For the past couple weeks, whenever I sit down at my dining room table to wolf down a bowl of this or that solo, I eat while paging through seed catalogs.
That plant I admired last year with clusters of black berries wasn’t deadly nightshade? It grew so big and full…pretty to look at but a quick online query said poisonous! Remove it!
Black nightshade is not the same thing as belladonna, which is deadly nightshade. Belladonna is a European plant rare in the United States. I've only ever seen it on the East Coast.
We've been getting some really warm days for Colorado this winter. I was just at a garden store this weekend thinking about what to plant this year. I picked up some seeds of cold weather crops to try and take advantage of the warm winter and if they make it, I'll feel lucky. If not, at least they'll give me something to be excited about for the next 3 months. Maybe it will jinx it and we'll finally get some much needed snow.
I have always believed that they deliberately send the catalogs while I'm freezing and snowed in. I think I show considerable restraint by not ordering one of everything.
We've been switching our acres over to edible landscaping, not only for the delights of growing things to cook with, but perhaps to sell at our little seasonal market. The joy of seeing the new seedlings both inside and outside the house are a wonderful way to wake the inner spirit and get ready for Spring.
Hank, have you tried Kitazawa seed company? They have some good stuff. And I used Northeastern Vine supply to get wine grape vines as well.
Hank, I posted a similar photograph (with the same seed catalogues!) on threads earlier last week. Two seed orders should be in shortly. It brings happiness and hope to my sun starved soul, in this bitter time and bitter winter. To plant seeds, is to plant hope, to believe they will grow, to have faith in the future! Thank you💚
Has anyone ordered from Prairie Moon Nursery ? Looking to get some wild hyacinth bulbs and they’re the only one we can find that carries them. Also would love to find them north of the border up here
Love this! In southern CA we’ve had 80 deg weather for a few weeks now. Warmer than usual but one of my raised beds is now planted with chard and, indoors, I have started a bunch of seeds. My gardening skills are weak right now but my enthusiasm is strong!
Try this with your rhubarb syrup Hank: Basil! I had the most amazing cocktail recently that included a rhubarb-basil simple syrup. Trust me. Trust the universe. Try it. Also... down here in Tucson we miss those seed dreaming winters. Fortunately I spend enough time in the PNW to get it. It is indeed a delight to peruse the seed catalogs and dream of the fecund, green summers. Meanwhile in the SW, it is spring now - and soon to be too hot for really productive (or enjoyable) gardening.
Those are all some of my favorite catalogs. It does keep hope alive in one's soul that spring will, indeed, come (again). I think I speak for many - we always order too much, plant too many, and vow to 'adjust' next year (hahahaha....). Congratulations!
Oh, so right! I’ve done my inventory of saved seeds and now get to fill in the gaps with exciting new things, of which I will order way too many because my eyes are bigger than my garden!
I too have made a major move into an apartment with a small porch facing west with no direct sun. I am going to have a pot garden and trellis for pole beans nasturtium and hopefully herbs. Looking forward to experimenting 😎🌴. I know it gets very hot here in the summer
If you or other readers run out of seed catalogs, the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum posesses (as you may know) “one of North America's largest seed and nursery catalog collections with over 76,000 items dating from 1614 to the current year. More than 8,000 firms are represented.” (https://www.lib.umn.edu/spaces/ahl). And of course, there’s much else worth seeing there.
I tend to plant the same things. You may have motivated me to check out a few catalogs. But first a rabbit hunt today. First day over freezing in a long time.
I love catalog season! There's a stack of seed catalogs, like yours, circled and dog eared. Which okra, what sort of beans, yellow or white pattypan squash? Do I go brave and order the "mixed squash" packet? Thing is, after all that, I will dig into the box of saved seeds and have all I need. Seed catalogs are the Wish Books. Here in Alabama, it's time to dig the beds and get the stuff started in the greenhouse. Another thing...there you go with "too many cherry tomatoes" again.
Just recovering from an unintended but totally successful triple bypass surgery your note has inspired me to think seriously aba couple iof weeks ago, out a garden this year.infirtunsteky we have an abundance of nuisance squirrels,, and even though I love to watch them rabbits that love anything green. Maybe I'll think more about how to protect anything I grow, if it grows. But your writing was so enjoyable here in Ottawa Canada as we endure copious amounts of snow and deep freeze conditions for the last month..another 7 or8 inches if snow possible today. Bsh, humbug.
That plant I admired last year with clusters of black berries wasn’t deadly nightshade? It grew so big and full…pretty to look at but a quick online query said poisonous! Remove it!
Black nightshade is not the same thing as belladonna, which is deadly nightshade. Belladonna is a European plant rare in the United States. I've only ever seen it on the East Coast.
We've been getting some really warm days for Colorado this winter. I was just at a garden store this weekend thinking about what to plant this year. I picked up some seeds of cold weather crops to try and take advantage of the warm winter and if they make it, I'll feel lucky. If not, at least they'll give me something to be excited about for the next 3 months. Maybe it will jinx it and we'll finally get some much needed snow.
I have always believed that they deliberately send the catalogs while I'm freezing and snowed in. I think I show considerable restraint by not ordering one of everything.
We've been switching our acres over to edible landscaping, not only for the delights of growing things to cook with, but perhaps to sell at our little seasonal market. The joy of seeing the new seedlings both inside and outside the house are a wonderful way to wake the inner spirit and get ready for Spring.
Hank, have you tried Kitazawa seed company? They have some good stuff. And I used Northeastern Vine supply to get wine grape vines as well.
Yes, I used to love Kitazawa! The family sold the business, though, so I am not sure if the quality has continued. But they at least were fantastic.
Hank, I posted a similar photograph (with the same seed catalogues!) on threads earlier last week. Two seed orders should be in shortly. It brings happiness and hope to my sun starved soul, in this bitter time and bitter winter. To plant seeds, is to plant hope, to believe they will grow, to have faith in the future! Thank you💚
Has anyone ordered from Prairie Moon Nursery ? Looking to get some wild hyacinth bulbs and they’re the only one we can find that carries them. Also would love to find them north of the border up here
I have for both my own pocket prairie and to seed parts of a big 100 acre property I manage. Terrific plants and amazing diversity of natives.
Yes, I have, many times. I like them a lot.
Love this! In southern CA we’ve had 80 deg weather for a few weeks now. Warmer than usual but one of my raised beds is now planted with chard and, indoors, I have started a bunch of seeds. My gardening skills are weak right now but my enthusiasm is strong!
Try this with your rhubarb syrup Hank: Basil! I had the most amazing cocktail recently that included a rhubarb-basil simple syrup. Trust me. Trust the universe. Try it. Also... down here in Tucson we miss those seed dreaming winters. Fortunately I spend enough time in the PNW to get it. It is indeed a delight to peruse the seed catalogs and dream of the fecund, green summers. Meanwhile in the SW, it is spring now - and soon to be too hot for really productive (or enjoyable) gardening.
Those are all some of my favorite catalogs. It does keep hope alive in one's soul that spring will, indeed, come (again). I think I speak for many - we always order too much, plant too many, and vow to 'adjust' next year (hahahaha....). Congratulations!
Oh, so right! I’ve done my inventory of saved seeds and now get to fill in the gaps with exciting new things, of which I will order way too many because my eyes are bigger than my garden!
I too have made a major move into an apartment with a small porch facing west with no direct sun. I am going to have a pot garden and trellis for pole beans nasturtium and hopefully herbs. Looking forward to experimenting 😎🌴. I know it gets very hot here in the summer
French Tarragon and Lovage are perennial in Bismarck. Both are a “wait a year” but mine are 24 yrs old by the kitchen stoop.
I grow both here in St Paul, too!
If you or other readers run out of seed catalogs, the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum posesses (as you may know) “one of North America's largest seed and nursery catalog collections with over 76,000 items dating from 1614 to the current year. More than 8,000 firms are represented.” (https://www.lib.umn.edu/spaces/ahl). And of course, there’s much else worth seeing there.
Happy Spring!
I tend to plant the same things. You may have motivated me to check out a few catalogs. But first a rabbit hunt today. First day over freezing in a long time.
I love catalog season! There's a stack of seed catalogs, like yours, circled and dog eared. Which okra, what sort of beans, yellow or white pattypan squash? Do I go brave and order the "mixed squash" packet? Thing is, after all that, I will dig into the box of saved seeds and have all I need. Seed catalogs are the Wish Books. Here in Alabama, it's time to dig the beds and get the stuff started in the greenhouse. Another thing...there you go with "too many cherry tomatoes" again.
Just recovering from an unintended but totally successful triple bypass surgery your note has inspired me to think seriously aba couple iof weeks ago, out a garden this year.infirtunsteky we have an abundance of nuisance squirrels,, and even though I love to watch them rabbits that love anything green. Maybe I'll think more about how to protect anything I grow, if it grows. But your writing was so enjoyable here in Ottawa Canada as we endure copious amounts of snow and deep freeze conditions for the last month..another 7 or8 inches if snow possible today. Bsh, humbug.