# First 2014 seed catalog arrived today!



## goshengirl

Got my Stokes catalog in the mail - I'm sure the others will start trickling in before long. There's snow outside tonight, but it's a good time to curl up by the woodstove with a catalog and pen and start marking and planning.


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## kyredneck

Love dem seed catalogs. Haven't got any yet. I will though.


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## *Andi

I got three in the last week but as I'm now looking for native Virginia plants... grrrrrrrrrrrrr...

Not so easy to find.


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## goshengirl

*Andi said:


> I got three in the last week but as I'm now looking for native Virginia plants... grrrrrrrrrrrrr...
> 
> Not so easy to find.


I know what you mean. Been trying to do native Ohio plants, and will not break from that for general landscape (we're doing the return-to-the-prairie no-mow thing), but I've weakened when it comes to food bearing items...


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## CapnJack

Waiting for mine. I have two or three coming in. Just hope they get to me as we moved.


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## DontNo4Sure

*Berlin Seeds*

I have been purchasing from Berlin Seeds for 3 years they have a good selection and great prices compared to other seed catalogs that I get. They are located in Millersburg, OH Amish company no website, call them and they will send you a catalog. 1-877-464-0892 I have no associations to this company just a customer.


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## goshengirl

DontNo4Sure said:


> I have been purchasing from Berlin Seeds for 3 years they have a good selection and great prices compared to other seed catalogs that I get. They are located in Millersburg, OH Amish company no website, call them and they will send you a catalog. 1-877-464-0892 I have no associations to this company just a customer.


Good to know - I've been through Millersburg and wanted to get back there again. Beautiful Amish country.


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## Plainsman

I've had 4 catalogs come so far: Stokes, Johnny's Selected Seeds, Pinetree and High Mowing Organic Seeds.

High Mowing has a potato cultivar I'm interested in....German Butterball. I'm told it's tasty and it's marked in the catalog as 'heirloom'....OK I've never bought seed potatoes mail order and I've never saved potatoes to use as seed for the next year.....so I'll try it for the 2014 season.

Yukon gold seed potatoes bought locally have always worked well for me so I guess I'll be cultivating both types.


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## goshengirl

I like German Butterball enough to grow them again. They're good keepers. We grew very few potatoes this past summer, and they were in buckets (so the yield was awful) - but German Butterball was our most prolific.


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## Jim1590

If anyone is awaiting NESeed catalogs, they are starting to show up over past few days. 

Andi and goshengirl, Are there any specific native VA or OH seeds you are looking for? If I cannot track them down, I might be able to find someone who does have them.


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## goshengirl

Thanks, Jim. For the most part, I am researching and always open to learning more. 

There is one thing that's been stumping me, though. I'd really like to get seeds for black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata). I can get huckleberry plants and seeds, but not black huckleberry, and that's the one that's native to Ohio. I don't know if you have any info on seeds for shrubs?


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## RevWC

goshengirl said:


> Thanks, Jim. For the most part, I am researching and always open to learning more.
> 
> There is one thing that's been stumping me, though. I'd really like to get seeds for black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata). I can get huckleberry plants and seeds, but not black huckleberry, and that's the one that's native to Ohio. I don't know if you have any info on seeds for shrubs?


I found black huckleberry on amazon (Solanum melanocerasum) and white huckleberry on youtube (Valkimerous docholidaynasum)


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## Woody

How could I have missed this thread!!!

I also got the first round in early November, Baker Creek and something else, Pinetree maybe? Since then I have gotten others, Totally Tomatoes, Vermont Bean (in Wisconsin no less), the other Baker Creek (Good Seeds), HPS and another one or two I passed along already. No Johnnies yet, this is where I get any herb seeds from. Andi, look at their site for your natives. They have always (in years past anyway) had a great selection of natives to different areas.

The Baker Creek "The whole seed catalog" was the first to arrive. Lots of good information and stories. My biggest reason for ordering from them every year is their fight for non GMO seed stock. They test what they get and reject if positive. Their selection of what seeds we are used to has dwindled due to this. They point this out in one article (yes, a catalog with articles!) that GMO's have infiltrated the open pollinated varieties and clean seed is getting harder to find. This year's catalog had a TON of varieties from other countries, they did some traveling. As an example, they have 40 varieties of eggplant! Melons? This year they went crazy and there are a ton of varieties from around the world. Well worth sending for a free copy.

Totally Tomatoes has a great selection. Yes, many are hybrids but all are marked accordingly. My favorite cherry is still 'Jelly Bean', a hybrid, but every year I try another one to replace it.

HPS (Horticultural Products and Services) is more of a quantity catalog. Mostly flowers and greenhouse supplies but if you need to buy a pound of 'Clemson spineless' okra seeds for $12.95, this is the place to go.

I have not received my Garden's Alive catalog yet. I order any natural pest control products from them. My go-to is Pyola. It is not a 'Raid' drop then dead at first spray kind of thing but really does work. If you have pets and children, check them out for your needs.

I will never bash a company or catalog. Everyone has their preferences, that is why there are so many! I do place an order with any catalog I like to read, to keep them coming. Some have great deals too. Burpee's (which I have not ordered from for a while so do not get a catalog) used to have great deals. Spend $25 get $25 free, or $50/$50, something like that.

It is hard to separate them into 'reading room' and bedroom reading categories, I usually do the bedroom first go-through and then move to the reading room with the green Sharpie at my side. Spring in only a few months away! Winter Solstice is upon us!!!


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## Jim1590

Goshengirl, nope on our side. Got two suggestions though:

Have you tried: http://www.starkbros.com/?

Website did not have them, but they might be able to help.

Also http://www.fedcoseeds.com/

This one might be a long shot. You may have to go from shrub on this one.


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## goshengirl

Thanks, Jim. I buy from Stark and like them, but they don't have huckleberries. As for the other, I could not find Gaylussacia baccata, but I enjoyed looking!  Some interesting stuff there. 

I recently bought (spring delivery) two different varieties of huckleberry shrubs and look forward to planting them. They aren't native, but they're still huckleberries - and I'll just keep an eye out for Gaylussacia baccata. I'm bound to find it sooner or later, may have to dig around in Appalachia a bit...


And Rev, thanks for the heads-up. That garden huckleberry is kind of funky - not a hardy shrub, the way I think of huckleberries. I'm definitely looking for Gaylussacia baccata. Oh, and I'll pass on the white huckleberry, lol. :laugh:


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## oldasrocks

You are so far behind. My seeds have already been delivered!

Doing soil tests now. Just can't actually plant anything for 4 months. waaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaa.


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## goshengirl

oldasrocks said:


> You are so far behind. My seeds have already been delivered!




Actually, I have my seeds, too. I just want more.  It's a sickness, but a good one.


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## crabapple

What the deal with native plants?
Most of the garden seeds & half of the fruit trees are not from North America.
Or are you speaking of all native plant plus the other plant in your garden.
That you want to substitute any non-native plant with native plant of the same kind.
Apples to apples, even if the crabapple is the only native apple in NA.


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## Jim1590

crabapple, a lot of people want to return their land back to what it was. It may be something along the lines of natures harmony. I perfectly understand the people wanting the native fruits and veggies, now the local governments take it a bit far. We sometimes quote out native seed mixes at a $100 + per pound because it needs to have these certain exact species (most you would consider weeds!) I have even seen quote request for invasive species and poison ivy. The landscape architects seem to be a clueless bunch at times. Usually the contractor is trapped into the cost and cannot change the quote if there is no problem seeds. Good for us, bad for the ones that have to pay for it.


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## crabapple

Thanks Jim,
I understand wanting to get back to the way it was, but in my twisted little mind, I saw no plant that was not in the garden before 1776.
I understand that invasive are bad, I am fighting wild garlic from Europe.
I am of the camp of if it grow here & taste good, then grow it.
But to each their own, I have no problem with the wild fruit that grow here.
Back to the OP, I have 3 seed catalogs, but most of mine come in January.


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## Meerkat

We've got about 6 of them so far. Somebody is giving out our address to these people. That's ok I guess long as its just seed catalogs.


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## Woody

If you order from one, they distribute your name along, just the way it is.

I received my R. H. Shumway yesterday. Haven't gone through it yet. Baker Creek is still the top one for reading so far.


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## goshengirl

crabapple said:


> What the deal with native plants?
> Most of the garden seeds & half of the fruit trees are not from North America.
> Or are you speaking of all native plant plus the other plant in your garden.
> That you want to substitute any non-native plant with native plant of the same kind.
> Apples to apples, even if the crabapple is the only native apple in NA.


Can't speak for anyone else, but for my family the native thing is two-fold.

First of all, we're done with trying to make non-native stuff grow. Kinda like the old adage, work smarter not harder. Sometimes non-natives grow just fine, but lots of times they need a lot of attention or, conversely, they take over (all the honeysuckle and multi-flora rose that we're taking out makes me think twice about planting non-natives).

Secondly, we've lived in a number of different regions in the country, and for lack of a better term, the biodiversity just 'calls' out to us. It's part of the culture of each region. We enjoy the idea of preserving the native biodiversity.

That said, when it comes to food-bearing plants, we definitely have non-natives. The orchard is non-native, the veggie garden is mostly non-native. But we're also trying to plant native food-bearers outside the garden/orchard in a more permaculture-like setting. And even in the veggie garden, I like idea of using natives or at least heirlooms with a history in our area, because they'll do well with less input from us. Goes back to the whole work smarter not harder thing.


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## PreparedRifleman73

I'm a territorial seed catalog kind of guy (with my whopping *ONE* whole year of experience). I just received Gurney's and a few others that I have never ordered from before.


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## crabapple

hawkmiles said:


> I'm a territorial seed catalog kind of guy (with my whopping *ONE* whole year of experience). I just received Gurney's and a few others that I have never ordered from before.


hawkmiles, Territorial, Jonny's Selected seeds, Pine tree,Bakers creek & Henry Fields all have delivered what I ordered in good shape, some better then what I had ordered.
But not all the live plant in the cheaper catalog are worth the time to fill out the order form.:gaah: There are 3 different named catalog that have the SAME plants on the same page for the same price & are GREAT deals on paper.
I think it is one source with 3 different names, I throw them out.
Okay I am off my soap box, everyone have a safe & Happy Holiday.


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## CapnJack

Finally mine started rolling in. Got Gurneys and Henry Fields


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## crabapple

Got my Kitazawa Seed Co. Catalog this week.
I am going to try some asian vegetable this year.
Anyone use this seed company?


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