This is the beginning of a new year, but it will be a long while yet before the outdoor season starts in earnest in the western area. Catalogs are about a month away but a few early arrivals may pique and stir some interest. It is a good time to plan leisurely your activities for the up coming growing season. One should prepare a list of needs of the plants and seeds needed for garden and landscape.
Assess the value of different varieties of flowers and vegetables you grew last year, re-order those that appealed to you and try a few new ones appearing for the first time this year.
But don’t fill your garden with all new ones, it’s always smart to plant a few at a time and depend on tested varieties balanced against a new one or two. This is good insurance, because you might not like the new kind as well.
Some varieties of vegetables and flowers may be limited in adaptability, and may not do so well in your area as in the area where they were developed. Seasonal differences, also, can play an important part in performance of certain vegetable and flower varieties.
Beware of Variations
Another important thing to recognize is that while a certain variety of vegetable or flower is supposedly more or less standardized, there can still be quite a variation in it as it comes from different sources – these differences are often referred to as strains.
Many of our best seed houses recognize this fact and operate trial and test gardens to test strains of seeds. If you expect top quality in your garden (including landscape flowers and vegetables) you must purchase top quality seed to begin with. Buy seed from a reputable source. If you do not believe there is a difference in a variety, try for yourself the same variety from several sources.
Where Seeds Are Grown
Many flower and garden lovers have the idea they should secure garden seeds as close to home as possible, assuming them more likely to be well adapted to the area.
This may be true if the local seed supplier makes a sincere attempt to stock varieties recommended for that particular area and especially if the supplier conducts his own plant trials. However, we must recognize that seed suppliers buy stock from many areas and sometimes even from other parts of the world.
Seed growing is a specialized business. Certain seeds are grown in certain areas of the country because climatic conditions may suit the production of such crops best there. Many flower seeds are produced in California.
Varieties for Your Area
Most land grant colleges and universities conduct vegetable and flower variety tests. Results of these tests are available from county agents and from extension specialists in horticulture. These lists will help you to select varieties for your area.
Garden club members can also help each other by swapping information about the best vegetable and flower varieties tried in their gardens. The same information applies to small and tree fruits, except in this case it is usually desirable to buy nursery stock in your area or in an area with climatic conditions similar to your own. This is also true of ornamental trees, shrubs and vines.
