seed sources
Progressive Seed Companies
My favorite seed companies include FEDCO, Johnny's Selected Seeds, High Mowing Organic Seeds and Seed Savers Exchange.
FEDCO is a cooperative and a member of the Open Source Seed Initiative. Johnny's is an employee-owned company and provides high quality seeds for serious growers. High Mowing provides exclusively certified Organic seeds. Seed Savers is a non profit organization whose mission is "to conserve and promote America's culturally diverse but endangered garden and food crop heritage for future generations...". All four have non-GMO pledges.
As my plant offerings have expanded, I also source some of the herbs and more unusual seeds from Strictly Medicinal Seeds.
Seed Saving
I save some seeds myself here on the farm. Tomatoes are an especially easy place to start, if you'd like to save your own seeds. It's an empowering process to learn how and to grow your own seeds, and you take part in an ancient ritual that has kept us alive for thousands of years. Seeds don't have to come from far-away companies!
for your own garden, I also recommend ...
Truelove Seeds
Truelove Seeds offers rare, open pollinated and culturally important seeds grown by a network of small-scale farmers committed to community food sovereignty, cultural preservation and sustainable agriculture. For stories inspiration and a wealth of plant knowlege, follow founder Owen Taylor at seedkeeping.tumblr.com or @seedkeeping.
“What didn’t you do to bury me
But you forgot that I was a seed.”
biodegradable pots
This is what you'll see at the end of the season - no pot, great root system!
Biodegradable pots are a no-brainer. When I worked at other nurseries, the worst job was always sorting and sanitizing plastic detritus in the winter. Plus, plastic pots are made from petroleum and awfully difficult to recycle. When there are options that provide you with stronger plants and even built-in natural fertilizer, why would you not use biodegradable pots?!
How To Plant Your Biodegradable Pot
Plants grown in biodegradable pots are meant to be planted in their pot. Their roots have grown into and through the pot, so removing them from the pot could actually cause damage and transplant shock. No need to break up the pot – The roots are just waiting on contact with soil to grow further.
Used successfully, the biodegradable pots should prevent transplant shock - the phase in which a plant is unhappy after going in the ground and having its roots disturbed.
When you get ready to plant, water the plants well, so that the pots are moist. Make sure that you bury the pot completely, covering its rim with soil. If the pot’s rim remains above ground, it can act as a wick, drawing moisture out of the pot and away from the roots, endangering the plant. If you need to tear some of the rim away, go right ahead.