Sandra asks…
I want to start a garden in the spring….where do I start?
I live in SW Florida, if it makes a difference.
On a canal.
What are some basic steps to begin growing a garden?
GardenersCardiff answers:
Know what your zone is for one, and what will grow in that zone. You can get some free garden catalogs off the internet for ideas. Start off with the easier plants and read up on the various varieties. If there is an agricultural extension center in your county they have should have a Master Gardener to talk to and help you with advice.
Donald asks…
Seeds, bulb & plant catalog?
We used to get a catalog with bunch of plants for sale, but I have no idea what it was called. Anyone know of one?
GardenersCardiff answers:
Stark Brothers, Burpee, Gurneys Seed & Nursery Company, & Park Seed Company were the first catalogs I’ve ordered from years ago.
Stark Brothers http://www.starkbros.com/?fc=1
catalog http://www.starkbros.com/catalog.jsp
Burpee http://www.burpee.com/
catalog http://www.burpee.com/ancillary/catalogrequest.do
Gurneys Seed & Nursery Co
catalog http://gurneys.com/catalog_request_qas.asp
http://gurneys.com/Default.asp?sid=506379&eid=tlp&bhcd2=1205341182
Park Seed Company
cataloghttp://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10101&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&mainPage=CatalogRequest
http://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?catalogId=10066&storeId=10101&langId=-1&mainPage=page1
From Dave’s Garden: “These 30 companies are currently the most highly rated within their database.
Antique RoseEmporium
http://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/
cataloghttp://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/mailinglist.html
Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. Http://www.rareseeds.com/
catalog: http://rareseeds.com/catalog/
Bluestone Perennials
http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/index.html
catalog http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/member/catalog_request.html?id=Sb8TDvyu
Brent and Becky’s Bulbs http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/
catalog http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/spring/helpcenter/catalogue.php
Brushwood Nursery:
http://www.gardenvines.com/catalog/
Buried Treasures http://www.buried-treasure.net/
Chamblee’s Rose Nursery catalog
http://www.chambleeroses.com/ContactUs.html
Classy Groundcovers:
http://classygroundcovers.com/?affl=dg
Direct Source Hostas http://www.directsourcehostas.com/
ECOLAGE: http://stores.homestead.com/ecolage/StoreFront.bok
Forestfarm http://www.forestfarm.com/cart/hardcopy.asp
Garden Crossings LLC http://www.gardencrossings.com/
Garden Store-N-More
http://www.gardenstore-n-more.com/servlet/StoreFront
Gardener’s Supply Company catalog:
http://www.gardeners.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Gardeners-Site/default/Link-Requestacatalog
Hallson Gardens:
http://www.perennialnursery.com/
High Country Gardens http://www.highcountrygardens.com/
Katz Kuntry Kuttins http://www.katzkuntrykuttins.biz/
Lazy S’S Farm & Nursery http://www.lazyssfarm.com/plants.htm
Lee Valley Tools, Ltd.
Http://www.leevalley.com/home/CatalogSelect.aspx?c=2
Logee’s Greenhouses, Ltd. Http://www.logees.com/
Made in the Shade Gardens:
http://www.hostaguy.com/
Oakes Daylilies http://www.oakesdaylilies.com/supplier/home.php?id=s000
catalog http://www.oakesdaylilies.com/supplier/contact.php?id=s000&catreq=1
Old House Gardens – Heirloom Bulbs: , http://www.oldhousegardens.com/
Onalee’s Home-Grown Seeds & Plants:
http://onaleeseeds.bizhosting.com/index.html
Paradise Garden http://www.paradisegarden.com/shop/home.php
Select Seeds Antique Flowers http://www.selectseeds.com/
Sooner Plant Farm (home of Imagine Backyard Trees®)
http://www.soonerplantfarm.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plants/index.htm
Territorial Seed Company http://www.territorialseed.com/
The Tasteful Garden http://www.tastefulgarden.com/store/pc/home.asp
Touch of Nature, Inc.
Http://www.touchofnature.com/
Article on good & bad plant mail-order companies:
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/gardens/plants-by-mail/
Mother Earth News’s Honor Roll of seed companies offering a good, varied selection of open- pollinated vegetable and flower seeds, as well as untreated and/or organically grown seeds:
1. Baker Creek Heirloom Seed
http://www.rareseeds.com/
2. Bountiful Gardens http://www.bountifulgardens.org
3. Cook’s Garden http://www.cooksgarden.com
4. FEDCO Seeds Http://www.fedcoseeds.com
5. Heirloom Seeds http://www.heirloomseeds.com
6. High Mowing Organic Seeds http://www.highmowingseeds.com
7. Johnny’s Selected Seeds http://www.johnnyseeds.com
8. Natural Gardening Co http://www.naturalgardening.com
9. Nichols Garden Nursery http://www.nicholsgardennursery.com
10. Peaceful Valley Farm Supply http://www.groworganic.com
11. Salt Spring Seeds http://www.saltspringseeds.com
12. Seeds of Change http://www.seedsofchange.com
13. Seed Savers Exchange http://www.seedsavers.org
14. Seeds for the South http://www.seedsforthesouth.com
15. Seeds Trust http://www.seedstrust.com
16. Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
http://www.southernexposure.com
17. Sow Organic Seed Co http://www.organicseed.com
18. Territorial Seed Co http://www.territorial-seed.com
19. Underwood Gardens http://www.underwoodgardens.com
20. Victory Seeds http://www.victoryseeds.com
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/2005-04-01/Finding-Great-Garden-Seeds.aspx
Other nurseries & seed companies:
Gardens Alive!
Http://www.gardensalive.com/default.asp?sid=100309&eid=&bhcd2=1205347805
Harris Seeds http://gardeners.harrisseeds.com/catalog.asp
Jackson & Perkins http://www.jacksonandperkins.com/gifts/store/BECHomePageView?storeId=10053&catalogId=10005&langId=-1
https://www.jacksonandperkins.com/gifts/store/BECCatalogRequestView?storeId=10053&catalogId=10005&langId=-1&krypto=Pxq6jEcjtKR3BL9ZfzKXEv01A7lkOpbIanrvmL%2BCvV8Kn8U5ZTIgv33ecrKD%2FHUSI%2FDBW6ei6Ec%3D
Jung Quality Seeds http://www.jungseed.com/
Nichols Garden Nursery http://www.nicholsgardennursery.com/
Plant Delights http://www.plantdelights.com/
Richter’s http://www.richters.com/
Raintree Nursery http://www.raintreenursery.com/
Songsparrow Perennial Farm http://www.songsparrow.com/
Van Bourgondien http://www.dutchbulbs.com/
Vesey’s Seeds http://www.veseys.com/us/en/
WhiteFlower Farm http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/
Brecks
http://brecks.com/category.asp?c=40&sid=714159&EID=112707BR&eicioi=328677&bhcd2=1205338781
Greenwood Nursery
http://www.greenwoodnursery.com/page.cfm/10372
Wayside Gardens
http://www.waysidegardens.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10151&langId=-1&mainPage=toptenpage
Spring Hill Nursery
http://springhillnursery.com/Default.asp?
Mark asks…
How tall can daffodils grow?
Does anyone know how tall daffodils can grow to?
And does anyone know how tall the tallest daffodil was/is?
GardenersCardiff answers:
Well, garden catalogues claim some bulbs grow up to 65cm
If you’re prepared to stake them for support-sure you could make them grow taller.
Last year some of my Lily bulbs which were advertised to grow to 55-60cm grew to about 110 cm’s.
You just need something to lean them against though !
Daffs get blown over by the wind quite easily, and as they seem to flower only at the top, I’m not sure what the advantage would be in havng taller ones….
M : )
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George asks…
I am doing a vegetable garden for the first time, how do I make sure I am watering correctly?
I am doing a vegetable garden for the first time. We rented a rotatiler, then added peat moss. I then planted seeds and tomato seedlings. I have been watering every morning, now I feel like it is too much. The cucumbers have not grown anymore since they popped out of the ground. The green beans lower leaves have turned yellow. I do see some tomatoes and yellow flowers. Any words of wisdom??? Thank you in advance.
GardenersCardiff answers:
There are so many factors involved in gardening it would be hard to actually determine the exact problem this way/Y!A.
1.Most vegetable gardens require FULL SUN which means 6 to 8 hours of sunlight each day.
2. Lack of water or too much water….my suggestion is buy a/ See Below either one or even both this will help you in determining just exactly what you need these can also be learning tools to help you better understand just by looking and touching the soil.
AS FOR FERTILIZER…..you pretty well can’t go wrong with foilage fertilizing/Miracle Gro or
Peters Plant food. Like with all things it can be over fertilized and you wind up with the plants and not the fruit.
PS………….Cucumbers will produce male and female blossoms/the twain will produce cucumbers.
GOOD LUCK!
……Soil Moisture Tester for Plants
PRICE:$18.99
http://www.cleanairgardening.com/moisture.html
……..Soil PH Tester
PRICE:$19.99
http://www.cleanairgardening.com/phtester.html
………Soil Test Kit
Soil Test Kit – $15.99
http://www.outsidepride.com/store/catalog/Soil-Test-Kit-p-16341.html
Why is monitoring your soil important?
Http://www.cleanairgardening.com/soiltester.html
A successful garden starts with the right soil conditions, because all plants have their preferred growing conditions.
The soil pH level will affect how well plants utilize the total nutrients available in the soil. These nutrients are the building blocks the plant requires for successful growth.
Successful growth cannot be achieved with inadequate or improper light amounts.
And even if these three growing conditions are ideal, a garden will not thrive if it is over or under watered.
Maria asks…
What would you want from a gardening website and newsletter?
For my ICT project, I’ve decided to investigate and develop a gardening website, but im not really sure what you would want from one –
What kind of information should I include on the website?
How frequently would you want a newsletter?
Would you want it by post or by e-mail?
Is there any good websites already out there (links please!!)?
and if there’s anything else you want to say about it
thanks a lot
xx
GardenersCardiff answers:
Every area has it’s own gardening challenges. It seems like most gardening advice is for people who live in California, the NorthWest or the NorthEast, and usually the gardens featured in gardening magazines are for people in these areas.
I wish I could find a website and an e-mail newsletter that was more tailored to the climate where I live. Most of the ideas I find just don’t work here! Once a month for the newsletter would be great, with tips on what I should be doing in my garden now. For instance, at pruning time, let me know which trees should be pruned and how to do different kinds of trees.
I think a lot of gardening websites try to give all the information they can cram in, and so a lot of things get skipped over. I think it would be helpful to be more specific, either to a specific geographic location or to a specific type of plant or type of gardening. You would have a more narrow audience, but for those who are needing that specific information it would be great.
Another thought I had, is you could create an individual newsletter for paid subscribers. Basically, I tell you what I have in my garden or landscape that I need help with, and you send me a few newsletters a year with specific information for me. Like, now it’s time to prune your apple trees, here’s how to do it. And now it’s time to divide and transplant your hostas, here’s how to do it. I would love a service like that! To simplify things on your end, you could offer a list of plants or other information you offer, and people could sign up for information from the your list, rather than just receiving requests for information on every random plant you’ve never heard of.
Look up Mel Bartholomew, (I think I spelled that right) he has a flower and vegetable gardening method using raised beds.
Check out High Country Gardens, they sell plants for xeriscaping.
Sites like Burpee have such a wide range of products, that it is often difficult to know if something will really work in my garden, and they don’t offer a lot of advice beyond what is in their catalog and website.
Richard asks…
Where to find a floral dress for a garden wedding?
I’m attending a ceremony for my boss who’s renewing her vows with her husband in a garden ceremony. I’m having such a hard time finding a floral, or garden style dress NOT in black. I’ve tried every store I can think of, can anyone think of any place online or in CT where I can find a great dress?
GardenersCardiff answers:
Here’s a few I found from forever21. They have so many you can definitly find one there.
Http://www.forever21.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=FOREVER21&category%5Fname=dresses&product%5Fid=2050881093&Page=all
http://www.forever21.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=FOREVER21&category%5Fname=dresses&product%5Fid=2050052526&Page=all
http://www.forever21.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=FOREVER21&category%5Fname=dresses&product%5Fid=2049832323&Page=all
http://www.forever21.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=FOREVER21&category%5Fname=dresses&product%5Fid=2048710410&Page=all
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