Seed catalogs are my weakness. Since next year's garden will start in January, I am ready to think about the new season.

I recommend "Just Right" and "White Lady" turnips from Twilley for next fall. "Just Right" is mostly greens to start, with very little root, then develops a big root almost as tender and sweet as the "summer turnips". "White Lady" is early. Both have smooth, mild, hairless greens. Remove the midrib before cooking. (I've only got this year's catalog, so it's possible they've changed their turnip lineup),

I am ready to start thinking about it and am ready for the catalogs to start arriving. Technically, I have already been thinking about it since I needed to plan things out before planting the garlic. I like at this time of year just sitting by the fire with my coffee, catalogs, markers, pencils and graph paper. My first frost came early this year so I have had time to shake off the disappointments of this year.

I got the Gurney 2014 catalog yesterday! Although I'm planning on ordering my beans, peas, and cukes for next year from Johnny Seeds. And I already ordered my Golden Egg squash from Burpee. I'm super excited to try those eggs.

OMG I cannot wait! All I have gotten so far is Dixondale.

I found this internet seed store called "sample seeds" dot....
Most of their seeds cost $1.25.. And few peppers cost $1.50 per small packs (10 -30 seeds). Most other internet sites' prices are around $3.50. I figure, I will just need a few seeds. It does not make sense to me to pay for something that I don't need.

Another thing is that all their seeds are heirloom/OP. That is also a plus to me. And their descriptions are not just bunch of saying all the nice things about everything. I noticed this how honest they were in describing Brandywein and some others.
Incidently , they have a good selections as well. They also have good deal on herbs and other veggies.. A buck per pack.

Heck no I'm not ready for thinking of a new season! I'm not done with this one! :) I just moved a ton (unit of measure, not just descriptive phrase) or so of manure onto the garden after liming yesterday and that needs to be tilled in now. Then a light layer of hay or straw to tuck it all in for winter, plus planting those garlics, and then it is Thanksgiving (we're hosting), then Christmas, and THEN I'm ready to think about a new season.

sunnibel7,

I cannot blame you. You are already WAY behind. And you are in Maryland and have not even planted your garlics: Hmmmm.
Do you expect them to sprout before the cold and frost ? Isn't it getting too late for garlics : Mine are up about 4- 6inches already.
But I am done with my garden and have put it in bed. Still it is is about 3 months too early to start seeds. So, keeping busy with getting seeds, drawing plans, as what goes where, how many of this how much of that...
I am ready for Thanksgiving. Where is the turkey ?!

Can't wait to get the new seed catalogs. I need to plan my garden for next year and figure out what seeds I'll need to buy. But while I'm looking forward to the new season, I'm still trying to finish up getting my garden put to rest.

seysonn- I just planted my garlic and shallots a week and a half ago (a couple weeks later than I wanted to). If they sprout this year, that's fine. If they don't, that's fine too. Whether they do or not, I know that they will grow well come spring.

Rodney

Garlic only needs to put out roots now. Shoots come next spring.
I'm still gardening so not thinking about next season yet..we've had a lot of freeze frosts but food is still growing and I'm still putting beds in shape for winter.

Seed catalog planning comes in December when it's too cold to spend the days outdoors. It helps keep cabin fever away. Right now I'm enjoying autumn splendor, trying to savor all the copper colors of the oaks before it all turns to winter gray.

Garlic only needs to put out roots now. Shoots come next spring.
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I think there iare differences in methods and climate.
Here is a picture of my garlics early FEb, 2010, Atl, GA.

On the other hand, I agree that you need to finish the 2013 work first.

Seysonn, you've broken the cardinal rule of criticizing what gardeners do in climates markedly different than your own! No, it isn't too late to plant garlic here, probably can right through December. I have found no benefit to planting earlier and a real benefit to planting later: I lose many fewer garlics to onion maggot. I have even planted garlic very early in spring and gotten perfectly good sized heads. As for everything else, I am also right on track for my season and my area. Cheers!

I began my November 1 posting on Senior Gardening:

"As a child, I used to eagerly look forward to the arrival of mail order Christmas catalogs. My brother, sister, and I would spend hours looking at the illustrated offerings from Sears Roebuck, JC Penney, and Montgomery Ward before making short list of suggestions for our parents.

"As an adult gardener before the advent of the internet, I found myself doing much the same thing I'd done with Christmas mail order catalogs as a child, spending hours looking at possible varieties to grow in our garden. Items would be circled in the catalogs and grandiose lists written, only later to be pared down to fit into a budget that demanded a garden more than pay for itself."

I was thrilled when my copy of the 2014 Twilley Catalog arrived the same day! I stayed up late going through every page.

BTW: I had resolved to get our garlic planted in October this year, but it appears I'll be doing it tomorrow (Nov. 9).

Here is a link that might be useful: Senior Gardening blog - November 1, 2013

Seysonn, you've broken the cardinal rule of criticizing what gardeners do in climates markedly different than your own! No, it isn't too late to plant garlic here, probably can right through December. (sunnibell)
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I did not criticize you. I was partly just joking(that you are behind). And also I said that :

"I think there are differences in methods and climate. "

I found this thread about planting garlic. There seems to be a big window for fall planting: FROM MID SEP. TO MID DEC.
But majority reported planting their garlic from LATE SEP. TO EARLY NOV.( that is the month of October) . Mid October seems to be more popular.

In Norther states , with harsh winters, later planting seems to be due to the deep cold and frost that sometimes can kill garlic tops. But further south in slightly warmer zone early planting is preferred, as it results in earlier harvest (early late May -June) and the land can be used to plant other crops.

So as I said : "THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN METHODS AND CLIMATES"
That was just an expression of my opinion.

Here is a link that might be useful: when to plant garlic

This post was edited by seysonn on Sat, Nov 9, 13 at 16:39

I'm feeling spurned now! No seed catalogs yet!

I haven't received any yet but did order some onion plants from Dixondale! My first order with them! Red River and Sweet Spanish!

I also have not received any catalogs, and am anxiously awaiting them.

On a side note, to the garlic conversation, I wanted to share my experience with garlic, albeit slight. I have only been growing garlic for the past 2 seasons. First time I planted around Christmas and had a successful harvest. 2nd time I planted around Halloween & it was equally successful. However, that year the cloves sat in the ground without sprouting until mid-January (I'd assumed they'd rotted because of all of the rain we were blessed with). But then, we didn't get a frost until January 10 at my house! That's a little unusual. I still had pineapple sage going strong until then. Shortly after the 10th, the garlic started to sprout.

So this year, I guess I'll split the difference and plant around Thanksgiving and we'll see how that goes.

Winter has definitely settled in here already, so yes, I'm very much looking forward to the new catalogues! :) I had to plan next year's garden in early September so I knew where best to situate the garlic, which I planted end of September. So far I've ordered and received my English pea and seven new-to-me hot pepper varieties (from US suppliers) for next season. Everything else will be ordered from my favourite Canadian catalogues when they come. I saved quite a few seeds this year, which should make a dent in what I have to order.

This post was edited by macky77 on Wed, Nov 13, 13 at 20:29

I think that early starting slow growing chilies might be ok. But tomatoes are different unless you have a good indoor support, like a greenhouse. I have come to the conclusion that starting matoes sooner than 6 -8 weeks prior to plant out is not a good idea. I could be wrong.

I got the 2014 Pinetree catalog yesterday. It will soon be peak catalog season!

Rodney

I will order from the net stores online, when they update their stock list. Right now they are drying their seed: )

I find that late December is a good time to order seed. If you order now, some supplies may not be in yet as the companies rush to get out their catalogs.

Seysonn, I've had success starting toms as much as 12 weeks prior to transplanting, but I've a) only done it with late tomatoes that would otherwise not have enough time to mature in our short season, and b) used large pots. My usual short-season determinates are started 6-7 weeks prior. With those, it's like you say, there isn't an advantage. It would be hard to fit 30ish huge tomato plants under lights in our small house!

Cozied up with a hot chocolate and a pile of seed catalogues is a fine way to spend Boxing Day. :)

macky77
I agree. You can grow a few of them early and care for them, but not very many. As you mentioned, you have to transplant them into bigger pots. Then treat them like house plants.

I've gotten two Johnny's seeds catalogs in one month and they were the same catalog. I prefer ordering from a catalog. When I live in PA that is what got me through January and February. Drooling over the pictures and dreaming of my garden when it warmed up! I saw several on the map from Mother Earth News that were in my states or nearby states, that I had never heard of. I guess I will have to contact them. I would rather have seeds grown in my climate. For some reason I think they would do better. Mother Earth News has a link to all of the mail order seed catalogs in the USA. Pretty interesting.

Other than small vendor with a limited exotic offering, It will be rare to actually get a seed grown in your area. Most vendors will buy from wholesalers who may obtain seed from any part of the world. Some like Sandhill and to a lesser extent Baker Creek will obtain seed from small individual growers. There are folks here on GW that grow seeds for these outfits. The bulk of the OP seeds tho come from Seeds by Design.

Here is a link that might be useful: Seeds by Design

Prairie Garden Seeds is local to me... as in, I had to drive a whole 9 km to pick up my seed order sort of local. :) Very limited offering, as you say, and no fancy catalogue, though.