So.... Anyone ordered their seeds yet?

[Winnie]

I spend hours looking through seed catalogues deciding what to grow, but tend to stick to the usual suspects! I am trying one or two different varieties though.
What's everyone else doing? Any new vegetables or fruit to try, or like me, same old same old!

[2dumb2kwit]

I spend hours looking through seed catalogues deciding what to grow, but tend to stick to the usual suspects! I am trying one or two different varieties though.
What's everyone else doing? Any new vegetables or fruit to try, or like me, same old same old!

Funny you should ask! I was in a store last night, that had gotten some plants in. They had blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry. I stood there thinking "mmmmmmmmmmm....blackberries!"......then I had another thought. Knowing that I'm the one who will be mowing the grass, just where would I want a briar patch?

I left, without buying anything. LOL

[Chris]

I just ordered mine, most of my seeds I'll get locally, for a few things I ordered them because I want specific varieties.

I ordered purple carrots, beets, and sweet potato slips. The beets & sweet potatoes will be first timers for me.

I'll also grow a variety of lettuces, cabbage, spinach, zucchini, maybe cukes, cherry tomatoes, onions, potatoes, and winter squash.

[Winnie]

I've seen the purple carrots, they're an heirloom variety. I could'nt get my head round the fact that carrots originally were that colour!
Unfortunately, it's too cold here for sweet potatoes I tried growing them a couple of years ago in the greenhouse, but failed miserably. Beets(we call them beetroot) are pretty easy to grow, use successional sowing though, otherwise they'll all be ready together and they bolt pretty easilyand then they go as hard as hand grenades and coud probably be used as such.
2Dumb, I have my blackberry and tayberry growing up the fence, keeps them out of the way.

[LowKey]

I just got my seeds in. Had a devil of a time this year finding yellow Romano pole beans. Ended up getting them from Thompson & Morgan.

Also gonna try Miners Lettuce and some Escaroles this year. Grandpa used to grow Escarole and it's mighty tasty after one frost.

I got 2 dark blue bins to try sweet potatoes and cantaloupes. Going to put them out on the asphalt in the side yard to see if they stay warm enough. My cantaloupe last year produced but they were only the size of softballs before frost. Tasty single serving version. LOL.

And the new one this year is Boston Marrow squash. An old ugly heirloom.

Otherwise the usual culprits as well.

[huntermj]

I am waiting for seeds ordered from two different companies. about a pound alltoghter. To add to the 2 pounds i have in the fridge, I like having extra, never know when they will come in handy. I also save the seeds from vegies i get from the farmers market. And test them to be sure they are viable. I will be trying eggplant this year for the first time. But its still a ways off before i can even start the seeds indoors. and a lot of work to prep the soil. Its a short growing season here, im almost in Canada.

[crashdive123]

I am waiting for seeds ordered from two different companies. about a pound alltoghter. To add to the 2 pounds i have in the fridge, I like having extra, never know when they will come in handy. I also save the seeds from vegies i get from the farmers market. And test them to be sure they are viable. I will be trying eggplant this year for the first time. But its still a ways off before i can even start the seeds indoors. and a lot of work to prep the soil. Its a short growing season here, im almost in Canada.

I should be able to make it to Juniper Springs for a couple of hours on Saturday. I'll bring some heirloom tomato seeds that you might like.

[huntermj]

Oh cool, looking forward too meeting you. And all seeds are appricieted.

[Chris]

I hope sweet potatoes work for me, but I do fear it may be too cold here. We'll see. I did pick a variety with a shorter growing season that supposedly does well in the northeast, so similar climate to Michigan.

I just wanted to try them. Keep trying new crops to find one that does well. Last year I tried brussel sprouts, those were a failure.

[Winnie]

A little secret to growing Brussels Sprouts. If they failed because the sprouts didn't "head" it's probably because the soil was too open and friable around the roots, they like compacted soil, and don't manure the ground the year you intend to grow them.

Edit to add: I'm giving these little squashes a try this year, had some over in France while I was there, they were lovely and nutty. Brought a packet of seeds home with me.

http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds...uct/547/1.html

[your_comforting_company]

our brussel sprouts failed this year too. next year I'll try packing the dirt around them. they didn't even sprout. Will be ready to harvest and store greens in a couple more weeks. All this rain has them down.. roots too wet I think. and dont even try to walk out there.. It's like swamp muck lol.

Our local shops have so many seeds it's like walking into a Sams Club (if you know what that is Winnie) so I rarely order any unless I'm getting northern greens for winter gardening from my aunt in AK. They have collards up there with leaves big enough to make little girl dresses. YUMM-Y!!

[Durtyoleman]

I have a suggestion for a new plant you may not have considered.

http://www.treesforlife.org/document..._book_view.pdf

D.O.M.

[Winnie]

Unfortunately DOM the link is to a charity to buy a tree for cultivation in 3rd world countries. It's a sub-tropical species and wouldn't survive our winters.

[Chris]

No, they made sprouts.

It just took the entire growing season to do so, and then, they were nasty tasting (for once, store bought tasted way better than what I could grow). I also had critter problems with the groundhog eating the leaves of the ones not fenced in.

I like crops that don't take so long to grow, so I can maybe grow two different things in the same spot of dirt over the course of the summer. Cabbage for instance I harvested I think in June, meanwhile the sprouts, planted at the same time, took until... September or August. They were the first things I planted, even prior to our last frost date, too.

[Winnie]

Sprouts do take a long time to grow I usually interplant a catch crop like lettuce, radish or spring onion. My dad always said a sprouts no good for eating till it's seen a frost!

[Rick]

The very best way to grow sprouts is to plant them with corn. Then, when the sprouts are about 6 inches tall, pull them up and toss them in the compost. Nothing that tastes that bad should be in the garden!

[Chris]

Sprouts do take a long time to grow I usually interplant a catch crop like lettuce, radish or spring onion. My dad always said a sprouts no good for eating till it's seen a frost!

I tried that too, still bitter.

Nothing that tastes that bad should be in the garden!

I love them, I cook them 3 times a week. Roasted, they're excellent. Try them.

http://www.thefoodicook.com/how-to-c...ou-roast-them/

[Durtyoleman]

I live in florida and believe they will grow in most of the southern states here....possibly a controlled plant in a greenhouse? I have seen seeds for it on ebay as well.
D.O.M.

[Winnie]

I live in florida and believe they will grow in most of the southern states here....possibly a controlled plant in a greenhouse? I have seen seeds for it on ebay as well.
D.O.M.

Trouble is DOM, I live in England!

[Rick]

Hey 2D, on the blackberries, I put up a two sections of fence and planted my blackberries along the fence. I keep the canes tied to the fence so they don't grow crazy. I can mow around them and so far, haven't had any trouble. We'll see what happens this year.