Seed catalogs

The seed catalogs have been arriving for over a month now.  I like to sit down in January and look through my favorites and maybe check out a new one or two if I have the time.  My two favorites are Jung and Pinetree.  I also like Select Seeds.  For garden chemicals and such, Gardens Alive! is one on my go to sources.  Sometimes ordering can be a little cheaper than shopping at the garden center.  It is definitely more convenient when the temperatures are below zero.

Some of the things I look for in a seed catalog:

• Quantity- buying more than you need for a season or two is just not worth it.  Pinetree is a favorite because things are packaged in smaller quantities (smaller price) so you are not stuck with a lot of leftovers for years to come.  If you like to try new things, this is a plus.
• Price- remember though, you usually get what you pay for.  If you haven't ordered from a company before, try a few things and see how you like their product and how good their customer service is when they are out of stock or back ordered.
• Location- it does matter where seeds are grown even if a plant has a wide zone range.  Buying seed from a source in the deep south is not the best option for a northern gardener.  Seed genetics vary by the climate they are grown in.
• Delivery- nothing is more frustrating than ordering early and getting your long gestation crops too late.  It is also important when you are looking at root crops such as potatoes.  You really don't want these shipped in February if you don't need them until April or May.  Many companies will time the shipments for your region so you do not have to worry about cold storage for months ahead.  Jung is very good about this.
• Quality- low germination will negate anything you saved on the per seed price.  Jung has a very good germination rate and is more locally sourced which gives them two points in my favor.  Many companies will offer a guarantee on their product if you read the fine print.  There are limits as they can not control the growing conditions that their seeds get once they leave their warehouse.

Pull up a chair with that morning cup of coffee (or the glass of wine after work) and enjoy some time dreaming of your perfect summer garden.

First Seeds of Spring

My Jung Seeds came in the mail yesterday.  Today I sat in my sunny kitchen with new seeds, old seeds, and a cup of coffee.  An annual inventory of seeds is a must.  Usually I do this prior to the first order.  This year I took a quick look in my seed box and knew what was left without a written list to refer to while ordering.  I still have two more catalogs to order from, so anything I missed with Jung would go on Pine Tree Gardens or Select Seeds.  My daughter/bride-to-be and I will sit down with the last two for cut flower choices.
I thinned out the oldest of my varieties and put them in the Jung shipping box to take to work.  There is always someone willing to throw them in and see what happens.  I cleaned out the worst of them last year, so this year's discards will be a nice addition to someone else's garden plot.  

Some of the new seeds I look forward to getting in the garden:

BEANS!  I had a couple filet type beans last year and loved them!  Maxibel was one of them.  I have added Velour (purple) and Fortex (pole).

Onions - Going back to Copra to get a longer storing onion.  I have had luck with Alisa Craig and Sweet Spanish in the past.  Last year's hot weather may have had an effect on last fall's storage issues.  I had used most of the 30# in recipes for canning and also shared with my daughter and sister, so not too much onion flesh was lost to early sprouting.  I also am going to make sure I sun cure them at least two days.  I thought the intense heat may have been too harsh, but I think the sun is what is needed when curing onions for storage. Just putting them in the garage was not enough.  The new onion I want to try is Red Marble Cipolini.  Both will be seeded by the end of the week for mid-April planting.

Cabbage - A small hybrid of Pak Choi and a triple variety mix of small head cabbage (white, red and savoy).  I am going to do an early sow under lights to get these set in April for an early crop.  I am also going to use a cover of row cover to ward off flea beetles.

Radishes - Refreshed my French Breakfast seed supply (this will be in my garden every year) and also bought Red Meat aka 'Watermelon'.  This is a long keeper.  If you go to the grocery store, you will find it with turnips, parsnips, and other winter root vegetables.  It has been suggested that this is good in a stir fry.  If you have never cooked a radish, try it.  You will be surprised at the delicious transformation of this tangy root crop.

Cucumbers - Rocky Hybrid, a small snack size cuke that is parthenocarpic (all-male flowers).  This is what Jung's has to say about this type of plant:

Parthenocarpic cucumbers - Plant this type if you want to get seedless fruits without pollination. You can plant a single plant of this type and still get fruit. Many of these cultivars were developed for greenhouse culture where there are no bees or other pollinators available. However, the parthenocarpic varieties we offer and that are generally offered by other seed companies are suitable for outdoor planting in home gardens. 

I have a couple other cucumbers to try as well, but this is definitely the most unique one I have in my basket this year.

Peppers - Cajun Belle, sweet with a bit of heat. Ancho San Martin, sets a bit earlier with better production. I was disappointed with the inconsistencies of last year's ancho peppers, poor set and ancho pepper plants that weren't ancho peppers.  If you like a stuffed pepper dish with a South of the Border taste, ancho is your pepper.  Mucho Nacho Jalepeno promise to have a larger pepper with good set.  I let you know how much of these promises are delivered.  I am going to leave the farm market growers to provide me with regular green peppers this year.

When I get my flower order done, I will put in type my hopes and dreams for beauty in the garden.  This year I hope to add annual flower space around a patio in time for planting this spring.  I added a week of vacation on to my years of service.  Those five days are going to be taken as garden days this spring.  I always thought leaving the greenhouse and nursery would mean that I could now take mid-spring, warm weather vacations and it has.  I realized that breaking my garden chores up into single days would also be a good use of spring vacation.  I will see how much I get done with the extra time this year.  Here's to garden dreams!

Jung Seed Company Letter

I just wanted to share this letter sent out by Jung Seed Company based in Randolph, WI.  This information is straight from the owner to their customers.  If GMO seeds are of concern to you and not buying varieties of seeds produced by the same company, I urge you to read on.

Friday, January 18, 2013 Jung Seed Company, Monsanto and Seminis

Some blogs and websites have been stating that J. W. Jung Seed Company is owned by Monsanto. This is not true. J. W. Jung Seed Company has been independent and family owned and operated since its beginnings in 1907. We are being confused with a farm seed company by the name of Jung Seed Genetics that is owned by Monsanto, but there is no affiliation between us.

A little company history may be helpful in clearing up the confusion. J. W. Jung Seed Company and its garden centers are still family owned and operated. My name is Dick Zondag and my grandfather, J. W. Jung, started the business here in Randolph over 106 years ago. For a number of years the Jung family operated both a home garden company known as J. W. Jung Seed Company and a farm seed company called Jung Farms. Over 15 years ago, the 2 companies split, with the Seed Company becoming solely owned by the Zondag family (my mother was J. W. Jung’s daughter). Jung Farms became solely owned by my uncle and cousin, the name was changed to Jung Seed Genetics and several years ago they sold this farm seed company to Monsanto.

Another source of confusion is that under the Monsanto umbrella is a very small home-garden division called Seminis Gardens that produces and sells some well-known, time-proven, non-GMO varieties, including many varieties that are All-America Selections Winners. These were developed and introduced long before Monsanto owned Seminis and were originally sold under the Petoseed brand. Many of our customers have grown to love these vegetables and would be very disappointed if we no longer offered them. We recognize there are strong anti-Monsanto sentiments by some consumers, so we have provided below a current list of Seminis varieties we offer in the event they wish to avoid purchasing them.

Tomato Beefmaster Hybrid Tomato Better Boy Hybrid Tomato Big Beef Hybrid Tomato Health Kick Hybrid Tomato Lemon Boy Hybrid Tomato Sunsugar Hybrid Tomato Sweet Baby Girl Hybrid Tomato Viva Italia Hybrid Tomatillo Toma Verde Bean Stringless Blue Lake S-7 Broccoli Coronado Crown Hybrid Broccoli Packman Hybrid Carrot Kuroda PS Carrot Sweetness III Hybrid Cauliflower Cheddar Hybrid Cucumber Cool Breeze Hybrid Cucumber Eureka Hybrid Cucumber Fanfare Hybrid Cucumber Orient Express II Hybrid Cucumber Sweet Slice Hybrid Cucumber Sweet Success Hybrid Cucumber Sweeter Yet Hybrid Cucumber Salad Bush Hybrid Eggplant Epic Hybrid (Formerly Dusky) Eggplant Fairy Tale Hybrid Eggplant Hansel Hybrid Lettuce Red Sails Lettuce Simpson Elite Melon Roadside Hybrid Onion Candy Hybrid (seed) Onion Red Zeppelin Hybrid (seed) Onion Sierra Blanca Hybrid (seed)

Pea Mr. Big Pepper Ancho San Martin Hybrid Pepper Biggie Chile Hybrid Pepper Burning Bush Hybrid Pepper Cherry Bomb Hybrid Pepper Fooled You Jalapeno Hybrid Pepper Garden Salsa Hybrid Pepper Mariachi Hybrid Pepper Mucho Nacho Hybrid Pepper Serrano Del Sol Hybrid Pepper Super Chili Hybrid Pepper Bell Boy Hybrid Pepper Big Bertha Hybrid Pepper Early Sunsation Hybrid Pepper King Arthur Hybrid (formerly Fat 'N Sassy) Pepper Giant Marconi Hybrid Pepper Gypsy Hybrid Pepper Orange Blaze Hybrid Pepper Super Heavyweight Hybrid Pumpkin Prizewinner Hybrid Pumpkin Phantom Hybrid Pumpkin Spirit Hybrid Pumpkin Snack Face Hybrid Squash Commander Hybrid (Formerly Aristocrat) Squash Sunny Delight Hybrid Squash Canesi Hybrid Squash Early Butternut Hybrid Squash/Pumpkin Jamboree Hybrid Squash/Pumpkin Rumbo Hybrid Squash Pasta Hybrid Watermelon Yellow Doll Hybrid