Growing your own plants from seed, buying seeds, trading seeds, and saving your own seeds for the future.
For the gardener with an unsophisticated sense of humor. Myself included. Tomato’s tend to dominate this theme. ‘Cannibal’ Tomato ‘Bloody Butcher’ Tomato ‘Beaver Lodge Slicer’ Tomato ‘Black Seaman’ Tomato – No matter how I say it “seaman” always gets a snicker from the audience when I mention it in presentations and workshops. ‘Blow Fleisch’ Tomato …
I recently sent off seed requests via Seeds of Diversity Canada, a seed exchange organization dedicated to the preservation of heritage varieties that I joined last summer. In the face of online ordering, the ease of PayPal transactions, and good ole’ email the whole experience felt downright old-fashioned, involving about three hours of painstaking reading …
This turn-of-the-century seed catalogue, John A. Bruce & Co.’s Illustrated and Descriptive Catalogue of Seeds, 1884, was perfect reading this morning as I prepare to make my final seed choices and orders for the 2008 growing season.
It’s been decided. The first round of seed-starting 2008 starts today. I considered shooting a mini video how-to of this procedure to post here but decided against it because it is another miserably grey and sunless day in Toronto and video would require the additional hassle of setting up lights. And of course I would …
Another Seedy Saturday Toronto has come and gone and like last year I managed, with great effort, to make it around to a few booths and pick up some seeds. The event was more packed than ever this year making it nearly impossible to leave my brother/assistant alone at the table for any length of …
This is the first package of seeds I have purchased for the 2008 growing season. Of course I have acquired other seeds via trades but this was the first I bought. It has a decidedly Canadian sounding name, no? It makes sense given that the plant heralds from Beverlodge Research Center in Alberta. I bought …
I’m writing this post today for all of you out there, who like me, have hit the cold, hard wall of Winter head-first. If success is measured by achieving an intentional purpose then this has been one of the most successful winters in years. There has been snow, and lots of it. It has been …
I didn’t buy much in Vancouver — I’m not really a shopper but am more of a walker and picture-taker. In fact everything I acquired in Vancouver was collected within a single block. Upon arriving in the neighbourhood of my scheduled two-hour coffee I happened upon a thrift store that I could not pass by …
Many of us in the Northern Hemisphere are rapidly approaching that last straw part of winter, looking for a little sun and some springtime cheer to warm our hearts, minds and bodies. When you can’t take another minute of winter it’s time to start talking about seed-starting! When I’m looking toward spring I think about …
I posted this recipe a year ago but it is buried in a larger post and I decided it would be better-accessed if it had its own place. Making your own mix is SUPER easy and worth the small effort if you are growing a lot of seedlings. Seed-Starting Mix These are the ratios I …
Who doesn’t love a good mail day? You know, the kind with items in the mailbox that aren’t bills or the junk coupons and flyers that keep showing up despite the careful note explaining that, “Seriously. For real. We REALLY don’t want that crap delivered to our door.” I received seed catalogues from two companies …
The first seed catalogues of 2008, Richters Herbs and West Coast Seeds (in that order), recently arrived in my mailbox, a sure sign that spring is just around the corner even if the outdoor temperatures say otherwise. I’m going to admit here that while I have the words, “Start to plan this year’s gardens” jotted …