IN RETROSPECT,

Mail order seeds
Start planning now for seed planting next spring

{ can see where some may have

thought me a little premature with last week’s article ad-
dressing the safe purchase of seeds. In reality, there are
few tasks in this life that fit the age old question, ‘‘Why
wait for spring, do it now’’ better than does the purchase

of seeds.

As I have often said, good
tesults are preceded by good
planning. If you are planning on
planting a few seeds next spring,
siart your planning now; there is
much ro do. Walking into the
grocery store and snatching up a
few packs on impulse next May

. doesn’t cut it.
What better time to make deci-
-. sions as to what plants to grow
. Next year than at the end of the
last season? What worked, what
' didn’t, and what great ideas did
you have for next year? Don’t just
write them down in a journal; act
on them.
I admit, there are few (if any)
stores carrying next year’s seed
this early, but they will begin
 seceiving shipments soon, so get in
_. line. Make a list and then give a
‘copy Of it to a local merchant that
you trust. Remember, you are
looking for someone you fee! con-
fident will do everything possible
to fill your. order with fresh,
Canada No. | seed.

Better yet, why not order jn a
few seed catalogues and really

“H INALIAN MARBLE COFFEE
TARLES ¢ many stylesicolo

Geoff
Tobiasson

OVER THE GARDEN GATE

have some fun? Looking through
the first of my seed catalogues, I
counted. no less than 38 AIll-
America Award Winners, seven of
which were 1992 selections. I
doubt you will see any of these
for sale at your local garden cen-
tre, let alone the Super Shop or

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what-have-you.

Mail order seed companies pro-
vide an invaluable service by pro-
viding the home gardener with the
best selection of high-quality seed
and garden accessories at very
reasonable rates.

The problem is that we are los-
ing them. Even when ihe lawn and
garden industry as a whole is ex-
ploding, mail order companies all
across the country are teetering on
the brink of failure.

In ever-increasing numbers,
consumers are turning toward the
purchase of finished products. We
can now include bedding plants in
this list of sundry ‘‘processed*’
goods available in today's mar-
ketplace. If you are looking for-
ward to the advent cf the Swan-
son’s TV Garden, so be it; 1, for
one, am not.

The problem with buying bed-
ding plants is that what we receive
is not always what we are after.
Commercial growers seldom con-
cem themselves with providing
new varieties or even the most
suitable varieties for their area.
Their concerns are price of seed,
ease of growing in the greenhouse
environment and the ability to
produce a saleable product. It is
nice when this leads to an attrac-
tive garden plant but not always
necessary.

Mail order addresses

TRY ORDERING your seeds from these companies

and support mail-order businesses:

@ Alberta Nurseries & Seeds Ltd. (403) 224-3544
Box 20, Bowdon, Alberta TOM 0KO

@ Becker’s Seed Potatoes (708) 724-2305
RR I, Trout Creek, Ontario POH 2L0

@ Dominion Seed House Ltd. (416) 873-3484
Georgetown, Ontario L7G 4A2

@ McFayden Seed Company Ltd. (204) 727-3788
Box 1800, Brandon, Manitoba R7A 6N4

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