Posted: 28 Jan 2010 12:28 AM PST

Susan Reimer On Gardening

January 28, 2010

Seeds or seedlings?

Those eager to join the vegetable gardening revolution this season have a decision to make.

Are you going to grow your vegetables from seed? Or will you purchase seedlings from your local garden center or a farmers' market?

If you are going to grow your own seedlings, it is just about time to get started. The advantages include savings, pride and choice. You can grow exactly what you want, in the numbers you want and you don't have to count on somebody else's idea of variety.

Though seedlings can be pretty inexpensive, selling for a dollar or two, you can purchase a packet of perhaps 50 seeds - and a measure of personal satisfaction - for the same amount.

Buying seedlings saves a lot of work, and it can save a lot of disappointment. There are any number of reasons why the seeds you plant won't germinate or won't thrive.

However, unless your garden center purchases its seedlings from a dependable local grower, you run the risk of importing diseases from another part of the country. That appears to be how late blight made its way up the East Coast last summer and decimated so many tomato crops.

Most local garden centers are stepping it up when it comes to vegetable variety. Valley View Farms in Cockeysville, for example, will carry 35 kinds of tomatoes and 35 kinds of peppers.

But if you are dying to grow Black Pear tomatoes or White Lightning eggplant, you might have to start from seed.

Susan Iglehart of Glyndon, who will start about 20,000 seeds this spring in more than 100 flower and vegetable varieties, says that if you try to start seeds in a sunny window, you are heading for disappointment.

"You can grow a whole garden's worth - hundreds of plants - under a 40-inch fluorescent fixture," she said.

It needs to be suspended on chains, very close to the seed cups so the plants don't become spindly reaching for the light. The chains allow you to adjust that height as the plants grow. You can purchase fancy tiered racks or light tables, but any table will do.

You can buy heating pads to encourage root growth, though that isn't necessary for a beginner, Iglehart said. But a seed-starter kit is a wise purchase.

A seed-starter kit, which includes 48 seed cups, markers and a dome that creates a greenhouse effect, can be purchased from mail-order houses such as Gardener's Supply Co. for about $49.95, and they include a germination mix and irrigation trays to make watering easier.

How many seeds do you plant? If you want just six tomato plants, do you plant six seeds?

"At least double what you want, and the whole pack if you can," said Iglehart. "That way, you will have your choice of the sturdiest seedlings, and you can give the rest away to friends."

Next week: vegetable gardening in containers.

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Greening Up a Small Space Pt I - Containers - Gather.com

Posted: 27 Jan 2010 01:20 PM PST

It's All About the Container

When greening up a small space, finding the right container for your plants is like picking the right pan for your dinner. It has to be the correct size! A good rule of thumb is that a pot's diameter should be 1/3 to 1/2 the height of the plant. It almost goes without saying that you won't be having many tall plants, unless you want a jungle look rather than a simple accent.

When caring for the plant, use a good quality potting medium, not potting soil, and - for best results - an organic, water-soluble fertilizer.

Voila! - now you are a gardener!

Plants can be grown in a teacup, a hanging basket, or a 5-gallon bucket. Any size container can be used, but successful growing requires an adequate volume of soil for the size of the plant, and excellent drainage. Some thought should also be given to weight and portability; there's no need to throw your back out every time you move a plant. I prefer using saucers with wheels (they come in all sizes) for floor plants, and individual pots on a waterproof tray for my windowsills.

Indoors

A window of greenery is cheery. A potted plant on the floor in front of the window, with a sill full of pots and a few hanging plants, all capture the light to really complete a room. Plus, they're an inexpensive window treatment. Pick the plants to suit both available light as well as how the room is used.

In the kitchen, what cook wouldn't love to have a windowsill overflowing with fresh herbs? They provide the perfect accent to turn even a mundane dish into a culinary delight. Plus, they're easy and rewarding to grow and use.

Combination pots may look nice with the contrasting foliage artfully arranged, but they soon become a mess. Growth and moisture requirements differ for each plant. For your herb collection think individual 5" or 6" pots on a waterproof tray. (I prefer unglazed clay pots because they breathe, but plastic is acceptable.)

As plants fade and tastes change you can mix and match the selection without disturbing the others. As a matter of fact, forget combination pots entirely - whether you want to grow flowers, greenery or food, individual pots are always better.

Outdoors

Gardeners with a patio or deck- and deep pockets - will like the Food Map Container ($245 & $255), a large window box on wheels. Made from recycled materials, it's large enough for a salad garden - or a glorious floral display. The FMC is designed to let water drain quickly to keep plants from being damaged by sitting in water, while allowing for the soil to stay evenly moist. It's 33" long, 15" wide and 14" deep, holding about 4 cubic feet of potting mix. It's available in two heights: a two-foot high model for children, or two and a half for adults. (Either height would work for someone confined to a wheel chair.) The Food Map Container is ideal for wheeling around to follow the sun, hiding a neighbor's view, and rolling out of the way when you entertain.

Self watering Terrazza Trough Planters of a similar size but without casters are available at Gardener's Supply Company for $100. In a sunny location you can plant them with tomato, cucumber and peppers for a satisfying salad garden. In sun or shade plant impatiens, decorative grass and trailing vines to deliver a colorful vertical display.

General advice

Use a good quality potting medium, not potting soil, and - for best results - a water soluble fertilizer.

For cheap chic, I've been known to transform the large olive oil cans as urban pots; simply punch small drainage holes in the bottom. For larger plants, those 5 gallon buckets you can get from contractors and bakeries work fine as they are, but can be painted or appliqued to look even better.

It's important to have a secure hanger properly anchored into the wall or ceiling for hanging baskets. There's nothing worse than having greenery come crashing down on you, other plants or treasured mementos.

I'd suggest making it organic if you are growing anything to be eaten, such as herbs or vegetables.
next in the series - growing plants from seed
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Vegetable seeds could be in short supply this year - Detroit Free Press

Posted: 28 Jan 2010 12:32 AM PST

Will there be a shortage of vegetable seeds for gardeners in 2010?

It is possible, says Barbara Melera, owner of the oldest seed house in the country, D. Landreth Seeds of New Freedom, Pa.

"In 2009, we had the worst growing season in 50 years," she said. Rain and disease destroyed crops and with them, the seeds for next year's garden.

"Onion sets. And a cucumber seed shortage," she predicted. "We are being told that the cucumber harvest was catastrophic, attacked late in the season by woolly mildew. There was fruit, but no viable seeds inside.

"We are being told that many, many varieties simply won't be available."

Likewise, Europe had a terrible harvest this year, and Europeans purchased much of their produce from the United States, taking with it, the seeds.

And, as further proof that we are in a global marketplace, Europeans and Australians have taken a fancy to eating sprouts.

"When you grow vegetables just to get the sprouts, nothing gets to fruit. And they are consuming gigantic quantities of seeds just for the purpose of sprouts," Melera said.

Word of possible shortages must be leaking out, Melera said, because retailers are telling her they had their best December in years.

It is certainly true that vegetable gardeners are ordering seeds earlier and earlier, but Melera said she thinks it is more likely that gardeners are acting out of fear of shortages.

Landreth just published a beautiful and historical catalog to celebrate 225 years of teaching gardeners how to garden. To order one, call 800-654-2407 or go to landrethseeds.com.

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Home and Garden Tips

Thursday, January 28, 2010

“Vegetable garden, Part III: Go with seeds or seedlings? - Baltimore Sun” plus 2 more

“Vegetable garden, Part III: Go with seeds or seedlings? - Baltimore Sun” plus 2 more

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