First spring plant catalogue and burnt fingers

I got CG today. GS and SS yesterday!

I got GS (they must send one every week), Dutch Gardens and Heronswood and T & M.

I finally got my Dutch Gardens Saturday and I can't believe how the prices are this year! I'm tempted to write them a letter or email! Now, Thompson & Morgan - that's a NICE catalog! I just wish we could order from the British one, they have so much more than the American one.

Makes winter sowing seem more and more attractive . . . lol

I did buy a few of the high priced Dutch Gardens plants last year and when they were delivered I was truly impressed at the size of the plants regardless of the pot size. They were robust and I was pleased though those prices are keeping me from ordering more.

I like T & M. I need to remember what zinnias I was going to try this year.

I'm going to indulge in a few of their dahlias(Dutch Gardens), and maybe a few other things, but not the perennials. The price is too high!! I'd give even more to my favorite charities before I'd give to highway plant robbers.

That's how I felt, too. The Baptisia Twilight arrived and looked wonderful and did just fine but these are the prices we paid for shrubs a few years ago. You can tell I'm no spring chicken! The prices on the dahlias are fine but three of a kind isn't always easy to plant so I limit those purchases. Their lilies are great.

Well I got my new Thompson & Morgan catalog and some of my friends on here got one with a $10 off coupon, mine was only $5 as with the older catalog, what's up with that? lol I order from them all of the time and my order is quite sizeable!

bigcityal, How much was your coupon on your last catalog have you gotten the second one yet?

I just got that coupon!!! Of course, I placed my $36 dollar order last week.

I'm making myself NUTS comparing prices!!!!!! Burpee is really pricey this year. Pay attention to that seed count per pack! I like the option that Territorial Seed gives us- buying 1 gram, 2 grams, an oz, etc.

T & M gave us a $5.00 coupon, too. Generous in view of the fact we haven't ordered much from them for the last few years.

Jax - Our favorite radio gardening guy, Ralph Snodsmith, bought broccoli by the ounce (it may have been a few ounces, I'm not sure) and had enough seed for ten years. Every year he'd test it for germination and then plant. He did not recommend it as a way of buying seed!

i finally got one! burgess (i think...)

Today brought High Country Gardens, Spray N Grow, Audobon Workshop, Burgess, Growers Supply and Jackson & Perkins. But I didn't get the mail yesterday.

Never got Burgess. Was that started by the Penguin from Batman??

You got. I think Burgess had a house.

doesn't look promising. i worry when nothing has botanical names, and everything is so hyped.
and what the heck are these "fruit salad" trees that are supposed to grow different fruit on the same tree? is it a joke on new gardeners, like "Get me a left-handed screwdriver."?

Is that used to check your blinker fluid with?
I finally went through and tossed out last year's catalogs - solid armful.

Al, thanks! I am always explaining to visitors (the few who venture here) that it is 100% essential to save all of the previous year's gardening catalogs!
It is mainly b/c the pile is too heavy to drag to the street for the recycling.

pirl, buying seed by the gram/oz is great b/c the catalog always tells you the approx. # of seeds per gram. I only need about 10 sunflower seeds, but if you have a huge field, it would be great to buy 1000 seeds w/o having to order 100 packets of 10 seeds... is my math correct? I am up to my neck in poppy and catnip seed- both plants set waaayy too much seed, and I am loathe to toss seed- like my catalogs- and everything else! Of course, Jax himself would like every plant ripped up and replaced w/ catnip.

This year I bought coleus seed in bulk so I hopefully will get some more unusual colors!

We don't have the kind of room here for planting a lot of anything so I guess it might be more useful for farmers or those just starting out with vast acres to fill.

Jax, I've been interested in coleus over the past few years. I've got four varieties, three from seed, and want way more! I save cuttings each year from the mother plant.

Oh, coleus can be SO addictive! I had to throw in the towel and forget about wintering over b/c I don't know where to draw the line, and I wind up w/ absolutely no room in the house (b/c I'm overwintering begonia, bougainvillea, and geranium). I had a Black Dragon coleus that was to die for last year. It was huge.
I found the bulk coleus seed on ebay. It can't hurt to tuck the seeds around my hostas. They are so easy to grow, why bother overwintering- each new year can bring lots of fun with the new plants!

Jax, I didn't know coleus was easy to grow form seed! Thanks for that info.

Sooo easy, even I can do it!
There are also RUMORS that people snatch coleus cuttings from public/private plantings, then root them at home b/c they are so easy to propogate. I can't imagine who would do such a thing... ;0)

Even from greenhouses where any good customer can get permission to take a few cuttings if they ask nicely.

I have learned to keep a little swiss knife in by pocketbook for those occasions when a little snip snip is necessary.

For the overall health of the plant it's required.

You are all too funny! Do you realize the images I have of all of you sneaking through greenhouse's with cuttings hanging out of your pockets, purse, ect... Not to mention the idea's you have given me!!

That reminds me... mine needs some spring sharpening! ☺

WC - are you getting rolling thunder and rain as we are?

Yes pirl, it started again, I thought it was over for today...! ☺

Sun is out here. Have my Fairweather catalog (and a gift certificate from Mom!). Have to exercise restraint.

Sounds like that thunder is piling up, how awful ;)

There are many devices that will restrain you without exercise nowadays Victor.

Drugs too.

Drugs2?

2.0.

won't someone please explain the fruit salad trees?

I generally only see them in gimmick ads and not in the better catalogs so I can't help you but I'd love to know the results of someone who's tried them.

I'm holding out for one with bacon or cheeseburgers on it too.

Pirl & Watercan2, it has gotten wild here. Huge lightening bolts across the sky in the east. Heavy rain coming through now. The dogs are not happy, poor Nell is under the porch and won't come out. DH is in Hyannis and is suppose to be on a 6:10 flight. I hope he waits a bit. This should blow through quickly. Patti

This message was edited Jan 11, 2008 5:54 PM