Free Seed for Newbees "Newbee beginning!!"1/14/2013

Where qunofdsgn leaves off Al steps in he is the tomato King!! I save my seeds every year Bells, but Al is a real tomato grower!!

One of my favorites was the Costoluto Genovese tomato grown from heritage Italian seeds by Pagano. They were a little odd and lumpy shaped, but delicious to eat and a great seed saver.

I still have a few seeds left if anybody wants to try something different.

Al

Thank you everyone! What a welcome! I am so glad I joined :-)

I guess I needed to realize why I was holding back from adjusting to the move. I am feeling better and I am ready to start a new garden.

I am going to inventory my seeds today (so I can send seeds/get seeds), start my seeds, and we are going to prepare soil and make a plan :-)

My hubby understood when he said that I just needed to put a plant in some dirt for therapy...lol.

I will DMail you wonderful SoCal Gardeners that offered seed.

Thank you fellow gardeners and Dave's Garden!

Me too RJ, I plant pretty much all seed I find here, there and everywhere to see what happens. Sometimes the results are great, sometimes just ok. Still fun trying. Lycodad, those are gorgeous tomatos! I am experimenting with some I purchased wilt/heat resistance, some wild Florida Everglades mini teeny tomato (pea size/marble) and some Romas and a few others for the heat that everyone sent! I wonder if your Genovese would grow here in north Florida? I did not have luck with my old standbys, last year, but I think I planted to late for here. Tomatos grow in the winter mostly. My neighbor has some big ones put in this fall, so strange for me! I totally get butterfly4mama situation. Totally different soil and time schedule, but I'm really learning to love all the variety here. I did still have a good bunch of tomatos, but had to pick a lot green because of the heat. Happy Gardening
Picture of sprouts-they are growing! Thanks

Good morning Robin
I just thought I'd stop by this morning to see how this sign up is going. I don't see many names. You'll have to crank this up we only have about a month and a half to go my friend. Tell you what I'll do. If you can get me a total of at least 20 names I'll throw in another box of irises for a second winner.

There is your challenge Robin. You may have to get some help from your "seed junkies" to reach that total.

Large Priorty box of named bearded irises. I'll try to get many different colors and some patterns for you. Red, blues, whites, yellows, oranges, blends, bicolors, plicatas, or self..........Most will be the Tall bearded irises but there may be a few of the shorter irises too. Any many as I can get in the box. I'll send along instructions in each box.

What do you say......are you up for the challenge ???????

Mit

Ya know Bell, I have only grown tomatoes once from seed (last year), and I direct-sowed the seeds right into their containers about the end of May or so. I'm really a lazy gardener. =)

Good Morning,
I am always up for a challenge my friend!! Pass the word everyone!! Send in your name and envie to get your free seeds and you name goes in the hat for a big and beautiful Iris draw!! Two people win!!

Could I mention that if you are in zones 8 and 9 you send your requests to me, the other zones go to arejay.

You sure can RC and I put it in the directions at the top of the thread also.

What's the deadline for getting seeds to you?

No deadline oh the iris draw? The first day of spring!!

Would I ever love to win those irises. That would do me perfectly!! If I win mail to U.S. Address. lol I'll sneak them over in the dead of night.lol Sandra

Us address it is!! Good luck!!

RJ,
I don't know what I was thinking! Count me in on the Iris draw. If I win I will give them to daughter in lovely in Alabama. She will share right back if need be:)! Also, Speediebean me too lazy, plant everything I can straight out! Goober_Fairy sending your seed out, hope you have good luck. Butterfly4mama sending you some, too, good luck! Happy Gardening!

Of course, it started to rain once I watered my plants today, LOL!

Passionflower vines are going bezerkers, Meyer Lemon tree is smelling sweet, and both my Mme Alfred Carriere and Ingenious Mr Fairchild roses are putting up buds.

Set four new tomato plant seedlings out to harden off, who knows if I'll have the room for them, but it sure is fun to try. I also scored some dry bamboo to use for stakes, and a folding-type fence to break apart into trellising.

And all of my new neighbors have found out I'm "the plant girl" so I have tons of space to play in.

Now, if I can convince the puppy to stop trying to eat bees, and the neighbor to stop their rooster from crowing all day and night, I'll be set for spring!

FYI~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The newbie seeds are growing growing growing!! Very generous donating!!! Thank you!! XO

Did someone ask me for Cleome?

Cleome

Oh those are soooo beautiful!!! Nooo, I didn't ask, just complimenting. :)

Hey everyone:). Planted monkey grass all day! The cleomes are beautiful, hubbies favorite! Sprouts are growing:)!!!!!!!
Picture in front - Francesca's favorite spot to hide, under the ginger.

Oh I am jealous fresh ginger!!! Do you grow turmeric too?

Bellsp- is the ginger the large leafed plant in front of the tree? Will it grow from a piece of root from the grocery store? Is any part of the plant edible other than the roots? To harvest you have to pull up the whole plant take some of the roots and replant? if this is the case I am interested in growing this even if I had to do it in a huge pot during the winter. sandra

I started growing horseradish last year nothing to harvest yet, but that is the same kind of root as ginger and that is how I do it Sandra.

Would starting ginger from a root from grocery store work?

Yes I do think it would. You can start for instance lemon grass from a root from the grocery store. Probably turmeric too

RJ and Sandra thanks, but I have no idea what type of ginger it is. Our little cottage had that, rose crinum, Easter lilies, spider lilies, elephant ears and a couple of Florida bluebells and that was pretty much it. Ivan wiped the rest away! I would love to know if it is the kind I can eat! I also have one fairly sure of ID, butterfly ginger. I grow things all the time from the store! I love to hear about the lemon grass! I'm going to try that. I do have an update on the 'Burger King Special' tomatos - they are vigorously growing! As good or faster than my other tomatos. I pulled these out of a whopper-no kidding! I can't wait to see what kind of tomatos they produce:). I have a closer picture of the ginger below if anyone can see it better? I wouldnt want anyone to think they could eat it if it is the wrong kind? Thanks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger
A couple of ginger links

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/ginger/growing-ginger.htm

RJ, Thanks, I'll check that out:) and maybe go dig a piece up and look at the root/tuber?

Okay here's pictures of the top, roots and all. This is of a new plant that I pulled up in front to have a look at. My old ones in the back yard are older and have the 'grocery store' looking root. I really just loved the green clumping foliage. How funny that I didn't think of 'grocery store-edible' ginger? I'm still don't know. I haven't noticed a bloom? Mine in back is about 11/2' tall. I hope it is the edible variety, but will have to be sure before I say so. I think the best for edible is to get some at the grocery store. I read on the link that you can get it at the store and soak the root and plant in compost rich, moist, warm soil (rainy,spring) and it was fairly easy to grow. It likes shade to part shade and humidity. I would appreciate any help with accurate ID. When it's not getting dark out I could dig a big root out back and photo.

mitchesgarden, I think you would have to keep in a pot in Ohio? But, since it is harvested in the fall after the leaves die maybe you could keep digging the edge roots and keep it small? I think it mentioned that it takes about a year for the root to get big enough to harvest. One site mentioned the butterfly ginger has an edible flower, but I'm not going to try mine, I'm just not that sure on ID:)
I guess me and you and RJ will be running to the store! I'm always growing stuff from there. My chayote has no sprout, yet. . .
Happy Gardening
Bellsp
Also, good spot on my picture!

Hi, I sent my bubble mailer at the beginning of last week. Have your received it yet Robin?

Bellsp- lol I would definitely have to keep it in a pot or atleast repot it every Fall because I'm in Ontario, Canada not Ohio. If I were in Ohio, it wouldn't take me long to pack up and get out of this cold! I would be moving south in no time at all.lol We all have our crosses to bear and one of mine is being born in a cold climate country. (and not having enough money to afford two homes!) For A more positive ID ,maybe DG plant identifiers could help you or your local garden centers or plant nurseries. Just a thought. Sandra

Does it smell like Ginger Bells? Jenipa I did get your envie and I filled it and it is on the way back to you!!

I was web site grazing this morning and found this. http://www.underwoodgardens.com/germination-guide/
just a little info for seed starters!!

Bells this woman grows ginger and she is fun to read she is on Facebook too if you use it. http://pickmeyard.wordpress.com/
She has photos that look like yours

Thanks RJ I'll check that out and mitchesgarden thanks, too! I'll be trying to get a positive ID. This was an older military community that we moved to, so it is possible that one of the wives planted it a moons age ago:). We love it here, the Blue Angels do their practice flights across the bay from us and I can't tell you the chills it gives to not only see them flipping and looping through the sky, but actually feel the roar of their engines as they zoom over my roof so close I can see the cockpit! I just adore the Blues and I really hope they don't cut back on them. We have a fantastic airshow over the Pensacola beach. It is unreal! They fly upside down across the water and i swear to you it looks like they are skimming the waves, they get that close! Plan a trip and visit pensacola when they have a show going. Pensacola is laid back and a best kept secret (our beaches are sugar white and a mile wide, clear water, shells, dolphins, rays, pelicans, seafood! Gee, maybe the public relation people should be paying me. The cost of living is low . . . Maybe you can afford that second home after all:) Mitchesgarden I'm sorry I thought you were from Ohio-that's what happens when I don't wear my glasses and use this little phone to read off of. My dear gardening friend Elsie is from Canada. She's been here over 30 years. Her and her husband of 55 years love it down here. I wish you could afford to have 2 homes, too. I had a friend who toured Alaska one spring, she said there were wildflowers growing on top of frozen tundra! And I've heard the cabbages get to be monsters! I guess every place on earth has certain plant perks. My dad and mom, aunt and uncle traveled Canada and said it was gorgeous!
Well, you guys have a great gardening morning!

RJ,
Thank you! My ginger does smell very gingery. I may try taking it to a nursery. Terrific website. It was great! I love that families pigeon peas (huge bush) and I'm going to check, but I think you guys sent me the calabaza squash and it is in one of my cups. Yea! I have to rush off to check, soooo cool! I also have to have those cosmic red carrots from bakers creek, gorgeous!!!!! Wish I had her cute goats! Has anyone had a sighting of Charley and his girls lately?
Picture of yellow daisy they plant around condos down here and I saw this growing loose on a bank owned lot- not sure yet what it is, but i snagged a few seeds. It mounds and spreads. The bananas are hanging on neighbor Elsie's plant. I had a bunch, but already cut mine:). They only get about 4-5", pretty good fresh, excellent in banana bread:). The pendulous (ha ha) red blossom is so unusual to me. They are quite heavy and each large fleshy red petal peals back revealing these small tubular yellow blossoms that form the bananas later on. Before moving here I had never seen anything like it. I'm fascinated, but it seems most everyone here takes them for granted:). My friend gave me a kumquat tree and I can hardly wait for it to fruit. I had heard they were sour, ( I was planning on using for jams only) but hubby brought 3 tiny ones home from a job and they were small, but scrumptious little treats (dead ripe) to me.

Also, lycodad mentioned costoluto Genoese tomato. I was sent some constoluto fiiroentino tomatos, can't wait to see what they do.

Picture of some tomato sprouts and one unknown medium sized orange skinned pumpkin! I just love surprises:)
It's raining here - just watching the seeds grow!

Looking for Begonia seeds. (@-@)
U