Historical February–March 2020 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Wisconsin porn. That’s how a friend describes seed catalogs.
In January and February, the catalogs arrive in the mail.
In the dead of winter, gardeners leaf through them dreaming of the garden to come.
When the seed packets arrive, they contain great promise in a tiny envelope. Understanding the information on seed packets is a necessary skill for any gardener, but there is a lot of information to interpret. Pictures are important because there is such a large number of types of each plant. For instance, over 10,000 varieties of tomatoes are sold.
These vary not only by color and size, but many other factors too. Seeing a picture of the mature plant helps us choose one type over another. And, they’re beautiful. Typically, seed packets highlight what type of seed is being sold. Common types include heirloom, hybrid, organic, and genetically modified. Heirloom seeds are varieties that have been grown and maintained for generations by gardeners and farmers. Heirloom seed can often be collected and regrown the next year. Hybrid varieties will often not remain true to type. Genetically modified types have characteristics that wouldn’t exist without genetic intervention.
They are often proprietary to a company.
Most packets have a text description of the plant requirements that includes sun and water requirements, information about optimal soil types, and the growing zones that are appropriate for the plant. St. Louis is on the border between zones 6a and 6b. Carefully consider these requirements to give your seeds a chance to thrive. Packets also have planting information that can help to successfully start plants.
This includes such things as when to sow outside or start inside, how deep to plant the seed, how many days they take to emerge, how to properly space them and the number of growing days until the plant is ready for harvest or blooms.
It is important to remember that the average last frost date for St. Louis is April 15th. Gardening calendars increase the chances of great results.
Some seeds may have special germination requirements, like cold or damp weather. Also, seed packets include packaging and sell by dates in order to comply with federal and state regulations. Expired seed is still viable but sprouts at reduced rates. Many experienced gardeners use expired seeds and just plant more seeds to guarantee enough seedlings. Local seed companies are the best choice for several reasons. Seed companies often contract with local farmers to produce the seeds best suited to an area.
This means seeds grown in Missouri are suited to Missouri. Locally produced seeds also support the local agricultural industry. Two Missouri seed companies stand out, although there are many in the Midwest. SeedGeeks (seedgeeks.com) is a St. Louis seed company that has been increasing their collection.
They carry many varieties that are well-suited to St. Louis’ climate. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (rareseeds.com) in Mansfield, Missouri, has many types of each vegetable and any rare vegetables as well.
The best start to a great garden happens when you carefully select seeds for your crops. You know best whether Cherokee Purple or Beefsteak are your family’s favorite tomato. And, if you start more seeds than you can plant, the annual plant swap during the Brightside cleanup is a great way to share your bounty. Happy seed shopping!
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, February–March 2020.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2020_02.pdf, printed page(s) 4; PDF page(s) 4.
