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The New Seed-Starters Handbook (Rodale Organic Gardening)
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About The New Seed-Starters Handbook
Product Description Starting plants from a seed grants earlier harvests, greater variety, healthier seedlings, lower costs, and the undeniable sense of satisfaction and reward. For the most complete, up-to-date information on starting plants from seed, turn to The New Seed-Starter's Handbook. Written by a gardener with 30 years of experience, this updated, easy-to-use reference explains everything you need to know to start seeds and raise healthy seedlings successfully. You'll find: - The latest research in seed starting - The best growing media - The newest gardening materials - Solutions to seed-starting problems - Source lists for seeds and hard-to-find gardening supplies The robust encyclopedia section lists more than 200 plants—including vegetables and fruits, garden flowers, wildflowers, herbs, trees, and shrubs—with details on how to start each from seed. About the Author Nancy Bubel has written for Organic Gardening, Mother Earth News, Country Journal Magazine, Horticulture, Family Circle, Woman's Day, and New Shelter magazines. A life member of both the Seed Savers Exchange and the Friends of the Trees Society, she lives in Wellsville, PA. Jean Nick is a lifelong organic gardener, sustainable farmer, scientist, author, and environmentalist. She has been writing about organic gardening and healthy lifestyles for the better part of three decades from her organic sheep farm in rural Bucks County, PA. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. SECTION ONE STARTING SEEDS INDOORS To own a bit of ground, to scratch it with a hoe, to plant seeds and watch the renewal of life–this is the most commonest delight of the race, the most satisfactory thing a man can do. –Charles Dudley Warner WHY START YOUR OWN PLANTS FROM SEEDS? Security and adventure might be considered opposites in some situations, but the gardener who raises plants from seed can experience both. Security–that confidence in the future that springs from one's own ability, forethought, and preparation–and adventure–the soaring sense of "anything is possible" and "there are so many interesting things to try"–are well known to those who grow new varieties, experiment with new methods, and save their own seeds. Skill in raising vegetable plants from seed is the very cornerstone of gardening independence. Choice of seeds and careful handling can bring you not only earlier harvests but also better vegetables. You can select varieties of food known to keep or process well so that the winter season, for which we gardeners are always planning, will be a time of abundance. Likewise, good eating will be yours all summer long from the selection of fresh vegetables you've planted for their superior quality. THE REASONS I suspect that I'd continue to raise my own seedlings even without a good excuse, because I enjoy the process. But when I stop to think about it, I realize that there are all kinds of good reasons for growing one's own plants from seed. Earlier harvests. You can get a much earlier start in the garden, and therefore put fresh food on the table sooner, when you've grown cabbage, tomato, eggplant, and pepper plants indoors for setting out when weather mellows. The sooner you can begin picking from your garden, the greater your yield for the year. Greater variety. Varieties of plants offered by commercial seedling vendors represent but a tiny fraction of the possibilities open to you as a gardener. Buying started plants severely limits your options for raising vegetables of special flavor, insect or disease resistance, or extra nutritional value. If, for example, you want to grow late-blight-resistant tomatoes such as 'Plum Regal', 'Mountain Magic', and 'Mountain Merit', you'll have to start with seeds. Looking for special gourmet foods like globe artichokes, watercress, or Japanese melons? It's back to the seed catalogs. Peppers that are hot, but not too hot? Start your own Hungarian wax plants. Deliciou
