The gardening dilemma

[rebeccmeister]

So, here's a photo of Emma helping me out with my dilemma:



So many packets of seeds. So very many. Nowhere to sow them any time in the near future. It's making me wonder - how do other gardeners manage their seeds? I am late in figuring this out, but clearly it makes sense to label them with the year they were acquired. What to do with older seeds, or things I don't see myself trying to grow in the future? Thoughts? I must confess that part of me is tempted to just take the entire lot and dump it into the worm bin. And yet - every packet was acquired with some sort of intention, at some point. Often, the packets remain because I only needed a small number of seeds. Other times, I never had the right space or time to plant the thing. This does not seem like a good way to garden. Too much misdirected energy.

And yet otherwise, things on the porch are looking quite happy:



Here's an exciting corner:


In the background, the bay bush that was looking dead from the frost has re-sprouted. That plant has been a tough fighter, again and again. Bonsai Bay Bush. I have more than enough bay leaves at the moment, so it will have plenty of time to keep on growing. In the foreground, a lavender plant, plus a volunteer tomato, germinated from the worm bin dirt. Sometimes I feel like the worms are bastards for not gobbling up all of the seeds from the vegetable matter I give them. But they make such tremendously good dirt, and the vegetables love it.

Comments

[bluepapercup]

Put the seeds in a box and mail it to me, and make it my problem. ;) Not that I plant things currently, but I have aspirations for my rapidly approaching much longed for underemployed state.

More thoughts:

What is that plant in the foreground with the large roundish leaves with the white veins? It's neat looking.

Bay is neat. I'm glad it's thriving.

And I'm glad you have a garden growing!

[twoeleven.livejournal.com]

Put the seeds in a box and mail it to me, and make it my problem. ;)
Yup. Giving seeds away is easy.

What is that plant in the foreground with the large roundish leaves with the white veins? It's neat looking.
Nasturtium. Ornamental, but the flowers are edible and tasty.

[rebeccmeister.livejournal.com]

There was a seed and seedling exchange in Bryan, and I gave a whole bunch of cool things away at it. But at the time, my seed collection was so disorganized and *I* was so disorganized that I didn't fully realize what I had. So I suspect I might be able to find a similar context somehow in Lincoln...I just haven't found it yet. And certain things in my collection are on the unconventional side, probably not appropriate for Nebraska (Hopi squash seeds, tepary beans).

[twoeleven.livejournal.com]

And certain things in my collection are on the unconventional side, probably not appropriate for Nebraska (Hopi squash seeds, tepary beans).
Somebody will want to give them a try. :)

I try a lot of strange things that are supposed to be marginal in the climate here. Some do really well, though. I have a damp patch in one bed, and I found that camass took it over, even though it's a Pacific Northwest native.

[rebeccmeister.livejournal.com]

Somebody will want to give them a try. :)

My sister-in-law is in southern California, so I'd hoped she would be interested in more of the desert-friendly items, and it sounds like she's interested in at least some of them.

I definitely appreciate the experimental aspect of gardening, having tried to grow so many different things while in Arizona! That said, I feel like it's harder to pass along the more experimental seeds to random strangers without some sort of disclaimer.

[rebeccmeister.livejournal.com]

I've put together a list of what I have, and sent it to my mom, S, sister, and sis-in-law. Once I hear back from the rest of them, I'll revisit the list and will send it to you as well! It will be a great chance to send you a fun package! :-)

[shellynoir.livejournal.com]

Do you do May Day baskets? I think maybe June Day baskets full of seeds and candy would be awesome.

[rebeccmeister.livejournal.com]

That's a totally cool idea! I can already tell that when I ship this stuff off to people the packages are going to feature a good dose of cuteness.

[twoeleven.livejournal.com]

it makes sense to label them with the year they were acquired. What to do with older seeds, or things I don't see myself trying to grow in the future?
Most of the seeds I buy are labelled already, but I suppose it doesn't hurt label other packets. I've also found that seeds remain viable for a long time, though the germination rate falls steadily. (Not a problem for me, since I start seeds indoors and usually need to thin them before transplanting.)

[rebeccmeister.livejournal.com]

I do keep certain seeds in the freezer to extend their longevity, and the thing is that I have a mixture of purchased seeds and saved seeds...so they don't all come with the date already on them.

I tried starting things indoors while living in Texas, but didn't have much success, probably due to a crazy combination of factors (pathogens, too much/too little humidity, not enough light, cat...). So I've mostly given up on that for the time being. I can see how gardening is really a life-long learning experience!

[twoeleven.livejournal.com]

I usually start seeds in miniature greenhouses. There are plenty of plastic kinds, though some are fragile.

[rebeccmeister.livejournal.com]

My hatred of plastic is probably a big part of my undoing in that department. But hmm, I wonder if I could develop a system that uses Mason jars. Probably. I need to remember this idea!

[twoeleven.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm sure the plastics love and forgive you anyway. They are flexible, you know. ;)