Yumiko. Happy New Year to you!

Nice stuff on that online catalog, Joelle. I am interested in some veggie seeds too, so I ordered a print catalog. It mentions a 2004 catalog, but hopefully the request form just wasn't updated and they'll send 2005s. Thanks for the link. :D

Just got my Chilterns yesterday... better go hide the credit card!

Thanks for the website OldFlowerGirl....looks pretty good. I am planning on ordering for the spring.

Sheesh you guys are late...I sent in my seed orders January 2nd! I start a lot of seeds in January (need to have those plants BIG when I set them out). I order from Thompson & Morgan once every couple of years or so, can't resist those glorious pictures!, but their seeds aren't as reliable for me so I order mostly from Stokes (ON) .They have such excellent growing instructions, and no customs to deal with. Also buy a lot from Lindenberg Seeds (MB) who has a boring catalogue but good varieties and often cheaper. They also carry sets and bulbs, and I find restricting myself to just a couple of companies saves on shipping.

Speaking of Lindenberg, I can't believe their website...found it by accident as it isn't mentioned in their catalogue. Last updated in 2002! One of the poorest sites I've ever tried to struggle through. Totally useless, and you can't order through it anyhow. I get the feeling they're a bunch of dinosaurs there, although very pleasant and cooperative to deal with by phone. Stokes is offering free shipping when you order on line, and their system is really quick and simple, well organized. An excellent search vehicle also.
www.stokesseeds.com

chilko, I see you're zoning is more rigorous than mine! I too start many seeds quite early, but have a full seed tote already. Most of the things order will be for want, not necessity. Yes, the T&M catalog is a shameless tempter! As with you, I get most of my seeds from Stokes. They have good prices on larger quantities, and they have a great selection of specific colors rather than just mixes. They offer lots of information, as well.

I have to disagree, however, concerning their online shopping. I have a little local greenhouse business, so I order lots of different seed varieties. For two years in a row, I've tried placing these large orders online, but just as I'm ready to check out, they close me down 'due to heavy traffic'. All my information is lost. I was so frustrated that I contacted them by email, and they were very nice about it. They said it was a problem they were working on. The following year, nothing had changed.

I still order most of my seeds from Stokes, but I get on the phone and place my order. It seems like such a waste of time, but I hate wasting an hour's time on their site. Has anyone else had this experience?

OFG, Yes their 2005 is out. Joelle

I like to use the hard copy catalogs to make out a list (I always have to trim it down), then go online and order by item number. It's so much faster that way, and I'm not as tempted by those online pictures! I may give Stokes Online another try this year, but they don't seem in any hurry to make changes. I am not the only one to have problems. I've seen similar comments on the Stokes page of the Garden Watchdog.

Re Stokes website--yes, I do the selecting from the hard copy and then to a "quick order" on the website. I find the site this year HUGELY improved from last, but only for the quick order. I did check a few items to see if there were pictures not in the catalogue, and got good speedy response. But perhaps my needs are less than yours, Weez. My greenhouse is most probably a lot smaller! It's 19' x 14' and we don't heat it until March.

No, my little greenhouse 10x16', but I can stuff at least a hundred flats in it. I get the oil heater going in late May or early April. When the greenhouse fills up, I start moving them out to several coldframes. We have another greenhouse 20x32' in the works. Thanks for the headsup on Stokes... I'll give the online another try!

Weezingreens, can you grow things like tomatoes and peppers outside? I jam flats into ours also, but like to start planting into my g.h. beds by early April, when I can open the door into the house where our wood heater is. So the plants are crowded between the flats. Here's a pic taken on April 20, a few years ago I think. We have lexan on the roof and sides, and clear glass at the gable--so I already am using shade cloth there. By May I have it on the roof as well. Do you need shade cloth there?

Yes, you do have a full greenhouse there, don't you! First of all, we don't grow tomatoes, peppers or cukes outdoors. They have to stay in the greenhouse all summer and I can only use the early varieties. Some people bring their plants indoors to finish out in the fall, but I find they often bring aphids in with them.

My husband has to dig his way through the snow to the greenhouse in late April. It is not attached to the house, but we install a Toyostove oil heater in it for heat. I do not keep soil bins in the greenhouse, only wooden or wire shelves for the flats. That way, I can keep the environment sterile for incoming flats of seedlings.

I have three tiers of shelves on each side with a walkway down the middle. Upper shelves hang from the roof, then there are counter shelves with lower shelves under them. The light under the counters is marginal, but with the barn stype design and the slant of the spring sun, I can get by with it. I even have hooks for hanging baskets from the roof.

Sometime in mid April, I can begin putting the most established seedlings out in the coldframes. By mid to late May, they are set out on tables with row cover to begin the hardening off process. I generally open for business in late May or early June... generally Memorial Day weekend. When most everthing is out of the greenhouse, I put my tomato plants, etc, into large pots with ringed supports in the greenhouse for the summer. I use fans to keep it cool in there, but I've never had to use shade cloth. Our temps seldom get above the 70's here.

I wish we hadn't gone the growing bin route, and someday I hope to talk Dave into helping me remove the dirt and rebuild. I like your layout. We had to install a 2nd, larger fan last year, but retained heat is a huge problem in spite of many vents and screened door. Then at night, it plummets 40 degrees or so.

I'm not doing it commercially--too far from any market--but am hooked on beautiful flowers and have no other way to get fresh veggies. We're just finishing eating our 2004 tomatoes, even though I closed the g.h. down late October!

Here's what my hardening off looks like--not nearly as organized as you. Some nights I can't trust using just the fleece, and haul them all back into the g.h.--Major!

Do either of you guys grow Early Girl tomatoes. Often have them edible by end of June here in Manitoba.. If not, would like to know the kinds you do grow. (Thinking of kiddo in Whitehorse and grandkid in Fairbnks.
Ginny

I have grown early girl with great success (in reasonable tomato years - last year excepted) and they along with tigerella and the cherry types are the first to ripen.

I'm a really big fan of Sungold, those T & M orange cherry tomatoes, as they are the sweetest I've ever eaten and don't have thick skins. But they take up a lot of room. I start Tumbler--mine are up already--for growing in hanging baskets and they are amazingly prolific. Lois Hole, bless her soul, raves about them in her Tomatoes book, I think. Got mine from T & M but I believe other people are starting to carry them.

ditto on the sungold - they are like candy and rarely make it into the house. They are my (and my great niece's snacking food when i'm gardening.

Tomatoes are strickly a greenhouse item here. I have to confess I have little luck with them. I stick with the cherry tomatoes with the shortest season since our season is definitely short! I've tried Glacier (a stupice), Siberian, and many others. Some of my earliest tomatoes come from good old Gold Nugget, though it doesn't hold a candle to Sungold for flavor. Large Red Cherry is an old variety that seems to set fruit early, as well. Why are the Tumblers so expensive?

Greenhouse only here, too. Tumblers are fairly new in seed (been out for a while in plant form) so I guess the price hasn't dropped. I grow only 2 each year, in hanging baskets that can go outside very briefly but spend most nights in the house. I don't think they are the tastiest variety, but so prolific I can forgive that.

I grew one called Golden Treasure, (determinate, very old seed) too late in 2003, brought it into the house for the winter, it kept growing and by last fall I finally picked the tomatoes--they are picked with green shoulders, gradually ripening to gold. We're still eating them! They have very thick skins and are terrific for sauces or stirfry. Got dozens and dozens from one 6' tall plant.

I've never had luck bringing them in. I don't think I have a good spot with adequate light that gets regular attention.

Lynn what other varieties of Tomatoes do you like to grow?

I am in so much trouble. Wasn't going to even look at Jelitto on-line this year. https://www.jelitto.com/intro.html Didn't think they would send a catalogue. But here it is! Drooling, so many nice things, such high shipping. Ah well, lots of it is available at Specialty Perennials.

Tomatoes - Manitoba did fairly well for me last year, considering the summer we had. No cozy coats or anything after they were finally in. The rest were heirloom types.

has any one heard of these guys, and what do you kow about them. The web site is undergoing changes, so not much to see.
https://www.gardenimport.com/docs/indexfrset.html

I have been tempted there too, but haven't succumbed so far. Went so far as to subscribe to their catalogue. Very pricey on most stuff. I think Shawn was complaining about them, but my memory isn't trustworthy. Sometimes it goes places without me. I asked them about their hems in an email and got back a pretty indignant answer, but it was the answer I wanted. I hope they will be up soon, as I'm running out of places to drool.

OK, thanks, I'll keep looking.

I'm afraid to admit that one of the plants that I have such trouble growing is sweet peas. I know, it's like a vegetable farmer not being able to grow zuchini's. I thought every idiot could grow sweet peas, except this idiot. I've been trying to grow them in containers, and maybe that's my problem. I can grow so many different things, including tropicals, but sweer peas, so far are my nemesis. Any hints would be most appreciated.

I love 'em Linda, but have only ever grown them in the ground. You are right though, they are really easy to grow. A couple yers ago, I started some seeds in nearly gravel type soil. Remembered to water them sometimes, and they grew and florished even under those conditions. Staking them is a pain, but the smell of those blooms makes it all worth while.

I love sweet peas, and our cool summers should make them happy, but I think the season is just too short. Here's some info on growing sweet peas. Maybe there is something helpful here: http://www.selectseeds.com/sweet_peas.htm

Thanks for the link Wheezi, I'll give it a go again this year, maybe 4th time lucky,

I start mine early indoors to try to get a head start, but they never put on a good show. Those paper pot makers are great for sweet peas, nasturtiums, etc. that don't like their roots disturbed transplanting.

That's how I do some of mine. Last year those were the only ones that bloomed. The big royals, started from seed in the garden had beautiful big foliage, but no blossoms in time to beat the frost. They were in the same raised bed that Old Spice had been in the year before.

I've been considering starting mine even earlier and just pinching back the foliage if they get to gangly. Perhaps they'd get enough root system going to be able to put their energies into foliage and bloom. You know, I've always been told that peas like nitrogen, but nitrogen builds foliage, not bloom. Maybe some other nutrients would be beneficial.

They are heavy feeders, a fertilizer balanced for annuals should do and an innoculant to start would help.

This is a site I was given today and I found a lot of new places to get seed catalogs as well as quite a few new web sites to check out (should take care of my day tomorrow LOL).
http://www.gardenlist.com/

Hi tattoo, so nice to have your company.

I found some seeds for miniature sweet peas this year (for use as ground cover, .low borders, or collar plantings in pots. Will be very interested in seeing how they do.

And what is an "innoculant"? In my realm of thought it would be vaccine? Am I even close?