Comments on: How to Read a Seed Packet: What You Need to Know http://lifeonthebalcony.com/how-to-read-a-seed-packet-what-you-need-to-know/ Gardening Tips for Apartment and Condo Dwellers Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:13:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: brigitte wurn christensen http://lifeonthebalcony.com/how-to-read-a-seed-packet-what-you-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-9460 brigitte wurn christensen Thu, 10 Mar 2011 04:17:16 +0000 http://lifeonthebalcony.com/?p=2317#comment-9460 Hi Fern, Yes I see how that could happen. I am going to try the new grafted tomato's this year, I will you know what happens. Thanks Fern for the great advice Brigitte Hi Fern, Yes I see how that could happen. I am going to try the new grafted tomato’s this year, I will you know what happens.
Thanks Fern for the great advice
Brigitte

]]> By: Fern http://lifeonthebalcony.com/how-to-read-a-seed-packet-what-you-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-9426 Fern Fri, 04 Mar 2011 02:36:29 +0000 http://lifeonthebalcony.com/?p=2317#comment-9426 Brigitte--Most of the tomatoes that you buy at the market are hybrids, so the plants that grow from their seeds will not be exactly like the tomato purchased at the store or restaurant. Which is ok, sometimes those plants produce great fruit, but it will be a disappointment if you were hoping for exactly the same tomato. Brigitte–Most of the tomatoes that you buy at the market are hybrids, so the plants that grow from their seeds will not be exactly like the tomato purchased at the store or restaurant. Which is ok, sometimes those plants produce great fruit, but it will be a disappointment if you were hoping for exactly the same tomato.

]]> By: brigitte wurn christensen http://lifeonthebalcony.com/how-to-read-a-seed-packet-what-you-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-9423 brigitte wurn christensen Thu, 03 Mar 2011 15:48:04 +0000 http://lifeonthebalcony.com/?p=2317#comment-9423 For starting seeds I have found the Jiffy seed starter mix works great and its really inexpensive. It is a super lite sand like mixture that is sterile, which is really important. Also it is really easy to save seed. I have a friend who thinks tomato seeds are too expensive so she buys a fresh tomato, the best one she can find, then she scoops out the seeds, puts them in water (for tomatos only) lets them ferment, in a week or so she drains them onto a paper plate, lets them dry and puts them in a little jar until she is ready to plant. Free seeds if you even take them from a salad at a restaurant. Just a thought For starting seeds I have found the Jiffy seed starter mix works great and its really inexpensive. It is a super lite sand like mixture that is sterile, which is really important. Also it is really easy to save seed. I have a friend who thinks tomato seeds are too expensive so she buys a fresh tomato, the best one she can find, then she scoops out the seeds, puts them in water (for tomatos only) lets them ferment, in a week or so she drains them onto a paper plate, lets them dry and puts them in a little jar until she is ready to plant. Free seeds if you even take them from a salad at a restaurant. Just a thought

]]> By: Spring is (almost) sprung- seed info « Susan L. Miller http://lifeonthebalcony.com/how-to-read-a-seed-packet-what-you-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-9419 Spring is (almost) sprung- seed info « Susan L. Miller Wed, 02 Mar 2011 18:17:08 +0000 http://lifeonthebalcony.com/?p=2317#comment-9419 [...] http://lifeonthebalcony.com/how-to-read-a-seed-packet-what-you-need-to-know/ Uncategorized    NEW! Garden Challenge website » [...] [...] http://lifeonthebalcony.com/how-to-read-a-seed-packet-what-you-need-to-know/ Uncategorized    NEW! Garden Challenge website » [...]

]]> By: Sincalir http://lifeonthebalcony.com/how-to-read-a-seed-packet-what-you-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-5789 Sincalir Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:52:26 +0000 http://lifeonthebalcony.com/?p=2317#comment-5789 Great post! I am writing about hardiness and zones today and how to find the hardiness zones on seed packets. I linked your article in my post as a general tutorial on reading seed packets. I love that you chose Botanical Interests packets because I use these seeds heavily. I always use only Heirloom varieties. Great post! I am writing about hardiness and zones today and how to find the hardiness zones on seed packets. I linked your article in my post as a general tutorial on reading seed packets. I love that you chose Botanical Interests packets because I use these seeds heavily. I always use only Heirloom varieties.

]]> By: Fern http://lifeonthebalcony.com/how-to-read-a-seed-packet-what-you-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-5667 Fern Tue, 12 Jan 2010 07:22:28 +0000 http://lifeonthebalcony.com/?p=2317#comment-5667 Evangeline--I'm not sure what Sunset WG is referring to by "planting mix." Any good general purpose potting soil will do the trick. There are specialized potting soils especially for "fruits & vegetables" or "flowers," etc, but you don't <em>have</em> to use one specifically for what you intend to grow. Those soils just come pre-mixed with fertilizers and soil additives formulated for a specific kind of plant. You just want to make sure it says somewhere on the bag that the soil is for containers. Other types of soil meant for an in-ground garden are heavier or too dense, or otherwise unsuitable for containers. Evangeline–I’m not sure what Sunset WG is referring to by “planting mix.” Any good general purpose potting soil will do the trick. There are specialized potting soils especially for “fruits & vegetables” or “flowers,” etc, but you don’t have to use one specifically for what you intend to grow. Those soils just come pre-mixed with fertilizers and soil additives formulated for a specific kind of plant. You just want to make sure it says somewhere on the bag that the soil is for containers. Other types of soil meant for an in-ground garden are heavier or too dense, or otherwise unsuitable for containers.

]]> By: Evangeline http://lifeonthebalcony.com/how-to-read-a-seed-packet-what-you-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-5660 Evangeline Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:55:39 +0000 http://lifeonthebalcony.com/?p=2317#comment-5660 Thanks for this great post! I just bought a bunch of seeds yesterday and am ready to plant. Very exciiting. I went to a class on Saturday and was told it's okay to just use regular potting soil. However, Sunset WG says to use a "planting mix". What's your opinion? Thanks for this great post! I just bought a bunch of seeds yesterday and am ready to plant. Very exciiting. I went to a class on Saturday and was told it’s okay to just use regular potting soil. However, Sunset WG says to use a “planting mix”. What’s your opinion?

]]> By: Kat http://lifeonthebalcony.com/how-to-read-a-seed-packet-what-you-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-5658 Kat Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:34:47 +0000 http://lifeonthebalcony.com/?p=2317#comment-5658 Very helpful article. I love the link on the city's frosts dates. So helpful. Very helpful article. I love the link on the city’s frosts dates. So helpful.

]]> By: Fern http://lifeonthebalcony.com/how-to-read-a-seed-packet-what-you-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-5654 Fern Mon, 11 Jan 2010 05:05:15 +0000 http://lifeonthebalcony.com/?p=2317#comment-5654 Thanks for sharing that tip about weather stations Gigi! Thanks for sharing that tip about weather stations Gigi!

]]> By: Gigi @plangardengal in Twitter http://lifeonthebalcony.com/how-to-read-a-seed-packet-what-you-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-5649 Gigi @plangardengal in Twitter Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:38:12 +0000 http://lifeonthebalcony.com/?p=2317#comment-5649 Helpful article, esp. on seed expiration dates. I sometimes get paranoid with "old" seeds but have actually had success with many seeds even 3 yrs after the packing date, making sure I double or even quadruple the amount sown. It definitely depends on what kind of plant seed you're sowing. BTW you can also use the nearest *weather station* to your town to find out frost dates - really important for areas with significant microclimates due to e.g. mountain and lake effects. Here's a FREE service to get your weather station: http://www.plangarden.com/share/ Type in your ZIP code (or town, country as we have weather stations for Canada and UK), click on "Search" button, then "Get Weather Stations", and then select the closest weather station by clicking on the one nearest to your home. Just remember that Mother Nature is fickle, so neither frost date, soil temp or Zone is a foolproof way to guarantee successful germination! Helpful article, esp. on seed expiration dates. I sometimes get paranoid with “old” seeds but have actually had success with many seeds even 3 yrs after the packing date, making sure I double or even quadruple the amount sown. It definitely depends on what kind of plant seed you’re sowing.

BTW you can also use the nearest *weather station* to your town to find out frost dates – really important for areas with significant microclimates due to e.g. mountain and lake effects. Here’s a FREE service to get your weather station: http://www.plangarden.com/share/ Type in your ZIP code (or town, country as we have weather stations for Canada and UK), click on “Search” button, then “Get Weather Stations”, and then select the closest weather station by clicking on the one nearest to your home. Just remember that Mother Nature is fickle, so neither frost date, soil temp or Zone is a foolproof way to guarantee successful germination!

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