Gardening Seeds Guide

I recently came across an interesting article called, "Quick Tips for Gardening With Seeds" which provides some basic, foundational advice for planning your next seed-sown garden. This brief, but compelling piece by writer, Peyton Hines, provides a few basic hints to get you started. If you've always "cheated" with seedlings or cuttings, I hope you'll be inspired to read his tips and follow his advice. 

Why should such an article be necessary?  Isn't the process  as simple as throwing seeds on soil, adding a top layer of soil, watering and praying?  I always thought so!  Of course, as a child, I was overjoyed when I saw the first few sprouts from my cucumber plants poke out through the Spring soil.  It didn't matter, nor did I care, that for every ten seeds I planted, perhaps only one or two germinated and matured.  Now that I'm older and supposedly wiser, I not only want a better success ratio of seeds to plants; I also want healthier, more vital flowers and vegetables. I wondered if this was too much to ask.  Fortunately, the answer is 'no.' Armed with a dollop of education and bit of strategy, nearly anyone can fulfill their destiny as a horticultural Tom Thumb. 

Seed Saving & Growing Techniques

Did you know that from 1984 to 1987, 54 out of 230 seed companies in the US and Canada went out of business?  The result was 943 non-hybrid varieties becoming unavailable or extinct! Fortunately, individual gardeners who plant from seed are helping to prevent this decline as they save their own seeds from non-hybrid varieties.  These varieties can grow exceptionally well in the right areas and produce delicious results which can be grown year after year from home-grown seed. 

Need advice on how to gather and plant seeds on your own?  I recently came across a well-reviewed and highly-rated paperback called 'Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners' by Suzanne Ashworth.  This book is  a perfect reference for anyone interested in seed saving from vegetables, and is targeted towards both the beginning gardener and experienced grower alike.  Without knowing anything about seed saving, the book will take you 'from soup-to-nuts.'  Filled with easy-to-understand techniques and information on seed saving, you'll get a feeling of empowerment as you learn new skills and growing techniques.  In short, it is a very detailed and definitive resource of seed storing and growing information.