Posted on 02/03/2010 2:39:18 AM PST by Daisyjane69
DES MOINES, Iowa - Dreaming of biting into a garden-fresh cucumber sandwich this summer? Better order your seeds now.
A poor growing season last year and increased orders from Europe could make it difficult for home gardeners to get seeds for the most popular cucumber variety and some vegetables this spring. Farmers, who usually grow different varieties than home gardeners, aren't likely to be affected.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Very few hybrids are sterile, they’re just a gamble. There’s no way to predict which of the parent genes it will inherit.
Here in Wisconsin, its more like 30 days past the last snowstorm in April :p
I’m not sure, but I would bet that even if seeds are in short supply for the average or novice gardener, serious gardeners, specially FReepers won’t be overly affected by it.
I know I have at least a dozen seed sellers—only two of which are ‘mainstream’—in my Favorites folder; plus get catalogues from a few others; plus I know local people with yet other sources; plus we save a few seeds, and I know how to Google...and do.
I know on the Weekly Gardening Thread, that I’m far from alone, nor even particularly accomplished in this area.
OTOH, if one lives in a Bronx apartment; has never gardened; and only walks to shop at local stores, and wants to murder some poor innocent tomato seeds by burying them in a flower pot, they will likely have a problem finding seeds.
Lucky you. It’s snowed on Mother’s Day more than once in recent years here in Central NY, which is not even as cold as the North Country in the Adirondacks.
A gamble and interesting.
I’m only planting one variety of each of the veggies I’m growing this year because I want to save the seed.
I’ve found a bit of a problem locating tomato seeds with a short season harvest. Anything beyond 70 days in my area would be prone to frost damage. My greenhouse is ready and the current 35-40 degree days allow me to “prep” for seeding days ahead.
Neat catalogue! A friend gave me a copy of their catalogue last week.
I gave her my seeds that need starting, and they're going to use a 20X50 strip in our garden for a lot of their veggies, including block of sorghum. He's from Tennessee, and likes his fresh sorghum syrup!
She is good at starting transplants; I'm not so good...and Mrs. Applegate has a black thumb. We have a great garden space; they not so much. Works out good.
Sweet Million cherry tomato is a hybrid, but not only comes true from seed, but it self sows so freely I had plants two seasons after the first planting!
Tell us about your green house. How big is it? Freestanding, or lean-to? Private, or commercial? Heated, or not?
I really want one, but my husband is resisting. I really need to find out if I need a city permit to erect one. I live on 12 acres with an Ag overlay. I don’t want to ask directly because I don’t want the city poking around here. They take arial shots of our place periodically and a few years back suddenly notice an old horse shed that had been there for 50 years and raised my taxes.
Are they serious? Are they implying that someone is going to come with guns and steal our seeds? Perhaps that is why the IRS is looking to guy those shotguns I heard about on Rush today. ;) Frankly, I'm still engaged in cleaning, sterilizing, painting, and lining the shelves im my laundry room/pantry after the mouse invasion I wrote about in the last couple of weeks. What the mice did to a small supply of seeds I had tucked away and forgotten was far worse than what they did to my food. Unbelievable what they did to seed packets that I didn't even remember I had. Confetti! They really liked lettuce and baby's breath, as well as poppies and sunflowers.
It’s lovely. I am envious, to say the least. My south-facing windows are covered by a wide porch which negates it for incubating plants. Since I’ve lived here, (23 years) I’ve wanted to add a sunspace on the end of the house and would adjoin my dressing room/bathroom. It would be horrnedously expensive, hoever, and I’ve never had the money.
Then, I thought of persuading my husband to build another garage — not connected, but facing door to door to the existing attached garage. My plan would be to have a half greenhouse along the south-facing wall. I could kill 2 birds with one stone — get a green house and get his workshop out of my basement! No dice. Too much money, and he’s not really interested.
Now, my plan is to acquire one of those kit green houses sold at Costco, or Sam’s, for about $700-$1000, and put it out into the front (former) pasture. I fugure that you could make a foundation out of treated lumber and fill it full of gravel and then attach the greenhouse to the wood. I don’t know about city permits, howeve. I probably could get by with it because of our Ag overlay zoning, but I don’t want any hassle with the city. There would be no electricity out there, so no heat. So, I don’t know how useful it would be in Wisconsin weather. Also, I don’t know about wind vulnerability.
Gotta have something to dream about.
My goodness; that was full of typos. I do know how to spell.
Thanks, I agree, no shortage, other than the usual (oddball stuff such as I would try to order).
I believe you can get Lady Godiva seeds from Seed Saver’s Exchange. You needn’t be a member.
If this isn’t correct and you can’t find the info, FReepmail me and I’ll dig up the seed packet.
I got a TON of seeds at Fred Meyer. Got mine two or three weeks ago when they first showed up for buy 2 get 1 free.
What’s the current sale?
Everything I have seed wise is from Baker Creek.They are about 3 hours driving time from my home.
We have been to their “Pioneer Village” and festival.
Definitely interesting and entertaining.
They always enclose a bonus free package of seed. Plus they refunded me a couple dollars, in cash, for a seed item out of stock that I paid for.
The only seeds we have in our local Walmart are the American Seed Company Seeds. 20 cents a packet. Those are the ones I was looking for. We bought some Acorn Squash seeds last year and the grew just great. I imagine they’ll get their regular seeds in soon.
MSNBC? Feh.
Y’all need seed? Buy ‘em from me! I call BS on the article. Why would someone claim there’s a run on seed? To cause a panic and sell more seed of course, LOL! Trust me, things are s-l-o-w at the garden centers right now. Smaller companies will do anything to russle up business...even lie on MSNBC. ;)
Notice that the only BIG company quoted, Burpee/Ball, has plenty-o-seed? Well, we do, too. God Bless us Evil Capitalists! We’re keeping you fed. :)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.