If you love fresh vegetables now is the time to plan your own Victory Garden. To grow vegetables for family meals and to enjoy gorgeous flowers, this is the season to select seeds, some varieties that are new to you and some that are old trusted friends.

Do you enjoy reading catalogs from nurseries, as I do? I mainly use online catalogs, which saves trees and other resources like gas for trucks that deliver them. A few seed companies put out print catalogs that they occasionally send to me, and that are such resources I save them to refer to.

Botanical Interests and Territorial Seed Company create seed catalogs that are treasure troves of gardening lore.

Botanical Interests, Inc. at www.botanicalinterests.com is an ecologically wise company and offers over 400 varieties of seeds, including a large certified organic section, and they sell no GMOs. Botanical Interests is available online and does not offer a print catalog. To contact them, leave a message at 720-880-7293.

Botanical Interests has categories including seeds for sprouts, edible flowers, fragrant flowers, seeds for attracting bees, North American natives and the all important “seeds for cats”. According to our cats, Jolie and Bigboy, this latter is a key category for creating a harmonious and joyful life. This is what they tell me, and I know they love the catnip that my sister grows in Wisconsin, and sends to them at Christmas.

A sampling of Botanical Interests seeds to intrigue you: Hollyhock “The Watchman”, with its purplish black flowers; Lavender Hyssop; and the Bring Home the Butterflies large seed packet. Here you will find 26 different annuals and perennials that provide nectar for mature butterflies and host plants for the caterpillar stage. These seeds cost only $3.99 and will cover an area of 45 square feet, a Garden of Eden for butterflies and caterpillars right outside your door.

Some heirloom seeds they offer are Carrot Tonda di Parigi (sweet and round), Shelling Pea Green Arrow (only 24 inches tall), Mungbean, Alfalfa Sprout and Wheat Grass organic seeds, and Broccoli Rapini.

Territorial Seed Company at www.territorialseed.com (800-626-0866) in their current email newsletter writes that they have 225 new seeds, plants and supplies. They offer a Victory Garden starter kit with 27 vegetable, 2 herb and a sunflower seed packet sealed in a plastic bucket (for $79.95). Victory Gardens have a proud history of providing food to families during World War II and are coming back strong.

Many gardeners want to see a Victory Garden established at the White House this year.

Territorial Seed Company offers among many selections, Georgia Jet sweet potatoes (12 plants for $17.95), seeds for Edamame Beans, and eight types of kale seeds, including White Russian and Redbor Kales.

A garden blog dedicated to Victory Gardens is www.redwhiteandgrewblog.com. Stop in at my own blog at http://terragarden.blogspot.com and read some of my garden tips and adventures, and the twice a month book giveaways I offer. I hope you are enjoying finding new and tried and true varieties to plant for a bountiful family garden this year.

Copyright © by Terra Hangen Share