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southerngardenchick

New to gardening and heirlooms...

Well, I'm not completely new, I grew up helping my grandma in her garden... Last season was my first solo effort and now I'M HOOKED. I've been really getting into the thought of doing heirlooms, been looking at www.seedsavers.org and www.rareseeds.com. Just need some basic advice on this... are some heirlooms harder to grow than if I bought a packet of seeds at my local nursery? Are the sites I'm looking at the best ones for me to be getting my seeds from? And if anyone's in my zone and can give me some idea on which varities of tomatoes, squash (summer and winter), and peppers (hot and sweet)... I'd APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH! Thanks!

Comments (3)

  • Macmex
    15 years ago

    Howdy!
    Congratulations on the successful gardening season! Those are good sites that you mentioned. Also, you might look into Sandhill Preservation Center and Baker Creek Heirlooms, though there are A LOT of other good companies as well.

    I take it that you have HOT summers? Here in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, we have HOT summers. I have found that many of the large old beef steak varieties don't really like our mid-summer's heat. Drop in on the Oklahoma Gardening forum and ask about tomatoes. One of the folks there, named Dawn, is a walking encyclopedia on tomatoes for hot climates. She lives just north of Dallas, TX. I have grown Sioux for two seasons and found it quite good for our conditions. My favorite tomato, still, is an heirloom I received from an older gentleman in Illinois. It's called Baker Family Heirloom. Unfortunately, it is not commercially available. I'd have to send you seed.

    Actually, the Oklahoma Gardening forum would probably be a good place for most of your questions. The "growing tomatoes" forum will tell you quite a bit as well.
    Heirlooms are not generally harder to grow. But some are very specially adapted for certain conditions and therefore don't do well in a wide range of conditions.

    I grow an heirloom winter squash called Warsaw Buff Pie Pumpkin. It's good, and it does well in a wide variety of conditions. The only squash varieties I'd stay away from, if you live live in the eastern half of the country, are the c. maxima varieties, such as Hubbard, Turk's Turban or Big Max. C. Maximas (this is a family of squash) tend to succumb to squash vine borers. C. Mixtas, such as butternut, Tahitian Melon Squash and my own Warsaw Buff Pie Pumpkin are much more resistant. If I recall, Baker Creek Heirlooms actually lists their squash by the scientific family.

    Hope this helps!

    George
    Tahlequah, OK

  • simmran1
    15 years ago

    George has addressed your growing environment well.
    Are heirlooms harder to grow? No, quite simply. In fact many hybrids are finicky compared to heirlooms. All need warm temp, possibly slightly above your room temperature.
    The sights you're looking at are very good and like George said there are many more. Some additions would be tomatofest, and rareseeds. Also I found Ebay not out of the equation.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Tomatofest

  • southerngardenchick
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    THANKS SO MUCH! Yes, ya'll did help me out a bunch there! The www.rareseeds.com site that I'm looking at is Baker Creek Heirlooms (I THINK)... I really like that site the best. Too bad on the Turk's Turban, that was one I was looking at! I feel much more confident about ordering seeds and getting them started, I CAN'T WAIT!

    Thanks again!!!

    Now I'm going to the Oklahoma Forum...

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