Where do you guys buy your seed? I bought most of mine at Big R and a few a Wally World. My local nursery went from selling plants and flowers to pretty much all trees now. I use to buy some from a local greenhouse but there plants are about double what the farm stores are. I was going to order some seed from Burpees but when I got to the end shipping was too much. Guess Im a cheap azz.....lol h.h.

I buy all my seed at Gurneys.com and I have never had a problem with the seed. Right now they have a deal of $25 off an order of $50 or more. After taxes and shipping it still saves you a little. Also right now I think all seeds are 50% off for a short time. I don't buy seeds at a big department store - just my mindset.

I buy all my started plants at an Amish place near my house.

I hope to build a small greenhouse and start all of my own plants this Spring or next.

We buy most of our bean seed, potato sets at a local nursery, might cost a little more but we are sure it is fresh seed.

Wife buys a bunch of lettuce, tomato,pepper,squash and flower seeds at Menards for about a dime a pack, all of it has been good seed. If you look at those seed packs they have dates on them, packaged or use by....

Cox's Plant Farm
6360 S Co. Rd. 0
Clayton, IN 46118
They are located on
U.S. 40 just
West of Indianapolis
call for directions!!

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...F&ei=DUAQUbzmC-K9ygGF4oDoDA&usg=AFQjCNF jQ4snuhJR-4wus74N6dxIK8EFvg

They have one of the largest lawn &
garden centers in Indiana

@Bryan...I haven't had much trouble so far. Getting it started seems to be the issue. My crowns I purchased were 3 years old. They like heavy fertilizer and mulch/compost. This will be my third spring with it. Pretty much just let it grow and cut. Repeat. Once it starts crowning you can almost watch it grow. They say once it gets established it'll go crazy. I could eat it with every meal. My kids like it even more than me. Our local nursery sells out of the crowns fast so I'm gonna buy a ton this year.

Rest of the seed for the year bought and going to add raspberries to this mix this year. Wifey wants to make some jams. Also have the plan to make my own greenhouse in the backyard. That should be an adventure.

Getting ready to get cold frames out and start lettuces in a few weeks.

Come on warmer weather.

Im building a cold frame tomorrow. A friend gave me an old window to use. h.h.

Bean
E-Mail me. I may be able to help you out on the greenhouse.
Bill
wnm@lightbound.com

Bean, I had a 10 by 10 greenhouse about 10 years ago. I had a wood frame and bought double walled poly urethene for the sides and top. Now, the crap was expense and I'm sure there is a much cheaper way. I had a gable type roof and had a temperature control exhaust fan. I could go on at great length about how much stuff I grew in that darn thing, including growing certain types of beans from styro floating beds like they use for starting tobacco seeds. In the summer though, it got too hot for almost everything I didn't mess with an air conditioner. A greenhouse is one dang cool thing to have. Send pictures when you've got yours done.

What is the advantage to using a raise bed and how tall should it be to be most effective?

The advantage is for people who live in an urban area and don't have the equipment to till a garden. You build a box and pour dirt in it.

The ones I see are at least 12" deep and most are 18", you don't want to hinder root growth. Make them as long as you want but don't make them over about 4 foot wide, you need to reach the center without standing inside. Don't use treated lumber on them!

The raised beds are also nice for the elderly. Built at the right height a person can work at them while seated in a chair or wheel chair.

Asparagus is about the easiest thing to grow. No work at all. First year or so you will get very little but after that you will get more than you can eat.

Why not treated lumber?

There ya go Weedy!!!! PERFECT for you!!! :p

That'll be 4 HMs and a Snickers...

You don't want the chemicals leeching into your soil.

Cedar works great.

I know guys that put raised beds on trailers an pull them in an out of the barn when it is going to get cold.

Some treated lumber has Arsnec(sp) in it. WNM can better explain it as he was in treated lumber businees.

Started some seeds inside with my new grow light setup. Got alot more to do but am going to wait a bit. Just planting cool season stuff now.

WOW bean! That's a whole new level of gardening!!!!

Clean them extension cords up!

YES SIR!!!! Already done.

Nice setup. I started some seed two days ago. Saw something a Rural King today, starter heating pad for seed trays. Priced at 25.00. It fits one tray. Thought about buying it for a minute and then walked on. h.h.

HH I am doing this:

http://doorgarden.com/02/home-made-bottom-heat-seed-starting

I am going to size it down and will fit 2 trays and will cost 10.00. I have stuff already to make it except the light.

In the past Iv used an old VCR for a heat pad. I set the flat on top. It worked but did have a hot spot. Walmart just had all their Christmas lights on sale might go browse around and see if I can find those rope lights. Thanks for the tip Bean, h.h.

So, hows every ones seeds coming along?

I started Better Boy, Roma, Cherry and Mortgage Lifter tomato seeds the first of March. I had to replant the Better Boy and Lifter seed again yesterday, the first batch didnt come up. I think I had it too hot in the seed greenhouse i made out of an old aquarium. I cut the heat back to 70 degrees.

The Cherry and Roma's are doing fine and I have them in a south window. h.h.

I planted 36 pepper plants and have them in the window sill, they are about 4-5 inches tall and appear to have stopped growing. Is this do to the cold temps(the area around the windows gets pretty chilly)? Once the outside temps warm up will they take off again?

Recon, Put a thermometer next to the plants and see what temps are. Moisture usually is the culprit, too wet and they grow tall and skinny, too dry and they just sit there. h.h.

My guess would be heat and moisture.

The soil is moist, maybe too much. I don't have a thermometer to use, I'll take a pic and put it on here. Should I move them out of the window????

The soil doesn't seem overly wet, but the container and soil is cold

I'm betting it is the temp, add a some type of heat and see if they improve.

I have not planted any seeds yet I always wait until after March 20 for my plantings. Not only doe you need to concern room or hot bed temp but also outside soil temp. May 15 to June 15 is perfect time to plant in garden.

Plant a tomato or pepper on May 1st and another of same variety in late May, both will produce fruit at same time. It is all about soil temps.

Recon - go to walmart or menards and buy you a 6' rope light and set you plants on it. My plants exploded when I did that. It gets warm but not hot and is waterproof. I bet you will see a difference.

Jb- yea I thought I was being slick and after last year I thought the outside temps would be above 30 by now. Ill try the rope light and let you all know the out come.

Lets talk asparagus now. Anyone with experience chime right in. Going this weekend to buy my cedar for some raised beds? But would like to start an asparagus patch for next year.

Anyone using their cold frames yet? h.h.

Been using mine for a few weeks. Getting ready to put some more in them when I am able to do so.

Bean, temps here dip into the mid-low 20's at night, isn't that too cold for plants? Ive got a window full of small tomato sprouts but Im afraid to set them out in a cold frame. I hate to lose them and have to start over. h.h.