Hi, Greenthumb--

Good thread idea. I like Seed Savers' Exchange and Baker Creek-- good selection, good quality, good service. They have lots of heirloom, interesting and unusual varieties. The older variety seeds often have good qualities for home gardening that just weren't as appropriate or advantageous for commercial growth.

Victory Seeds is also an excellent company. http://www.victoryseeds.com/catalog/index.html Heirloom, family-run, dependable, great quality, great service.

I'm also a big fan of SproutPeople for edible sprout seeds. They have good prices, great selection and excellent customer service.

Sara : )

Hi Kola!

I've been thinking about a garden for several years and since I've been unemployed for 20 months, I guess now is the time to do it. Have any luck with sweet corn? I hear it requires a 3' spacing between rows, but you can plant every 6" in a row. I have a good size backyard and plan on using a 30 by 30' area for corn, zuchini, tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion. Maybe some yellow squash too. Heck, might plant the snot out of the side yard too. In this economy, it should be easy to get rid of veggies. I'm thinking of a 4'-6' bed around the garden with corn and the rest in the middle.

Here is a link that I thought was interesting...
http://www.survivalseedbank.com/
Bob

Corn? for corn you have to plant a fair amount of it to reap a harvest. For beginners i often recommend they start with the easy stuff, tomatoes, radish, lettuce cukes squash and beans. Onions and garlic are easy too if you buy the "plugs".
I think its very important to do some research as to what varietys grow best in a given area. The bests way to find that out is by talking with folks in your area. You have to know what soils work best and how to alter pH and such. A few books will get you started. If you jump in without any knowledge you will fail miserably and get discouraged.

And yes, seeds dont have a long shelf life but you can buy them and use and restock them accordingly.

I must say I have had 100% all organic gardens with very few diseases and pests. There are few really good books on organic farming which cover how to mix and plant certain veggies to deter insect. There are beneficial insects you can use too, and you can even order "bugs in a box" and let them loose in your garden. You can plant certain flowers around the garden that attarct good bugs and deter the bad bugs. There are also non-toxic insect sprays that work great. For years, I have used a garlic and soap mix that works wonders. P.T. is another good insecticide.

I hope to try taters and yams this year as I have never
attempted it.

With all the science and high tech stuff out here in our modern world, there is absolutely nothing that tops what we can do under six inches of the ground with sun and water.

Remember Bare root season is here or close to it...
Seed catalogs are great but planting trees, vines and bushes are best (or more reasonably priced) now in bare root season. This includes some of my favorites - any kind of berry (especially blue berry's) asparagus, rhubarb, roses and the like...
There are some great places to get them... but be sure that the variety will do well in your area... That's why I like to go to the nursery and check them out... This is where local is best...
more seed company that I have saved
http://www.seedman.com/
http://earthfuture.com/gardenpath/Seeds_Catalogue.htm
http://homeharvestseeds.com/ least expensive - about a buck a packet
http://www.gardeners.com/
http://www.tomatogrowers.com/
http://www.winterhavengrapevines.com/ cold weather grapes

Just a reminder, It's time to plan you garden, get your seeds and stuff. I bought some seeds from
http://www.heirloomseeds.com/ and
http://homeharvestseeds.com/
I bought about 100 packs of seeds which are packed in a humidity controlled container. Most are heirloom seeds which I plan on saving the seeds and using them to replant. In theory, this is the last time I will need to buy seeds if I do this right.
I also plan on building a greenhouse so I can grow tomatoes and peppers in Washington. I plan on starting my tomatoes and peppers using a temperature controlled mat to provide a little heat for germination before setting them out in the green house.

I plan on starting my tomatoes and peppers using a temperature controlled mat to provide a little heat for germination before setting them out in the green house.

I took in our plants for the winter and into our sunroom on the heated slab. Already, The results are amazing with the heat coming from the radiant slab! I am sure you are onto a great thing. Keep us posted! Did you actually start the greenhouse yet? Will you use glass or the plastic dome? Will you use shade devices or whitewash? Can't wait to build a greenhouse, but still a long row to hoe before that

They have a bunch of seed for $150.... enough to plant 1 acre.
I bought the Victory garden package from Heirloom seeds for $95. The fewest number of seeds are 20 for tomatoes. Most of the others are many more. There are 76 packages including 10 herbs... I think either one is probably a good deal. I'm just cheap and plan on saving the seeds.
I am starting seeds in Hawaii just to keep my seed starting mojo. Most of my effort require two seed per pot so 20 seeds make 10 plants which is more than I need. You really only need one or two fruits to mature (or over mature) to make seeds.
This is the web site for a tutorial on seed saving. I copied it for future use.
http://www.seedsave.org/issi/issi_904.html

Also I got a catalog from Raintree Nursery. Anyone in Washington or Oregon that is interested in small weird, really world class fruit, this is the place to get your stuff, IMHO. Where are you going to get Black Elderberries?
Good luck

https://www.motherearthnews.com/gift/gift.aspx
I wanted to get in on the special order price and I did! here you go

I also gave subscription to a family member. I have enjoyed and ordered through rareseeds.com. also known as Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Great catalog. Large selection of seed. I was informed by county agriculture extension rep that non hybrid corn doesn’t exist in USA due to cross pollination and wheat will be the next to be GMO. Food for thought.
Jo D

Some links from my favorites:

http://www.seedsavers.org/

http://thetomatolady.com/

http://www.treesofantiquity.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=41

Kola - That was a great quote. Of all the things "modern man" can do.... it is tough to replicate what G-d put here naturally --- soil and sunshine.
I remember the first time I planted Potatoes (with an E). My wife came down to the garden patch and said "What are you planting potatoes for? we can buy 50 lbs for $10 and they will last us 4 months....." Yes, dear I says....(and some other things... but I don't recollect what. :+} Just Wait till you taste MY potatoes.
Sure enough come fall I starts to digging (my two girls had a BLAST looking for the "little baby ones" still growing) and I happened to spear a few with the potatoe fork while digging, so we HAD to eat them, right away. that night...
And my wife has never questioned WHY are you planting potatoes again.... In fact, while planning the garden the year before coming to Iraq, she DOUBLED the size of the potatoe rows. -- Huh, I did something right, but I won't let it go to my head.
I tried sweet potatoes that year too. Those little rascals grew all over the garden like herding chickens under ground. hah. You just plant them an let'em go.
Have fun with those.
The Family and the Garden, what I miss the most over here.
You will have to grow them vicariously for me.
James.