The Victory Garden Initiative

Hallelujah..Hallelujah..it’s finally time for some real gardening to begin.   Yup, it’s time for the ‘first round’ of your seed starting!  Right, you are most likely going to be starting only some of your seeds indoors now and some seeds will be started a bit later and some of them not all. 

The primary factor to determine which seeds to start when is the date that they can be successfully transplanted into your garden.  And the fact that frequently determines this is the last killing frost for your area.  For our area this is usually the last weekend in April to the first week of May.  Of course this is no guarantee that a frost will not occur over the Memorial Day weekend; however, it is usually a frost that can be managed with cloches, a wall-o-water or simply by covering your plants with a blanket.  It is commonly not a frost which will destroy your fragile young seedlings.  

Now grab your packets of seeds and a calendar.  Highlight on your calendar the last week of April as the last frost in our area.   Then, number each week on the calendar backwards in time starting from that last week of April.   You should find that this weekend is SEVEN weeks prior to the last killing frost in our area.  Exhale, that will be the only math we will do this week. 

Finally, flip over all your seed packets.  Your packets should tell you how many weeks before the last killing frost you should start your seeds.  But remember, this is a suggestion based on averages for our area.  If you want to push the limits and you will pamper your transplants if an early frost occurs, you may start your seeds earlier than the packet’s suggestions.  If you want to feel reassured that your transplants will survive after all of your hard work, you should start your seeds a bit later than suggested on the packets….remember, plants are remarkable and will quickly catch up to those transplanted earlier.

Alright, alright, enough chit chat.  Which seeds?  This weekend I will be starting seeds people commonly refer to as the cabbage family of vegetables (actually the genus of Brassicaceae).  These include brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, kohlrabi and broccoli.  Other brassicaceae vegetables such as radishes, turnips and rutabaga are best sowed directly in your garden once the soil is workable. 

Be a bit selective when choosing your seed starting mix.  The seed already contains the nutrients inside itself necessary for successful germination so your soil mix does not need to contain high levels of fertilizers.  In fact, high levels can actually hinder and even kill your young seedlings.  Instead, choose a mix with higher levels of ‘natural’ water holding materials to insure the seeds stay ‘moist’ during germination.  These materials include coconut coir, mosses, perlite, vermiculite, etc.  The synthetic water holding items tend to hold excessive amounts of water which is again too much for your young seedlings. 

Regardless of the compartment in which you plan to grow your seedlings, be it a toilet paper roll, yogurt dish, plastic cup or the traditional black seed trays, three main things will determine the success of your germinations.  The first is healthy fresh seeds.  Look for the ‘freshness’ date on each seed packet.  Heat, or more accurately warmth, is the second item for successful germinations.  The soil’s temperature needs to be slightly warmer than room temperature.  This can be accomplished by placing your recently planted seeds near a gradual heat source such as in a closet with a lit lamp, above an older-style refrigerator that vents warm air, atop the constantly running television in your teenager’s room, etc.  The last component necessary for successful germination is moisture and by this I don’t mean a bath but rather a gentle sea mist.  Spray the inside of those clear plastic domes for the black planting trays or simply ‘lay’ some saran wrap atop the recently watered seed compartments.  

Now, maintain this warmth and moisture until your seedlings appear above ground.  This should be anywhere from ten to fourteen days.  Next week we can cover what to do then.

HINT:  You can avoid dirt under your finger nails after a gardening project with this simple idea.  Before going out to the garden, dig or scratch your finger nails into a bar of soap.  The soap under your nails will not allow room for the dirt to build up.  Plus, the soap is already there for washing your hands when your gardening project is completed.

DISCUSSION:  I hope to take a bunch of photos of several seed starting techniques and I will post them in the Victory Garden Initiative’s message group’s site.  Maybe you could send some pictures to me in order to share with everyone?

Bruce     winestained@aol.com

 A number of you have written messages of support and to ask me how I have the supposed gardening knowledge I claim to have in order to write this column.   First of all, thank you for the notes of encouragement.  Secondly, you give me way, way, way to much credit.  I just have the free time and was asked to do it.

I grew up on a dormant dairy farm built by my great grandparents in Sheboygan County, WI.  We had a small fruit orchard on the ‘back 40′.  We also had a two and one half acre garden on the eastern side of our home.  My grandmother, and later my mother, had a humongous foray of flowers and shrubs throughout our front yard.  I can faintly remember watching from my bedroom window as my grandmother primped in her dew covered flower beds on misty Saturday mornings in preparation for love lorn couples to pose for their wedding photos.  Each fall they would make floral arrangements for me to win numerous blue ribbons at the county fair.  Not that impressive to a young boy growing up, but I did enjoy receiving the prize money ‘they’ had actually earned. 

Today, I continue to garden in and around my home and the homes of  other family members plus a community garden of some 2,000+ square feet.  Surprisingly, I grow many fruits and vegetables but very few flowers today.  I don’t know if this is out of the embarassment of never living up to my grandmother’s flower beds or the fact that I just enjoy eating the fruits and vegetables more than gazing at flowers.

This personal experience gave me the desire to garden and the interest to do it better each year.  I get better each year thanks to trial and error, knowledge gathered from others, various publications and numerous internet sites. 

The rest of it is clearly made up BS….each week the proportions fluctuate.

Regarding some of the books that I have found useful to me in the past, I thought I would share them with you.  I have also visited my local Barnes & Noble to discover some recently published books that are equally informative.  [My apologies to the new book store owners in Shorewood.  I enjoyed your location many times when I attended UWM and lived on the east side.  I believe they are VGI supporters who may be able to find these same books for you].

Vegetable Gardener’s Bible [Edward Smith]:  Stresses the concept of wide row planting for maximizing your harvest.  The book begins by discussing general gardening topics such as seed starting, garden planning, soil preparation and much more.  Later, each vegetable is individually discussed for its specific characteristics.   [Writing this column has reminded me that I loaned this book to a VGI member last summer.  Please return it to me or loan it to another member].

Square Foot Gardening [Mel Bartholomew]:  This book and the one previous were also briefly mentioned in last week’s column.  It begins, like many gardening books, with a few chapters of general gardening practices.  It is in the final chapters where it discusses the principles of square foot gardening.  Truly a simplified method for both large and small gardeners to maximize their harvest potential. 

Three Step Vegetable Gardening [Steve Marcus]:  New book at Barnes & Noble.   Each vegetable is uniquely described in a series of quick hitting bullet points instead of a lengthy dialogue.  Contains quite a few quality glossy photos.  Oh, the three steps covered for each vegetable is Sow, Grow & Harvest.   This is a link to an older reprint.Vegetables, Herbs & Fruits [Biggs, McVicar & Flowerdew]:  This hardcover book is bit more thorough in each vegetable’s discussion.  It covers many of the same items discussed in the previous two books.  The additional topics covered include harvest and storage suggestions, medicinal usages, typical pests and diseases, seasonal maintenance hints and suggested recipes.

Complete Book of Vegetables [Biggs & Jean-Christophe Novelli]:  I wonder if Biggs had an argument with McVicar or Flowerdew after writing the book listed previously.  Most likely this is a soft cover version of his previous book that also tries to jump on the ‘reality show’ bandwagon.  Novelli is a well-known chef that had a show on Bravo that I greatly enjoyed called Chef Academy.  Don’t buy the book for the addition of Novelli since very few of his recipes actually appear in the printing.  Consider it only because you desire a condensed and cheaper paperback version of his early book.

Guide to Wisconsin Vegetable Gardening [James Fizzell]:  Classic reprint.  One might say an heirloom?  It is loaded with useful information for those gardeners who would rather read than flutter through lots of glossy photographs.  The information remains useful because it was well written and specifically with our growing climate in mind.  The various census data facts may be outdated, but global warming hasn’t completely altered our growing conditions as of yet.

Wisconsin Garden Guide [Jerry Minnich]:  Another of the earlier books written specifically with the Wisconsin gardener in mind.   Like the previous book, some of the book’s list of contacts and resources are outdated; however, most of the gardening principles discussed are still clearly useful today for our hardiness zone.   

Winter Harvest Handbook [Eliot Coleman]:  Another classic, but this one has recently been updated.  Especially good if you are looking for information regarding cold frames and hoop houses and how to utilize them for a nearly year round garden.  Far too often books are written by gardeners in climates very different from our own.  This makes it very difficult for many gardeners to extrapolate the various statistics, dates and options into a useful resource for their vastly opposing conditions.  While Eliot’s garden is located far away in Harborside, Maine,  thankfully this is same hardiness zone as Milwaukee.

What’s Wrong With My Plant [Deardorff & Wadsworth]:  I first saw this book this winter.  Every common malady, fungus, bacteria and pest is clearly described in a language useful to the casual gardener.  A surprisingly large number problems are also accompanied with a highly descriptive photograph or drawing.  For example:  there is a section where a gardener can determine the problem pest based solely on how a plant was damaged….were the leaves eaten in rows or circles, did the plant die from top or the bottom, etc., etc., 

Crops in Pots [Bob Purnell]:  A great book for those gardener’s with very limited spaces.  This picture filled book will convince you that vegetable plants can be an attractive and edible landscaping option for your home.   It has easy to follow descriptive planting instructions with detailed plant profiles and at-a-glance symbols to help you maintain your containers.  I used this book as inspiration several years ago to make a container filled patio for my mother that was so successful we replant it every summer. I should have a large enough of an inventory to offer some of them to you.  If you contact me I will write you back with a list of the seeds I plan to order.  Together, we can get some great seeds at fantastic prices.

This is just a small sample of available gardening books.  If you have a favorite, maybe you could share it with the rest of us.  Please include a brief description why you found the book so helpful.

HINT:  Seed starting will begin in earnest in the next few weeks.  It will also be the primary topic of discussion as well during this time.  When breaks permit and time allows, we may also discuss strawberry or raspberry care, homemade and organic pesticides or fertilizers, vermiculture and a host of other topics.  If you have a particular topic you would like addressed just drop me an email.

DISCUSSION:  I have finished constructing my indoor grow chamber.  This will allow me to get a great jump start on my seed starting operation and to produce my very own micro greens.  That means this year I will be placing my seed orders with a larger wholesaler and saving a great deal with the volume discounts.  Write me if you wish to join me in the savings.  Together we can get more seeds at a dramatically lower price.

     I have finally compiled my seed orders from the catalogues we discussed in a previous column.  I am excited to have the list completed so early this year; however, this excitement is tempered because I will either have to trim my list of desired seeds or find a garden plot the size of Lambeau Field!   In years past, this unbridled enthusiasm had led to great feelings of disappointment.   I would be planting my garden and anguishing over which seeds to plant and which seeds would get sent to the big seed container of better planning.  This is just as foolish as purchasing five different automobiles to suite each of my specific needs when all I have is a two car garage.  

     I finally decided to end this avoidable frustration.  I spent so much time and effort determining which seeds to order with very little thought of what available planting space was in my garden. 

     I began by measuring my entire growing space.  I know that my will power is still not strong enough to stay within that growing space so any extra seeds or plants will be placed in growing containers along the house, on the patio and around my carport.  You may need to consider your growing containers as your only growing space. 

     The next goal was to determine how the growing space would be further divided for planting.  The only planting method that I had ever seen as a youth was single rows with wide aisles.  My mother and grandmother had such beautiful gardens that I assumed it was the smartest planting method.  Of course it works well, but I also don’t have two and one half acres of garden space.  So I decided to plant my rows close together and tip toe through my tulips as well as my vegetables.  Soon into the summer the plants were full grown and there was no space to step without crushing one of my precious plants.  There had to be a compromise?

     I found it in wide row planting.   In wide row planting the aisles are normal sized, but the seeds are planted in several close rows rather than a single row.  The garden looked like I had used a 4 foot by 8 foot template to determine the planting sections.  I later found a book that supported my experiment in The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible by Edward C. Smith. [the link is to a more recent reprint]

     This worked fantastically!  I greatly increased the number of vegetables in my garden and still had room to comfortable walk amongst my plants.  Then I came across a PBS show a few years later that improved upon this layout plan in the form of Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew.   Mel studied each vegetable and determined the maxinum number of plants that could be grown in a single 12 inch by 12 inch square.  He looked at my 4 foot by 8 foot bed which is 32 square feet in total area and broke it down into 32 separate growing sections.  It was like 32 wide row plantings in each garden bed.  Again, my harvest dramatically increased. 

     Those of you who left behind your hatred of math in Mr. Renzelman’s high school algebra class you can subscribe to GrowVeg.  The site currently is offering a free trial period to help you with your gardening layout.  It allows you to ‘click’ and ‘drag’  icons of your favorite vegetables and place them into a drawing of your gardening space.  By shuffling and moving those icons within your drawing you can determine the best planting scheme for this year’s garden. 

     Just a little bit more of preplanning and you can have a better grasp on the size of this year’s seed order and a better vision of how to maximize your garden’s capabilities.   So as you place your seed orders, consider the amount of growing space you have and how you plan to utilize it. 

     HINT:  Seed starting will begin in a few weeks.  You may wish to begin collecting items if you wish to use recycled materials like the toilet paper rolls mentioned  by a gardener in an earlier message board post.  This is great recycling idea and a great seed starting option.  You could also consider….paper towel, aluminum foil, saran wrap rolls; frozen fruit concentrate containers; yogourt and ice cream containers; school lunch milk cartons; plastic drink bottles; newspapers for origami made pots;  etc. for smaller plants plus half gallon and full gallon drink jugs; two liter drink bottles, for larger plants.   I will write about using these items in a few weeks at the time of our seed starting.

     DISCUSSION:  I have made a summarized chart of Mel Bartholomew’s “Square Foot Gardening” that describes the spacing / planting for nearly every vegetable.  Send me an email at winestained@aol.com if you wish to receive a copy.  Do you have any questions about how to develop a square foot garden for your vegetables?

     This week we will be discussing the second half of our seed ordering options.   As mentioned in last week’s column, these suggestions may have first proven themselves as an All American Selection, highly recommended by the UW-Extension offices for our hardiness zone and specific growing season or a particular favorite of mine.  Of course, picking a favorite variety is like picking a favorite ice cream as a favorite of mine may not be very interesting to you.  I truly hope that you find some new options for this year’s seed ordering in the past two columns. 

     If you have other favorites to add please share them with the group.  I know that I have some tried and true standards that are a must have in my garden each year, but I am always looking for a new shape, color or flavor to add to the next harvest.    

CORN (sweet):  Silver Queen (white), Golden Bantam (reliable), Earliking (early)

CORN (SE – super enhanced):  Ambrosia (mixed colors), Kandy Korn, Sugar Buns

CORN (SH2 - supersweet):  Early Extra and Early Illini (early), Honey Select (reliable)

MELONS:  Ambrosia, Amish & Early Gold (classics), Charentais (French classic), Earlydew (honeydew)

PEPPERS (hot):  Anaheim, Ancho/Poblano, Serrano, Cherry Bomb (pickling), Chiltepin (BB sized TNT),  Medusa (container, ornamental), Pequin (container, winter indoors),  Mucho Nacho Jalapeno (huge, stuffer),

PEPPERS (sweet):  Big Bertha, California Wonder, Fat n Sassy (constant producers), Giant Marconi (huge tapered), Gypsy (producer), Sweet Banana, Jimmy Nardello (classic Italian heirloom),

POTATO:  Gold Rush (early russet), Yukon Gold (early), Kennebec (late), Red Pontiac (red, late), Russian Banana (late-fingerling), All-Blue (specialty)

PUMPKIN:  Orange Smoothie, Sorcerer, Spirit & Small Sugar (carving, flavor), Rouge d’Etmps (ugly, flavorful), Atlantic Giant, Howden & Wyatt’s Wonder (huge), Batwing & Wee B Little (décor)

SQUASH (zucchini):  Aristocrat and Black Beauty (classics), Spacemaster (bush), Goldrush (yellow bush), Eight Ball (round)

SQUASH (summer):  Butterstick, Horn of Plenty, Sunburst Pattypan, Scallopini

SQUASH (winter):  Ebony (acorn), Cream (white acorn), Table Top (bush acorn), Waltham (butternut), any spaghetti

TOMATILLOS:  Toma Verde (smaller green), Purple (specialty)

TOMATOES (grape):  Red or Yellow Currants (fun, pickle whole), Riesentraube (German heirloom), Sugary (9% residual sugar – the sweetest)

TOMATOES (cherry):  Isis Candy (colorful), Juliet (refuses to crack), Sweet Million (producer), Yellow Pear (traditional), Super Sun Cherry (sweet), Sun Gold (sweet yellow, jam), Tumbling Tom (container)

TOMATOES (sauce/plum):  Amish Paste (heirloom), Opalka, Roma, Super Marzano and Viva Italia (all great)

TOMATOES (slicing):  Black Krim (ugly but delicious), Early Girl (early), Celebrity (consistent), Costoluto Genovese (ribbed, producer), Green Zebra (smaller, vigorous),

TOMATOES (monster):  Beefsteak, Brandywine & Mortgage Lifter

WATERMELON:  Crimson Sweet (traditional), Moon & Stars (heirloom), Sugar Baby (small heirloom), Yellow Doll (small yellow heirloom), New Queen (yellow), Sweet Favorite (consistent)

     HINT:  Fresh cut Valentine’s bouquets should be placed in warm water with floral preservative after having the stem ends re-cut. Wash vases with soap and water every time you replace the water. Remove any foliage that is below water level to prevent rot and clogging of stems. Place vase in a cool location (down to 35 degrees) for at least one hour or overnight so that they can re-hydrate before bringing into room temperature. Drooping roses can be revived by completely submerging them in warm water and re-cutting the stem ends while under water. Leave them in the water to re-hydrate for a half hour before returning them to the vase.

     DISCUSSION:  If a favorite variety of yours was missed in this discussion, please share it with us and include the reason why you enjoy growing it.  Personally, I am looking for new options in Garlics, Kales, Pak Choy/Bak Choy, Soy Beans and Rapini.  With that said, I am always looking for my next favorite pepper or tomato.

Winestained (Bruce)

     Most of the seed catalogues you have requested should have arrived by now and hopefully some of these are the ones we discussed in a previous column. Reading through all of these catalogues to place this year’s seed orders can be a bit daunting. I have a  number of tried and true varieties that are a must have in my garden. I also try to find a few new varieties that offer a unique shape, color or flavor to keep my garden even more rewarding each year.
     In this week’s column let’s discuss some vegetable varieties you may wish to order this year. Some of these suggestions may have first proven themselves as an All American Selection, highly recommended by the UW-Extension offices for our hardiness zone or a particular favorite of mine. Of course, picking a favorite variety is like picking a favorite ice cream as a favorite of mine may not be very interesting to you.
     The number of vegetables to discuss is to large to accomplish in just one column; therefore, I will try to complete the discussion in next week’s column. This will allow you enough time to place and receive your seed orders with sufficient time before you need to start planting.

ASPARAGUS: Washington (classic, hearty to climate) Jersey (all male series for greater production) Purple Passion (colorful & very flavorful)

BEANS [bush]; Contender (early harvest) Derby, Provider & Top Crop (high producers)

BEANS [pole]: Fortex (french filet), Kentucky Blue Lake (producer), Yard Long (specialty), Gold of Bacau (gold romano), Rattlesnake Snap

BEANS [shelling]:  I don’t grow since they are so readily available in the stores

BEETS: Bull’s Blood (also red baby greens), Detroit Dark (classic), Cylindra (tapered space saver), Burpee Golden (sweet),

BROCCOLI: Packman (won’t bolt, lots of side shouts), Calabrese & Romanesco (Italian heirlooms)

CABBAGE: Arrowhead (early, reduced splitting), Red Perfection & Ruby Perfection (early reds), Savoy Express (early), Dynamo (late, green), Ruby Ball (late, red)

CARROTS: Sweetness II, Danvers Half Long, Tendersweet,

CAULIFLOWER: Early White, Snowball (self-blanching), Cheddar (yellow curd), Snow Crown (late season)

CELERY / CELERIAC: Golden and Lathom (self blanching, no trenching needed)

CUCUMBER: Calypso or Eureka (pickling), Diva or Sweet Success (producer), Salad Bush (small space or containers), Sweet Slice (burpless)

EGG PLANT: Black Beauty (traditional, late), Casper (early white w/edible peel), Rosa Blanco (Italian favorite, seldom bitter),

KOHLRABI: Early White Vienna (spring), Purple Vienna (fall), Grand Duke (specialty), Kossak (Specialty),

LETTUCE [bibb]: Buttercrunch (producer),  Marvel Four Season or Winter Marvel (hearty at low temps – cold frames), Amish Speckled (colorful),

LETTUCE [loose leaf]: Black Seed Simpson (producer), Red Sails (producer), Dark Lolla Rossa (frilly burgundy), Royal Oak Leaf (producer), Salad Bowl (slow to bolt),  Amish Deer Tongue (specialty shape), Batavia (endive), Rocket (arugula, spicier),  make your own mesculins rather than buying the packaged mixes loaded with cheap, inferior varieties

ONIONS: Alisa Craig (huge but not good for storage), Walla Walla Sweet (good size, mild), Candy (flavorful), Chipolini (specialty), Tokyo Long (bunching), White Lisbon (bunching)

PEAS [sugar snap]: Sugar Ann (bush), Sugar Daddy and Super Sugar Snap (climbing)

PEAS [snow peas]: Mammoth Melting, Oregon Giant, Goliath & Oregon Sugar Pod II, Golden Sweet (yellow)

PEAS [shelling]: Maestro (flavor), Mister Big (larger), Early Dakota (spring season), Tom Thumb (container, cold frame)

RADISH: Cherry Belle (producer), French Breakfast (slightly sharp), White Icicle (specialty)

SPINACH: Bloomsdale (savoy, slow to bolt for summer), Melody (round thick leaves), baby leaf name escapes me at this time

SWISS CHARD: Fordhook Giant (large white),  Bright Lights (colorful)

GROUND CHERRY:  Strawberry Husk Tomato (sweet snacks, jams)

HINT:  I just came across a neat possibility for those gardeners with very limited space when I was in Home Depot shopping for worm bins.  I thought of a vertical mini garden like the one from Smith & Hawken as I saw those heavy duty bulk storage bins in the same aisle.  If you made four stacks of five bins you would have twenty planting compartments in a space of roughly one foot by four feet!  Of course you would have to make some drainage holes in each bin, use a container soil mix and water twice a day during the hottest of days but you could have a complete garden right on your patio, sidewalk or car port.  Increase your growing space if you stack them in the fashion of a honeycomb.  You could also move individually each bin inside for winter storage if you desire.

DISCUSSION: If a favorite variety of yours was missed in this discussion, please share it with us and include the reason why you enjoy growing it.  I am looking for your favorite Garlics, Kales, Pak Choy/Bak Choy, Soy Bean and Rapini suggestions

JANUARY:  WEEK FOUR

     In last week’s column we discussed seed catalogues.  I hope you found one or two of them that suited your gardening needs.  Unfortunately, it may take a week or two for them to arrive but now you have the urge to grow something and it’s single digits outside. 

     There is one way where you can grow something quick, green and edible this time of year.  Something grown indoors that is also very nutritious.  Plus it may be an enjoyable bit of time travel for some of you. 

     I am speaking of growing sprouts.  Now that you are done snickering, growing sprouts is much more these days than the old standards of alfalfa sprouts and wheat grass.  Today’s offerings can be sweet and nutty to exotic and spicy tasting.   Quite a bit different than the sprouts commonly grown in the 1960’s.

     I got the urge to revisit sprouting after a visit to Growing Power last summer.    I started out simple and small.  I took some empty canning jars with the open screw top rings and made them into my sprouting chambers.  Then I went to Michael’s craft store and purchased a plastic mesh screen made for embroidery.  Using an overturned jar, I cut out a round section from the mesh the size of the jar’s opening.  It would fit securely atop my jar with the assistance of the screw top ring.  I like this better than using a cheese cloth or wire screens since it is easily cleaned, will not rust and reusable.

     With the sprouting chamber in place, I wanted to test it out.  So I went to a few ethnic stores to purchase some mung beans and lentils.  It is important to note that these seeds are very acceptable because they are already ‘food grade’ seeds.  Do not try using seeds purchased for planting because they are not considered ‘food grade’ products.  The procedure is very simple.  Place three tablespoons of lentil seeds in your quart-sized jar and add enough water so  that all the seeds are covered.  After a 12 hour soak, rinse the seeds with fresh water and place the jar upside down in your dish drying rack to drain.  Rinse and repeat the draining every 12 hours.  Begin tasting your sprouts after three days to determine the stage of the sprout which is most enjoyable for you.  These sprouts will use the ambient daylight in your kitchen to develope chlorophyl and eventually leaf out if the process is maintained for period of time.  That’s it.  That simple.  Mountain Rose Herbs and  Kristen Raw  each have a very knowledgeable and clearly laid out video demonstrating the sprouting process.

     Since then, I have been researching new seeds and improved growing systems.  I decided to stay with my cheap, homemade growing chambers because they are versatile and can accommodate all of my sprouting needs.  One of the best sites I found on the internet is The Sprout People.  Only two of the eighty seed options they offer are not certified organic.  They do a great job describing each seed’s sprouting techniques, flavors, etc.  Locally, the selection is somewhat sparse.  Outpost Foods has the best selection, but they have just a few seed options located in their spice departments.  Below the spices and seeds you may find some manufactured sprouting chambers.

     Now in the middle of winter I can enjoy a harvest of freshly grown produce thanks to sprouting.  These sprouts are also amazingly more nutritious than their full grown counterparts.  For example, one ounce of broccoli sprouts has the same amount of antioxidants as three pounds of full grown broccoli.  Don’t be afraid to experiment with your sprouts.  Sure they are great in a stir fry, salads and sandwiches, but try some in a soup, on a pizza or as an omelette topping.

     Micro-greens are another form of sprouting.  Here the seeds are actually grown in a soil or soil-less medium.  After ten to fourteen days, the seeds will have grown to a stage where their first primary leaves will appear.  It is at this stage where the seedlings are cut just above the soil line and eaten like a sprout.   We will look into this procedure in greater detail in a future column when we discuss starting our vegetable seedlings.

     THIS WEEK’S TIP:  If you are planning to start your own seedlings with the aid of artificial lighting, you may want to determine the energy costs.  It is a simple calculation.  First take the total wattage of your light bulbs and multiply it by the number of hours the lights will be turned on each day by the number of days in the month.  Then divide this number by 1,000 for the total number of kilowatt hours your lights will have used.  My current electric bill was charging 11 cents per kilowatt hour.  In my setup I have twelve 40 watt bulbs running 12 hours per day for 30 days.  Thus, at 11 cents a kilowatt hour my set up will cost me $19.00 per month.

     DISCUSSION:  If there are any other sprouters out there please share with us your favorite seeds, sources for the seeds, sprouting techniques, recipes, etc.

     This week’s installment of “What Should I do in the Garden Today” pertains to seed catalogues and placing your seed orders.  Each year I enjoy reading the various seed catalogues that I receive.  I have included a list of some favorites and why I purchase from them…..and what I avoid.   

      A review of seed suppliers and catalogues was requested  recently on the VGI message board.  So I thought that I would post it on the message board as well as the column’s  home on the Victory Garden Initiative’s blog.

 NON-TRADITIONAL SOURCES

     SEEDS SAVERS EXCHANGE:  (non-profit, 100% heirloom, organic offerings, supplies, books)  One of my favorite seed sources.  A must if you enjoy growing exotic varieties.  You will be amazed by their selection of beans, egg plants, lettuce greens, peppers, tomatoes and wow, the melons.  In this catalogue, each entry includes some growing and harvest instruction.  I am surprised by how many catalogues simply list the catalogue number and price.  Many entries also include a colorful photograph and a brief genealogy of the seed variety’s history.  A truly enjoyable read and a potential coffee table book.  One day a VGI field trip to this Iowa farm to witness their collection of 25,000 plus seeds or to attend one of their seminars should be planned. 

     BAKER CREEK HEIRLOOM SEEDS:  (100% open pollinated & untreated, some heirloom and organic offerings, supplies, books)  An even greater selection of melon, watermelon and squash selections than offered by Seed Savers Exchange.  The founders of Baker Creek have travelled the world and brought back with them many native seeds from the countries they visited.  If you wish to grow a few vegetables of your ethnic heritage you are sure to find enough to choose from in this catalogue.  Great descriptions, some seed histories and loads of colorful photographs makes this my other coffee table book.    

     BOUNTIFUL GARDENS:  (non-profit, 100% open pollinated & untreated, some heirloom & organic offerings, supplies, books)  If Will Allen and Growing Power produced a seed catalogue it would be Bountiful Gardens.  The number of choices for each vegetable may be smaller than the previous two catalogues; however, it contains a nice mix of popular and exotic choices.  After reading about the group’s mission and  many projects, most people themselves inclined to place an order in support of  their hard work.    

     SEEDS OF CHANGE:  (100%  organic, supplies, books)  I only became aware of them last spring when I saw their seed packets for sale at Future Green in Bay View.   Volume size purchases are available for seed swaps.  Visit their website to read about their New Mexico farm’s permaculture, water conservation and other earth friendly practices.   

     FEDCO SEEDS:  (Co-Op owned)  A New England tradition is placing your orders with this Maine cooperative each spring.   I normally place my orders through the Seed Savers Exchange since they are located closer in Iowa and provide many of their seeds to FedCo’s catalogue.  The catalogue is extensive, but not laid out for the casual gardener.  They also offer volume discounts and free shipping for orders above $30.    

 JOHNNY’S SELECTED SEEDS:  (employee owned, supplies, books)  Many of the farms for their seed sources are located in New Hampshire and the surrounding states.   Therefore, many of their seeds have already developed cold-hearty traits and should be more than successful in our hardiness zone.   

 TRADITIONAL COMMERCIAL SOURCES

 GURNEY’S SEED & NURSERY:  I purchase few seeds from this catalogue.  Their selection is average and their cost is slightly higher than similar catalogues; however, they do provide one unique offering each spring.  They want to beat the other catalogues to your seed orders.  They offer you a $25.00 worth of products if you place a $25.00 oder by a certain date.  I might take advantage of this offer to purchase some gardening supplies or seed starting equipment.  In the past I  also have used this offer to double the number of strawberry or raspberry plants I would normally receive without the offer.  Place a second order of $25 using the same certificate code, but use another mailing address.(Plant orders are held and shipped closer to the planting times of your hardiness zone).    

      TERRITORIAL SEED COMPANY:  Nearly 200 pages full of vegetables, herbs, supplies, books, etc.  But what really sets this catalogue truly apart from the others is their informational support.  Keep the catalogue on hand all summer long as a resource for many of your gardening questions.    

     HARRIS SEEDS:  A catalogue  for the serious or professional grower.  I must admit, I have only used their catalogue and website as a research tool for gardening supplies.    

     JUNG SEED & PLANTS:  (Wisconsin & family owned, supplies, books)  I am a bit biased since the Jung family is a distant relative of mine.  Its headquarters are located in Randolph, WI with stores located in Stevens Point, Sun Prairie and Madison.  They are a great choice if you choose to support a local supplier.  Their selection is large enough to supply anyone regardless of your requirements…hybrid, heirloom, organic, etc.   

     TOTALLY TOMATOES:  The finest source for the tomato aficionado.  They have them all…red, yellow, orange, green or stripes…slicing, paste, cherry or goliaths…garden, patio, container or greenhouse.  There is also a pepper selection large enough for even the most serious pepper grower.     

     VERMONT BEAN SEED COMPANY:  This catalogue does have a larger than average selection of beans, but it also includes many other vegetable selections.  I love to try a few new varieties of beans each year.  Since their seeds are easy to save for next year’s planting, you can find yourself with a large array of bean varieties each fall in no time.    

     R.H. SHUMWAYS: This catalogue offers you a glimpse back in time.  The colorful photographs are replaced by antique, wood-cut die stencil prints.   Unfortunately, by the time I receive this catalogue each year my purchases have already been placed.   

 LOCAL ON-SITE SOURCES

      My favorite local supplier is Minor’s Garden Center.  There are locally and family owned.  I must admit that their seed selection is not that impressive, but they do offer a large amount of seedlings, bare roots and potted plants to choose from.  For those of you not aware of Minor’s Nursery, I think you will be impressed that a ten acre nursery exists on the city’s northwest side and along the very busy 76^th street.  Plus, they stand behind their products with an impressive guarantee.  Another much larger, local nursery requires you to make a secondary item product purchase to qualify for their guarantee.    

    Or, plan a quaint drive to the Jung’s headquarters in Randolph, WI.  Jung’s owns Totally Tomatoes, Vermont Bean Seed Company, RH Shumways and other catalogues.  Instead of paying for shipping and handling charges for each of these orders, visit the store and get your seeds all at once.  Make sure to have a list of each seed’s catalogue number and price.  Politely, hand your list to the people at the checkout counter and begin your other shopping.  When time permits, the counter person will search for your seeds in the adjacent store room.  Try to avoid busy shopping days or times since they are providing you with a service of convenience.  They also have a great selection of bare roots, onions sets, fruit saplings, garlics, etc in an another adjacent building when the items are closer to their planting times.  You may want to call ahead to see if this building is open for customers.        [Along the way you can also watch the waterfowl return as you pass by the Horicon Marsh.] 

HERB SOURCES

     MOUNTAIN VALLEY GROWERS:  If you are serious about improving your herb garden I would give this supplier a look.  For example, they offer 24 types of lavender and each selection is accompanied with a plant description, growing suggestion, uses or benefits and other plant characteristics for that specific variety.  They do not sell any herb seeds, but do offer them as seedlings.  A great resource for any herbal enthusiast.    

     RICHTERS HERB AND VEGETABLE SEEDS:  Another great source for herbs especially if you are looking for the seeds.  Most herb annuals can be grown from seeds, but keep in mind that many herb perennials are best grown from a mother plant.    

Bruce

     PS:     There are many other choices available when making your seed purchases.  Please feel free to share them with rest of us.  Remember to include why you like them.   You can also visit  Dave’s Garden.  This site has compiled a searchable data base of the sources listed above and many others.