A 2010 Seed Shortage?

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According to an article in The Baltimore Sun, by Susan Reimer, it's quite possible.

Seed shortage in 2010?

Personally, I'm not buying it.
I think there will be plenty to go around to anyone who wants them. Granted, some varieties might be harder to get your hands on, but that happens almost every year anyway.
I wonder if it will end up being one of those 'the sky is falling' panic episodes? You know, like when the scarcity of rice rumor started flying and the price suddenly hit the ceiling and the shelves were bare? Yeah, like that.

This is exactly why I save 95 percent of my own seed. Wanna bet if rumor starts spreading fast enough the prices start going up? I guess it's as good a reason as any for the seed companies to use to their profit benefit.

Happy Growing!

Grow This, Not That

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With all those helpful 'Eat This, Not That', and 'Cook This, Not That' books out there, shouldn't there be a 'Grow This, Not That' book?
Come on writers, us gardeners know where all the good-for-you food everyone is talking about starts. Don't you?
Noting which vegetables, perennials and annuals are actually the best for certain zones would be ridiculously helpful to, not just newer gardeners but, everyone!

OK, I think someone should get on top of this right now. Any takers? Besides, fellow gardeners have already done tons of research for you: Cornell University Vegetable Ratings

Oh, Colleen? Amy?
;)
And, yeah, I expect at least a mention! lol.

Happy Growing!

Grow Tomatoes for Just $1285.10!

What a deal, eh?
I think I'm nauseous. Nope, I know I am.

From Matt Mattus at Growing With Plants: (seriously, you have to go read it)
"Grand total for proper supplies to grow disease resistant tomatoes is
$1285.10. $5.14 per tomato."

Ummmm...

Seriously, what is there to say to that except, "Man, I wish I had that kind of money to blow on growing a vegetable!"

Does he really think that's what it takes to grow a disease resistant tomato?
God, I hope not or us poor people, who actually grow gardens to SAVE money (or not eat all winter) are doomed to starve!

OK, let's see - here's my price list from last summer (or at least close).

Tom seeds (I think we had 10 varieties not counting the weirdo volunteers we also grew out and harvested from): 10 cents per pack = $1.00.
And no, they weren't any special expensive, disease resistant variety, but they were still damn healthy and tasted good!

Soil for 20 plants, 2 of each variety (I mixed my own from peat, turkey grit and the cheapest potting soil I could find - which most of went for WSing and plants I grew for others) = approx $3 - and that's estimated on the high side.

Containers, recycled = free.

Transplanted outside to one year old hay bales = free.

Stakes = free.

Fert, homemade = free

Organic preventative spray, homemade = Although I know it's much less, ingredients, we'll say, a whole $1.00

So, that adds up to a whopping five bucks.
If I go by his figures of 15 toms per plant, times my 20 plants, it equals 300 tomatoes.

Drum roll....

0.016666666 cents per (disease free) tomato.

I think I win! Oh, yeah, and bonus - I get to eat this winter and still not lose the house.

It blows my mind what people are willing to spend growing a few veg. If people would really like to throw their money away, they can just hand it to me and I'll put it to good use, like paying for some freaking heating fuel.
Ack! I need to go play with some seedlings before my brain explodes from thinking about it.

Happy (and cheap) growing!

Cacti Seedlings Update

These cacti seedlings are now one year old - ain't they cute?




Happy growing!

Blog Copying

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Cool!
Now you can do a quick check to see if anyone is swiping your content:
Copyscape

Thanksgiving Cactus Seedling Progress

So far so good on the breeding try!
The progress so far:
The pod had been on the plant for exactly one year.



The seeds after removing from the pod with a quarter for size. Sorry, I know it's blurry :(



The Thanksgiving cactus seedlings on 1-5-10. Too cute! They germinated in 7 days and these seedlings are one week old.


The poinsettia seed experiment didn't turn out so great last year, but since the plants are sporting pods again this year, maybe I'll give it another try come spring.

I hope everyone is getting geared up for spring. Yeah, I know it's only January, but it's never too early to think spring! Especially with the current ridiculous cold snap we've been stuck in.
I've been puttering and 'over loving' all the houseplants. I also sorted through all our seeds and since we saved most of our own, there are only a few things I'll have to buy. Good thing since D still hasn't found a job. I'm wondering if this year is really going to be any better than last year or not.

Oh! I got 10 packs of 'extra' seed from someone for just a couple of stamps. (Thanks, Tom!!) He sent me Yvonne's Salvia, which is something I've been wanting to grow for years. I'm so excited!

Almost time to start Winter Sowing in my recycled milk jugs again, which is also exciting - but it is every year, even though I've been doing it for 6 now.

Happy growing!