Nobody's Mad

Recently we discovered a seed bargain at Safeway: the store was selling off its 2010 garden seeds at four packets for a dollar.  For about $14 we purchased a fine supply for next year and beyond.  Of course we’ll still need additional seeds, but what a find these were!

Mike found many varieties of vegetable seeds, and I found literally dozens of packets of annuals that I can use for flower pots.  I found an abundance of nasturtium seeds that we’ll try in the vegetable garden (for salad) and I even found wild flowers, hollyhocks, and poppies for the cottage at Mariposa.  There are just four kinds of seeds I’ll need additionally for next year: forget-me-nots, portulaca, cypress vine, and miniature marigolds.

I’ve learned recently that seeds do not lose much of their potency in a year or two, so the fact that these seeds were packed for 2010 is not a great disadvantage. That’s been the really important discovery for me.

French Breakfast
Expected germination: 5-7 days
Expected harvest: 23 days

12 seeds

09/03: Planted 1 per cell in 12 cells.
09/15: Planted out 12 seedlings.
10/12: Started harvest. They’ve developed slowly but they’re full-sized, tasty, and not woody.

Parris Island
Expected germination: 7-10 days
Expected harvest: 60-70 days

12 seeds

09/03: Planted 1 per cell in 12 cells.
09/15: Some dampening off. Planted out 8 small seedlings.
09/22: Something has been nibbling baby lettuce nightly. Only 1 romaine (and 2 butter) remain whole.

Bibb / Limestone
Expected germination: 7-10 days
Expected harvest: 57 days

12 seeds

09/03: Planted 1 per cell in 12 cells.
09/15: Some dampening off. Planted out 5 small seedlings.
09/22: Something has been nibbling baby lettuce nightly. Only 2 butter (and 1 romaine) remain whole.

Expected rooting: Unknown

8 cuttings

08/21/09: Planted 1 per cell in 8 cells, using rooting compound.

–MJH