Video - Trip to the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company Store in Petaluma, CA

Video - Marigold Seed Selection

Seed Company & Victory Garden Posters

Victory Garden Poster

D.M. Ferry & Co.

D.M. Ferry & Co.

Planting Guide from Urban Farmer

Planting guide available from Urban Farmer's site.

Guide provides information on choosing seed varieties, planning, sowing and transplanting for vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Tables are included for specific information on different varieties such as seed sowing depth, planting dates, days to maturity, along with soil and lighting requirements.

Link to Planting Guide: http://www.ufseeds.com/Garden-Planting-Guide.html
Online Catalog and Catalog request available at Urban Farmer's homepage:
http://www.ufseeds.com/index.php

MyNature Tree versus Leafsnap Apps

Video comparing MyNature Tree versus Leafsnap Apps:

Print your own seed packets

The following link provides a quick and simple template to print your own seed packet labels:
http://www.gardensablaze.com/SeedsPacket.htm

This is a great solution for the avid gardener who collects their own seeds.

It's time to save those seeds

Vivian Shoalts is a master gardener and an accredited horticultural and floral design judge. With the arrival of August, Vivian shifts her attention in a recent article to the traditional practice of collecting and saving seeds from the past growing season.

"This is not rocket science. It just takes a little attention to detail for the reward of pleasure one gets from watching new plants grow from seeds saved last year" says Vivian in her article. The article further describes the need to understand a plant's lifecycle, in order to collect seeds at the appropriate time, the proper cleaning and storage of seeds.

Once collected, "Spend some time during the winter reading up on the best way and time to start them for spring."

Read full article at the Welland Tribune site>

Seed safety

By Mark Moore

Manufacturers of new seed treatments say they now do more than just protect the value of the seed.

As the value of seed goes up, so does the market for seed treatments.

“Producers are looking at every option to protect their valuable seed investment,” says Charlie Hale, product manager, inoculants, Becker Underwood. “Seed treatments offer a wide range of protection against diseases and pests that can reduce yield. In addition, there is a growing list of seed-treatment tools that show promise for improved plant performance that don't necessarily provide disease or insect protection.”

The new treatments now include nematode protection, improved plant health and protection from environmental stresses. Read more>

New Mexico: Native Plant Society hosts noted botanist

William A. Weber, a noted botanist, world traveler and professor emeritus at the University of Colorado in Boulder, will talk about mentoring young botanists during his keynote speech at the annual meeting of the Native Plant Society of New Mexico in Taos, Aug. 6-9. The meeting also features a trip to the Aldo Leopold house, a garden walk with landscape designer Judith Phillips and other trips to explore Rio Grande riparian areas and sub-alpine sites at Wheeler Peak. Weber, who turns 91 in November, is a noted naturalist and lichen expert. He has named dozens of the little symbiotic joinings of fungi and algae or cyanobacteria. Weber, who speaks several languages, has published or edited more than 20 books and 200 scientific papers. The Native Plant Society of New Mexico works to educate people about the importance of native plants. Workshops at the annual meeting will cover such topics as seed collection and propagation, grass identification and photographing native plants. To register, contact Ann Smith at 575-737-9611. The annual meeting will be at the Best Western Kachina Lodge in Taos. Rooms are available by calling 575-758-2275.

S.F. native's quest to fill city with natives

Patricia Yollin, Special to The Chronicle

Greg Gaar sounded like an air traffic controller who'd just spotted the biggest plane in the world.

"Here's a butterfly coming in right now!" he shouted. "It's a red admiral."

The butterfly had come to the right place: The Haight Ashbury Neighborhood Council's Native Plant Nursery lures all kinds of wildlife to the southeast corner of Golden Gate Park. Gaar, however, would like to attract more humans to the undertaking he started five years ago.

"I want people to know that we exist," said the 61-year-old ecologist. "My main problem is marketing - it certainly is not propagating plants."

Read more:

N. Idaho seed farm produces native plants

www.agweekly.com

MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) - A seed farm in northern Idaho is producing native plants and seeds to meet a demand from people who want to restore native vegetation.

"We've got landowners who are trying to re-establish prairie on their land,'' said Jacie Jensen, who with her husband, Wayne, started Thorn Creek Native Seed Farm three years ago.

Read more:

Nufarm Making Move in Seed Treatment

www.agweekly.com

Nufarm Americas Inc. introduces several new seed treatments to protect seeds and young crops from insects, stress and disease.

Read more:

Wash. prisoners plant seeds for conservation

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- When the Nature Conservancy and The Evergreen State College needed a lot of labor for not a lot of money in order to help preserve a pristine piece of wetland, they ended up turning to Stafford Creek Prison, of all places. Read more:
Wash. prisoners plant seeds for conservation Source: seattlepi.com

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Hawaii seed crop businesses worth $146M - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

Hawaii companies that grow plants for seed generate $13.8 million a year in state tax revenue, according to a new economic impact study released Friday. The study, commissioned by the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, found the local seed crop industry is made up of 45 companies that run farms or other facilities on Oahu, Kauai, Molokai and Maui. Read more:
Hawaii seed crop businesses worth $146M - Pacific Business News (Honolulu): Source: bizjournals.com

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