I just wanted to give folks a heads up that there is a nursery in Elgin (Bloomers Garden Center) that has a terrific selection of vegetable plants. Btw, they also have quite the selection of ornamentals, and I have posted about them in Go Gardening before..
I'd also add that their prices are reasonable, and the owner (Marcus) is a very nice person who really makes an effort to offer quality plants and products.
http://davesgarden.com/products/go/view/2114/
If you are in Austin, it would be worth the 30 min drive just to check this place out (imo). Their selection of both edibles and ornamental plants is quite impressive! One of my bestest friends (and a fellow tomatoholic), came up to visit me from Houston earlier this week, and he was also impressed.
In addition, they had a good selection of seed, including bulk seed and many, many organic gardening products that can sometimes be hard or impossible to find elsewhere.
I will try to list out some of the tomato varieties they had when we visited Monday to the best of my recollection:
Black Krim
Black from Tula
Mr. Stripey
Brandywine
Green Zebra
Mortgage Lifter
Marvel Stripe
Italian Tree
Homestead
Sioux
Porter
Amelia
Cherokee Purple
Amish Paste
Yellow Pear
Red Pear
Chocolate Cherry
The BHNs (can't recall if it was 444, 640 or both)
I am forgetting a few.
Also, several peppers, including some seasoning types. And nice heirloom leaf lettuces, squashes, cukes, and herbs. Way beyond what one would find in the box stores.
Morgan, can you remember more of what they had?? I know you were also looking at some of the berries and organic products a bit harder than I was. ;o)
This message was edited Mar 20, 2008 2:34 AM
Great source for vegetable plants in the Bastrop/Austin area
I was blown away that they had RoseTone, GardenTone and PlantTone in 5 and 25 gallon bags, Neptune's Harvest products, and lots of seeds by the scoopful. You could buy several types of bean and melon by the scoop.
Their blackberry choices were Kiowa (recommended thorny upright var) as well as Apache and another type.
You remembered most of the tomato vars I could remember.. I think they also had German Johnson.
This message was edited Mar 20, 2008 8:13 AM
I stopped by on my way home from Austin. I now have the essentials needed for an herb garden. I bought some tomatoes and peppers. In fact, I bought a wagonful. All this and I didn't even leave the front section. Now I have to go back to see the rest of the nursery.
I forgot to add that the prices on those great looking clay pots were very reasonable. I know what I want for my birthday.