Hey! Wake up!
What the heck do you think you're doing dozing in that comfy lounge chair, snuggled in a warm afghan, toasting your fuzzy-slippered tootsies in front of that fireplace, one hand wrapped around a steaming mug of hot cocoa, while the other pets the cat or dog...or both? Of course you deserve a little respite from the hectic holidays. Sure, you want to hibernate from the howling winds blowing drifts of snow blockading the front door, while you remain safely ensconced in your protective cocoon. Exerting only enough energy to grab that next novel or ball more yarn for yet another afghan.
But, have you forgotten those garden tools hanging in the shed? Those ratty garden clothes still hung on the hook in the garage from November? Doesn't that remind you of something? That perhaps, tucked inside that toasty retreat of yours, beats the heart of a dormant gardener? And just how long do you think you can avoid that stack of seed catalogs piled high in the corner? You know. The ones that started arriving around Halloween last year? The ones you vowed to scour through at your leisure, once life became a little less chaotic? Something you figured you'd hunker down to during the depths of winter's chill? Well? Santa's back home bedding down the reindeer at the North Pole. That sparkling ball has already dropped in Times Square. What are you waiting for? An early spring thaw? Remember, while you're busy scarfing down the last of the leftover red, green and gold-wrapped Hershey's kisses, do you think that garden of yours, now, nestled under it's own protective blanket of mulch or snow, is going to plan itself for this coming season? Are you really prepared to be disappointed by that seed company, because they're out of stock on a new variety of salvia or carrot you've heard rumored and had your heart set on trying this spring? Are you finally peeking out from under that down comforter toward the window, casting a guilty eye at your garden? Your garden who trusts you with enhancing it's beauty and productivity each year.*Sigh!* Conscience getting the best of you? Good. Nothing like a little guilt to get you motivated. I know it's never failed to get me jump started on a task I've been avoiding.
So, now that I've got your attention , there's no time to waste. Shuffle on over to that pile of catalogs and plunge right in. Sure, you can always access catalogs online. (A resource list of online catalogs follows this column). But, I'm old fashioned and prefer flipping through actual pages and leaving little sticky notes on their covers to remind me of potential selections inside each. Besides, unless Santa left a laptop in your garden sock, you can't browse online while lying in bed, in that lounge chair or , uh..." otherwise privately engaged" .
Whichever method you choose to peruse, if you can get your orders placed before the end of the month (or very early February at the latest) you may luck out and get what you want. But, be prepared to have backup choices just in case. If it is too late to get what you want from the catalogs, all is not lost. You could always grab a handful of seed packets from the racks at the local garden center or Big Box store. Unfortunately, they usually only sell seeds of the more conventional flowers and less exotic varieties of vegetables. Aside from the pure eye-candy appeal of browsing catalogs, this, then, is the single most important reason why most gardeners prefer catalog seed shopping is preferred for those gardeners searching for unusual, new, organic, heirloom or wider selections of common varieties.
Familiarize yourself with each catalog's costs. Evaluate and compare. Each one differs not only in varieties offered, but in price, number of seeds in a packet and shipping and handling charges. One may offer 25 seeds for $1.50 and another provides only 15 seeds for the same price. Yet the second catalog's shipping and handling is twice as much as the first. Confusing, eh? Especially if you're as mathematically-challenged as I am. Now you see why you should have been spending more time studying and comparison shopping those catalogs instead of zoning out in front of the television for yet another football game or battling credit-card wielding hordes of after-Christmas sales' shoppers.
Perhaps your heart's desire is to cultivate a garden of heirlooms (defined as open pollinated, non-hybridized plants unhampered by any genetic modification through human intervention for at least 50 years). You dream of an old-fashioned cottage garden overflowing with hollyhocks, poppies, four o'clocks and nasturtiums true from the descendants of seed planted over a generation ago. If your tastebuds are craving the incomparable flavor of heirloom tomatoes like Brandywine (my personal favorite) or Cherokee Purple, then perhaps specialty catalogs like Totally Tomatoes, Johnny's Select Seeds or Territorial Seeds are worth a look see. There's also The Seed Savers Exchange, which is recognized as the preeminent source for heirloom seeds. However, more and more mainstream seed houses, like Stokes, Burpee and Parks realize the increasing demand not only for heirlooms but certified organic seed as well. And if it is organic seed you seek, make sure to look for each catalog's distinctive symbol certifying that a particular seed is Organic Seed. Seeds of Change as well as Abundant Life Seeds carry nothing but organic seed. If you're uncertain about the organic nature of a particular catalog's offering, contact them. A more complete listing of 100% certified organic seed companies can be found through ATTRA, The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
For those who container garden or if your garden plot is relatively small, and you don't really need to plant 200 cosmos seeds, yet you lust after a little bit of many varieties, there are several seed companies which offer only five or ten seeds of a variety for a fraction of the cost. So, pull out the Pinetree Garden Seed catalog, Harris Seed or Fedco Seeds, to name a few.
How about a practically maintenance-free wildflower meadow in place of that time consuming, water-hungry lawn? Browse through Wildseed Farms.
Herbs on your list? Richters specializes in herbs and Kitchen Garden Seeds is a wonderful source as well. But an increasing number of catalogs have expanded their varieties and selections of herbs. Mostly because gardeners have discovered their ornamental uses as well as their culinary, medicinal and fragrant attributes. A border of " Red Robin" dark purple basil, miniature yellow daisies of chamomile, pink swirls of Mother of Thyme in bloom, tiny purple globes of chives, spikes of yellow umbrels atop the gray serrated foliage of rue, any lavender, and what's pizza without homegrown oregano or garlic? If for no other reason than their obvious benefits, I've increased the number of herbs I incorporate in my garden each year, as they are almost totally drought proof, maintenance free and, most importantly, deer proof!
Are you picturing an all-white garden in the fashion of Gertrude Jekyll to shimmer and illuminate your sunset stroll along the garden path as you inhale the intoxicating fragrance which perfumes the evening air, attracting stunning luna and night pollinators? Envisioning a bounty of bright, complimentary colors that will thrive all throughout summer, but your flowering aspirations conflict with the consistently hot, dry conditions in your zone? Plagued with too much shade? (Someone must have had my garden in mind with this one). If you're in a quandary over designing a pleasing garden vignette , with a specific color scheme, height, bloom time, soil conditions and light exposure, but aren't sure which flowers are suitable, many catalogs also provide individual pre-packaged collections of seed to fulfill your specific needs. Some are combined in the traditional seed packages, while others offer seed embedded between two layers of biodegradable tissue in either in mats, strips or circle shapes for you to simply lay out in any pattern you choose, cover with a 1/4 in or so of soil, water regularly and voila! Instant (or nearly) floral vignette.
Want to try your hand at starting your own perennials? Thompson & Morgan is the holy grail of hard to find, unique and antique perennial seed. While growing perennials from seed can be challenging, it's definitely worth a try, and if you're successful, your personal satisfaction is immeasurable. Plus, unlike annuals, these little prizes will reward you year after year, reminding you of your gardening proficiency!
Remember, too, that catalogs provide a wealth of cultural information about each plant, such as seeding, growing, watering, specific pest or disease problems, general care and maintenance, uses (as in drying, fragrance, culinary, medicinal, fresh arrangement, etc.). So, even if you don't order a thing from them, you can create a mini-seed germinating and care library just from collecting and studying enough catalogs.
Be the first on your garden path to try some of 2005 All American Selection winners chosen by a variety of horticultural judges from experimental gardens all over the country.
- Gaillardia " Arizona Sun" (Gaillardia x grandiflora) shares the 2005 Fleuroselect Winner as flower of the year along with the AAS award. A dwarf perennial blanket flower, hardy from Zones 3-10, it's more compact and uniform in leaf habit than other gaillardias. Also unlike it's relatives, it doesn't require " vernalization" . (A specific period of winter temperatures necessary to initiate flowering). Therefore, it will reward with profuse blooms the first year from early seeding. It's daisy-type blooms with bright-yellow/gold edges and red throat will prolifically bloom, even in drought conditions, throughout the summer. It can be found through Park's Seed.
-Vinca " First Kiss Blueberry" (Catharanthus roseus), also available at Park's, is the first cultivar of annual vinca with true violet-blue flowers. As with all vincas, these sun lovers are perfect for either container, window boxes or borders. Spreading over a foot wide with equal height, these self-cleaners (no deadheading) will flower all summer long. What's not to love? Since vincas are a mainstay for my garden borders, I'll be sure to try this new variety.
-Zinnia " Magellan Coral" (Z.elegans), another Park's exclusive, is an improved selection sporting fully double, coral-colored dahlia-like blooms, 5 to 6 inches across. The nearly top-heavy blooms don't predispose the plant to staking due to their extremely sturdy stems . Reaching from 15 to 17 inches tall with an equal spread, " Magellan Coral" flowers continuously throughout the season and covers the old, spent blooms with new foliage, eliminating deadheading.
-On the 2005 veggie front, Stokes Seed is introducing a pint-sized eggplant called " Fairy Tale" (Solonacea melogena var.esculentum) . A feast for the eye as well as the palette, this 18-24 inch miniature will not only yield sweet, abundant 4" elongated clusters of 3-5 , but it's smaller appearance, beautiful purple leaves and lilac flowers make it an attractive ornamental as well. It's diminutive size also makes it ideal for containers, but it'll perform equally well in larger gardens, with fruit ready to harvest in about 49 days from from transplanting. Two weeks earlier than other eggplants.
-Those seeking a new and (sorry, but the word suits it when you see it) " adorable" little bocce ball-sized squash, should check out Johnny's Select Seed catalog for their new introduction of yet another AAS winner, " Bonbon" (F1) (Curcurbita maxima) buttercup-type squash. Ready for harvest in 95 days from seeding. Although not a great squash-lover, I'd still consider growing them in only to hollow them out and paint faces on the little guys for Halloween.
-For all the tomato aficionados (don't all raise your hands at once now)...you may want to taste test the new " Sugary" tomato (Lycopersicum Sugary) from Totally Tomatoes. Touted to be the sweetest cherry yet, it registers a whopping 9.5 on the Brix scale of sugar content. (The Brix sucrose calculation being a hydrometer scale used for measuring the sugar content of a solution/substance at a given temperature.) Reminiscent in shape of the newer grape tomato, these little reddish-pink sweets " brixs" are more like miniature pointy-edged eggs. Semi-determinate " Sugary" will set copious amounts of clusters throughout the entire growing season, so caging is highly recommended to support such a yield. Unless, of course, you lighten the load a bit by plucking off a handful each time you're out in the garden!
Sure it's nice to throw caution and seeds to the wind and just order up what looks good to you in those glossy pictures with all the tantaliziing hyperbole. But, try (emphasis on the word " try" ) to take into account your individual soil, sun exposure, watering conditions and how much time you'll actually have to devote to your garden. Otherwise, don't be surprised if that full, floriferous beauty in the catalog turns out withered, spindly and disease ridden simply because it wasn't suited for the microclimate that is your own individual garden or your entire zone in general. Having now done my horticultural pontification, I will confess that those caveats have never dissuaded me from taking a plunge into the deep, uncharted waters of seeding a new plant in the ever-shifting sandy soil of my garden simply because I, too, like you all, were lured by them purty pictures and enticing promises of trouble-free, abundant, endless blooms. After all, we're gardeners and optimism comes with the territory. Next to a good pair of pruners, permanent dirt under our fingernails and an inability to drive past a nursery without at least a wistful glance...taking chances is another prerequisite characteristic of any true gardener.
I just do as much research as I can. Scour those catalogs, making notes as to which plants will fit my personal bill, both taste-wise and wallet-wise. When those little packages finally arrive, even though there still may be a foot of snow on the ground, I'll lustfully covet them from the mailbox, tuck them under my coat, and hurry back to the warmth of my house. Spreading them out on the kitchen table and fondling them like a new book with binding you're afraid to bend, my mind's eye recalls those glossy catalog pictures as I carefully examine each packet. I'll then make notations on each as to when to start seeding each particular one either directly outdoors or inside on heated seed mats. Next I'll get out the seed starting mix from the shed to warm in the furnace room. Haul down the flats and cell packs from the garage shelves. Turn up the thermostat on those heat mats, keep my fingers crossed and listen for that " click" which assures me it's in good working order for yet another season. Then, it's just a matter of counting the days till I can set up my seed carts and drop that first seed into the warm, moist mix, cover the trays with a plastic lid and impatiently check back every hour to see what's germinated. Be the final outcome an exact duplication of those glossy pictures, something somewhere in-between, or a total disaster... it's a learning curve either way.
The important thing for any gardener to remember is that you really can't go wrong no matter what you chose to order. Even mistakes can reward you with lessons learned. There's very few hard and fast rules about in gardening. Much of it is either made up or learned as you go along and, even then, subject to constant change. It's a little " cowboy gardening mixed with logical horticulture" . Oxymoronic perhaps, but nothing in gardening is written in stone. (No pun intended). Half the pleasure and fulfillment in gardening is in taking chances, experimenting and using your own creativity. Remember, there's no " Oh, Phooey" in gardening. Rather, " Ah, hah! "
Or just stick with your tried and true varieties of both flowers and vegetables. Ones that have consistently performed well for you in the past and withstood the microclimates of your individual garden. And don't forget to save some seed at the end of this upcoming season from some of those plants that have rewarded you and been the least problematic.
Just think of it as one more page in next January's catalogs that you can skip. One more nap in front of the fire. Another cup of hot cocoa. More time with the cat. But remember, throughout the coming year, the plant elves at experimental gardens all over the world will be busy working on newer and improved varieties for those 2006 catalogs, which will inundate your mailboxes come next fall and lure your gardener's heart once more. So, don't get caught short again next January by waiting till now to make your catalog selections. Step away from that leftover turkey next Thanksgiving. Get the holiday shopping out of the way before the crowds hit the malls or jam up the Internet with online orders, and buy a cozy bed for the cat to nap in while you dive into those catalogs at least a month or so earlier.
Now, I happened to have saved much of my seed from last season, so I probably won't do much catalog ordering this year. But...then...there is this new Four O'Clock called " Limelight Rose" (Mirabillis jalopa) I saw in the Burpee catalog. It's supposed to have this amazing lime green foliage that's attractive all by itself and at sunset these electric fucshia/rose trumpets unfurl to release a marvelous fragrance. Hardy perennial in Zones 8-10, but because they produce a tuber, I can dig it up in the fall and replant it here in my Zone 6-7 garden next spring. Hmmmmm?
Now... if...I....can....just...shift a bit... in this...lounge chair...without spilling this...cocoa...on my feline companion...and...grab for that Burpee.......Oh, maybe later. I think I want to spend a bit more time with my own CAT-A-Log.
Happy New Gardening Year!
Linda
Copyright©Linda M. Frank 2005 All Rights Reserved