Yellow torenia

I just got my shipment of seeds from Germania in. I'm trying the new torenia "Lemon Drop". I grow torenia every year and can't wait to see these yellow torenias bloom.

What "new" annuals are you trying this year?

Peggy

I saw those and wanted to try them too! they are so pretty, please post pictures when they are in bloom so we can all see!

I'm trying Papaver setigerum, supposed to be the ancestor of Papaver somniferum. I found these at Chiltern's - been looking for them for years.

What else are you trying from Germania? I was thinking of trying the black pepper.

paracelsus,
The torenia the only thing I'm trying for myself. One of my wholesale client placed a special request for:
Agastache rugosa
Agastache"Golden Jubilee"
Agastache "Licorice Series" Blue and white
coreopsis "Double Sunburst"

Since they buy hollyhocks and foxgloves fast as I can get them them grown off,I also ordered:
Hollyhocks"Chamois"
Digitalis "Camelot Series"

I'm already growing about 8 var. of foxglove for them so I guess you could say I got the "Camelot" 'cause they look so purdy in the catalog*G*

There's lots more I want but I'm a one woman show and I have so much to do now I went light on that seed order. We won't discuss all the plant plugs orders I made this past week..LOL!

P

I'm a foxglove fan myself and have grown a number of the species to sell the seeds and because I just like 'em. Bigred, if I can highjack this thread, how long have you been growing plants for sale? I have a plant-associated mailorder biz and have been thinking about selling a very small number of plants this spring by mailorder, kind of dip my toe in the water. Any advice you have for someone just starting it? I'm a one-man show and intend to pretty much stay that way.

This message was edited Jan 7, 2006 10:28 AM

paracelsus,
I haven't done any mailorder simply because I am a one-woman show and packaging even a few plants for trades can be a royal pain during growing season. I've been growing and retailing 7 years,this year will be my 8th year. Last year I started selling wholesale to a couple of small independant garden centers.I hope to be able to hire one or two part timers this year and am thinking about mail ordering possibly in the future.

My best advice is know your plants,grow a good plant and deal honestly. I don't offer a guarantee on my plants other than if it's mis-labeled...which is usually due not to me but customers taking labels out then just sticking them back where ever.If some ask about a guarantee, I Say"sure,from my greenhouse door to your car door". I have absolutely no idea what someone will do to a plant once they take it home. I've had customers says the didn't get plants they bought in the fall,planted and they just stuck them in the garage and forgot about them.Most consumers have no idea what goes into growing a great plant for their zone takes and why you can't give them another plant or their money back if they kill it. I don't have several thousand sq.ft. of wearhouse full of non-perisable hardgoods to mark up to make up loses in the nursery.Because there are so many super store now they all are under cutting prices trying to beat one another out.

Stepping down from my soap box now...sorry got carried away...LOL

P

Thanks for the advice, bigred. I wondered about the guarantee thing. I have seen some places that do this, and I wondered how they could make a living and what would stop someone from just neglecting the plant to death and then asking for another one free. I get people periodically who claim my seeds are dead because they don't know how to germinate even easy annuals.

I hadn't thought about the fact that the big box stores are actually making their money from the "stuff," not the plants. I know there is no way I could compete with them, but that's okay.

Most people wouldn't want the plants I am interested in selling, so I know I couldn't make it from selling locally, but the people who do want them want them very badly, so I am going to give mailorder and the internet a try. I've been thinking about it for the past three years, but this year I have been organized enough with my seed starting that I think I can actually produce the plants, and I think I've got the shipping thing figured out too.

Yup,it frustrating growing unique perennials but nobody reconizes them so they won't buy them. I love tricyrtis,have about 10-11 var. but hardly ever sell one. Every body wants the same tired old var. of annuals:vinca,impatients,zinnas,marigold,those awful annual begonias and others. I do a few annuals but they have to be out of the ordinanry,south african foxgloves,cat whiskers,lopezia...biennals like foxgloves and hollyhocks,var. lunaria,etc. I don't have anything against the tried and true annuals but it doesn't hurt to throw caution to the wind occassionaly and try something different. But please tell me why everyone is so infatuated w/ those sawed-off snapdragons? I love the tall ones...maybe because I look at all annuals as a cut flower.

P

I really hate those dinky gas-station begonias too.

My web biz focuses on a small niche of seeds, so I hope my choice of plants to grow will make those customers happy. I too get requests for whatever is the most popular bedding plant of the year, but I just direct those people to Burpee.

If you like tricyrtis, have you thought of putting together a website focusing on them? Recently I saw an orchid site that had a page on different kinds of tricyrtis, so there must be some kind of market for it. It's a cool plant. The great thing about the internet is that people who like the same oddball things can find each other.:)

I'm new to this forum. Is Germania a seed company? Is there a link to ehm somewhere?

thanks,
Ann

par,
I'm computer challenged. The best I can do is dail-up,surf and my bookmarks...LOL

ViolaAnn,
They're a wholesale company and while I don't see any restrictions on who can buy,they do sell bulk and most home gardners do not require large amounts of one kind of seeds.

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post email addies for commercial biz so email me privately.

P

Thanks, bigred.

But I would most likely need only a small amount. And not all seed companies can ship to Canada.

Ann

big red
Where do you buy cat's whiskers seeds?I can't find them listed anywhere.
Thanks

babe,
cat whisker's make few or no seeds. I take cuttings from my plants before hard frost,root them in water then in early spring pot them up to plant them out later when weather is stable. They like hot weather and don't start to do much until mid summer here and bloom up until frost.

P