Seed Catalogs for 2006 Incoming!

seeds


If you're already a home gardener then this is probably old news to you but if you're new to gardening then this is entry will be of help. Recently, I've been receiving all of the new seed catalogs from suppliers that I've purchased items from last winter in my first pursuit of gardening. This is an exciting time when you get to re-plan your garden for the upcoming spring!

What does this have to do with peak oil, you ask? It has EVERYTHING to do with peak oil. You see, as the bumpy road progresses, food prices will likely skyrocket. How are you going to feed yourself if you can't afford the food in the stores or if it's just not available? What if there is some sort of crisis and everybody raids the storeshelves bare? What are you going to do if you don't know how to grow or preserve your own food? Gardening and preserving is probably the most basic thing besides stocking up that you can do. Or else, I wouldn't be doing it! It's not simple but it's doable.

It's not enough that you can plop the seed into the ground alot of the time. Ultimately, you should learn how to save your seed and grow from seed. I still haven't accomplished the saving seed part of the process. I have a very long way to go. One of these days it will probably be more difficult to purchase the seed due to the expense of shipping it. You also want to try the heirloom varieties, too, if you can because I believe it's more difficult if not impossible to get viable seed from some of the new hybrids and genetically modified types after the second generation or so. Someone may correct me on that if not. Anyway, it's a whole different and lengthy subject on its own.

On my sidebar under "Food & Garden", I've added to the list a number of seed companies I've bought seed and other things from. I'm not affiliated with any of these companies.

That said, I've been the happiest with Johnny's because they have nice detailed instructions on the seed packaging. Good success with their seeds.

I bought my asparagus and jerusalem artichokes from Gurney's (here in Indiana) but I was upset because they couldn't send me any elderberries last spring. One of my blueberry bushes I bought from there has died but that may be my fault.

Pinetree also has some nice directions on the seed packages.

Baker's Creek gave me great seeds but there are/were no instructions on the packet on how to plant, so it I had to go and look it up. P-I-A.

All the rest were pretty good about instructions. I had good success with starting almost everything according to instructions but later I might have slacked off and caused some things to die due to neglect. My fault. I probably tried to start too much at once for the first time. I was a little overly enthusiastic to say the least. I even started a garden journal (which is smart and someone told me to do) but I tuckered out on that after awhile. It was all so new and overwhelming doing it on my own. I'm going to try harder this next planting season.

So if you're new to gardening, give these links a glance. They've been referred to me by some really experienced gardeners. I would also add that it might be best to order from those companies close to where you live because they might carry more selections that are more suitable to your climate. Not always, but I try to follow that as a rule. If they're located north of me then I pretty well figure their seeds could survive in my climate. Somebody also told me these things.

Happy browsing!