Friday, April 2, 2010

Heirloom Seeds

One of the things I'm most excited about this season is finally having the opportunity to plant some heirloom vegetables. I just received my order from Seed Savers Exchange, a fantastic group of heirloom seed collectors who make their stock available to the public. I plan on trying out four different heirloom tomatoes, two types of beets, and a tomatillo variety, as well. (I also ordered some Holly Hock to give some height to the back of my beds against the fence.)

I'll be very honest and admit that I choose most of the tomatoes based upon appearance, but I also tried to pick varieties that would be suitable for canning. I've heard mixed reviews from friends about growing heirlooms in the area, so I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope for a large enough harvest to keep me in canned tomatoes throughout the winter.


2 comments:

  1. Hey Chauncey,
    The hollyhocks are one of my favorites. I don't know if they will bloom this year but they are so worth it. They keep reseeding themselves. Any word on how to handle the sandy soil? I am going to check into the heavy soil in my garden and see if I can improve my harvest this year. So anyway, this week I start my seeds in the milk cartons. I will keep you posted.
    Tundra Gardner

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  2. I read somewhere that in warmer climates--Zone 7?--you can actually get blooms the first year, so I'm hopeful. We did get a few Holly Hock last year, also. With luck, the wet spring will bring out the survivors and give the new recruits time to grow!

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