digitS'
Garden Master
Sunday Morning. Cup of Coffee.
The first catalogs for the New Year
The first catalogs for the New Year
Catalogs, 2024
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ninnymary
Garden Master
Steve, do you get Baker Creek's catalog? Got mine a week ago.
Mary
Mary
Phaedra
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I want to try again and see if I can resist to buy any new seeds. 
ducks4you
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Good luck!! @PhaedraI have spent over $125/US dollars on seeds/gardening supplies this Fall to make SURE that I have everything for 2024.
I guess whatever sweet peppers I grow next year should make up for it, since there are easily $1/each and we cook with a LOT of them.
I took the initiative when I had some cash burning a hole in my wallet, to buy new gro lights for the units on my basement growing shelves. I have been using an LDA flourscent light unit on top with only one pink light bulb. Now there are 2, yet to be installed but safely housed.
The other 2 gro light bulbs are in the cabinet downstairs, easy to access, mere feet away from the ones that they may replace this winter.
ANYWAY, I am DONE buying.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the Baker Creek Catalog book that I bought for $12.50 last winter, but I don't plan on buying their new one until I have explored the old one completely.
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digitS'
Garden Master
Johnny's catalog arrived yesterday. Of course, my issue has pumpkins and Winter Squash on the cover since it is targeting my 2024 interest in an additional Kabocha. The algorithm embedded in the pages has already scattered interesting varieties of this and that in such a way that I will be falling into the rabbit hole directly.
digitS'
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digitS'
Garden Master
SPedigrees
Garden Addicted
The two on the left are the ones I most frequently order from. (Chief River is for trees.) There are other catalogs that didn't make it into the photo.
And my seeds are organized and put away, some bought, and others saved from last summer's plants.
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digitS'
Garden Master
An online catalog that I have liked and ordered from over the years is Tomatofest.
Something that they have done is to separate varieties that they believe are suitable to different growing conditions. They certainly do not have all that I have grown over the years in the "short season" or "high altitude" collections but, for example, I have grown 4 of the 8 listed in "high altitude" and been pleased with each.
The collections (LINK) give you an idea of what might work of the hundreds of heirloom choices. You don't have to buy them as a group, just copy the name and use it in the search to see and, possibly, order them individually.
Steve, the Richter's catalog came just before New Years!
Something that they have done is to separate varieties that they believe are suitable to different growing conditions. They certainly do not have all that I have grown over the years in the "short season" or "high altitude" collections but, for example, I have grown 4 of the 8 listed in "high altitude" and been pleased with each.
The collections (LINK) give you an idea of what might work of the hundreds of heirloom choices. You don't have to buy them as a group, just copy the name and use it in the search to see and, possibly, order them individually.
Steve, the Richter's catalog came just before New Years!
ninnymary
Garden Master
Steve, how expensive is their shipping? Never knew someone would have tomatoes separated by growing conditions. So if I order for coastal do you think that really matters or makes a difference?
Mary
Mary
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digitS'
Garden Master
@ninnymary , all gardening is local. People have good reason to talk about their "microclimates." We can paint a larger area with broader strokes so that we don't all have to grow many plants of the same species and variety and select select select over many generations to have the very best seed and genetics for our little plot of land. There is also the reality that every growing season can be different from those preceeding. Diversity is good insurance.
Choosing and purchasing seed doesn't have to be based on the glowing descriptions by retailers. I have complained on TEG about "days to maturity" quite a lot. Still, it is more than somewhat helpful.
I wish that Tomatofest had a store that you could visit. I don't even see a mailing address anymore, although there might be one on the cart checkout webpage. They are right in your area and once managed the Carmel Tomato Festival.
Tomatoes are the #1 garden plant in the US. Many people have a tremendous interest in growing heirlooms. Of course, there are also farms with commercial interest in the crop. The number of varieties is staggering. Some are widely adapted but diversity is there for us to enjoy
. It isn't guaranteed with any one choice, however. I have proven that with failure to ripen, disease problems, splitting and catfacing.
Tried & True can be a little boring. Experimenting can be fun! I look at those 4 of the 8 in the collection, none of which I have enjoyed in recent years, and think how it would be a treat to enjoy them again. Oorrr, what about 1 or 2 of the other 4. I am no longer intending to have 60 tomato plants in the garden buuttt having good food and fun can be just a step away.
Steve
Choosing and purchasing seed doesn't have to be based on the glowing descriptions by retailers. I have complained on TEG about "days to maturity" quite a lot. Still, it is more than somewhat helpful.
I wish that Tomatofest had a store that you could visit. I don't even see a mailing address anymore, although there might be one on the cart checkout webpage. They are right in your area and once managed the Carmel Tomato Festival.
Tomatoes are the #1 garden plant in the US. Many people have a tremendous interest in growing heirlooms. Of course, there are also farms with commercial interest in the crop. The number of varieties is staggering. Some are widely adapted but diversity is there for us to enjoy
. It isn't guaranteed with any one choice, however. I have proven that with failure to ripen, disease problems, splitting and catfacing.Tried & True can be a little boring. Experimenting can be fun! I look at those 4 of the 8 in the collection, none of which I have enjoyed in recent years, and think how it would be a treat to enjoy them again. Oorrr, what about 1 or 2 of the other 4. I am no longer intending to have 60 tomato plants in the garden buuttt having good food and fun can be just a step away.
Steve
