Welcome Back! Though I've never used them personally, the one I recall being mentioned here is Cross County Nurseries. Ring a bell?

It does not ring a bell but I just went to the website the font/site looks warmly familiar. However my work productivity may drop to zero as I peruse all the varieties. Also, I see they have them by the plant vice by the flat.

Thank you much tsheets!

Hello again Spencers_Mom.

Cross Country does sell plants, but I think you have to buy a minimum of twelve.

There's another online nursery in Bloomington, IN called ChileWoman.com. It's owned by Susan, and she's been growing peppers for twenty years. She comes highly recommended by Beth Boyd (peppermania.com).

I don't buy plants, but if I did I think I'd give Susan a try. Plus, she only has a six plant minimum so what's not to like *lol*.

Good to see you here again.

Rick

Here is a link that might be useful: The Chile Woman

Spencers_Mom, WELCOME BACK!

Ditto Rick, good to see you here again. I guess the GardenWeb Hot Pepper forum is like the Hotel California, you can check out but you can never leave ;-)

Sorry, I have no experience ordering plants but staying clear of Reimers is a good idea. I will advise that if you end up resorting to plants from your local big box, don't bring them inside... odds are you'll infect any inside plants with unwanted pests.

Bill

Awwwwwww you guys are making me all misty.

I did notice the 12 plant minimum and was not psyched but was going to order tomorrow because the selection is huge and I know they will be consumed.

I will definitely check out the other site first before ordering. If Beth recommends them that's quite an endorsement. As long as I can get my favs I'm a happy gal.

Ok so I went with Cross Country even though there is a 12 plant minimum. Once I saw all the peppers it wasn't hard to get to 12. Also, the Chile Woman's site was not obvious on how to get around and find what you want. I like obvious. :)

Another plus was that Cross Country is in NJ and I'm in VA so I'm in the cheaper zone for S&H vice the other in Indiana and now I'm not in the cheaper zone :)

Both were great sites with a lot to choose from, that's for sure! Thanks everyone! Plants supposedly will be here next week.

~Erin

I used Cross Country Nursery last year. The plants arrived in great condition and very well packed and did good through the season. I got some from Burpee this year and the 3 pepper plants were almost dead when I got them

Good to hear! I'm looking forward to my plants arriving and did read great reviews about how they are packed and shipped. Bummer about Burpee. They have been in the biz so long.

I just picked up my order from Cross Country, since I live a little over an hour away. Third year buying from them and I've never been disappointed. About as non-descript a nursery as you can get. Series of hothouses loaded with tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants in a rural farming area close to the Delaware River. Purchased Bhut, 7 Pot, and Yummy Orange varieties. These folks seem to really care about their product.

Isn't Burpee monsanto?

Monsanto is more or less = to GMO.

With my recent studies of genetics, GMO scares the daylights out of me.

Of course, I don't have a degree in that, I just read scholarly journal articles... But I digress...

I have heard nothing but good reports regarding CCN.

Is GMO like an HMO for gardens because everything you said outside of CCN kudos went over my head. :) And I'm no dolt :)

Spencers_Mom,

GMO stands for genetically modified organism. GMO seeds (Frankenseeds) have been genetically engineered to exhibit custom designed traits ex. pest resistant cotton, virus resistant tomatoes etc.

Jsschrstrcks,

I've never dealt with Burpee but your post peaked my interest. A quick search and a little reading later and it appears the Burpee GMO rumor is a little weak.

If you have a few minutes, I've linked Burpee's statement on this topic. Ya, I know you can't believe everything you read but after reading the statement I can see how, to some folks, Burpee was indirectly associated with GMO.

I'm not a fan of GMOs, they scare the hell out of me. Being identified as a company that sells GMO seed can have a negative impact on the bottom line so it's important to get the facts right. If a company truly sells GMO seed, people need to know so they can make an informed decision.

Here is a link that might be useful: Burpee, GMO And Monsanto Rumors Put To Rest

I am very fortunate to only live about 20 miles from Cross Country Nurseries. It's chile plant heaven. I'm there almost every weekend this time of year. I linked to an article about my most recent visit below.
They have a great reputation for safe shipping and an amazing selection. Every plant that I purchased from CCN last year grew to be healthy and productive. I've harvested thousands of tasty chiles from Cross Country Nurseries plants, and I am always pleased.

Here is a link that might be useful: Check out this article about Cross Country Nurseries at PEPPERMEISTER!

The company I work for is HQd in Bedminster so depending on what time of year I hit HO I may have to check it out!

Ya'll have me super excited!

Erin

Ottawa - thanks for the update... Personally I will still be loath to do business with Burpee - while they may not sell GMO seed, they do sell Seminis seed, which is, of course, Monsanto Seed. I appreciate that Burpee and Petoseed (turned Seminis) have a long history of doing business, and their fruit may even taste better... However, the idea of buying from Monsanto (or in this case buying from someone who bought it from Monsanto) leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I read an article some time back about monsanto's reach into your kitchen... Pretty much everything you buy from a supermarket was either grown from Monsanto seed, fed a product developed by monsanto, or injected with some crazy hormone that Monsanto dreamed up.

The conclusion of the article was that unless you have grown it (and its feed) on your own, its probably linked in some way to Monsanto...

While I can't fully exorcise Monsanto from my kitchen, where I can, I do :). Even when its not GMO.

Spencers_Mom - to expand on Ottawa's excellent explanation, GMO frequently takes genes from people, animals, spiders, or whatever suits their fancy, and incorporates them into their products. They do it for the express purpose of making then product more productive, or preventing particular bugs, or to eliminate some negative trait in the plant... Which on the outside is not a bad idea, but in practice has caused super weeds that even roundup can't kill.

Plus the more I've learned about genetics, the more I've learned our genetic building blocks are less like blocks, and more like big pools... As anyone whose ever pranked a community fountain knows, it doesn't take all that much dye and soap to turn the fountain green and frothy... My point is that we don't know what the effects of exposing our bodies to the genetic code of a spider would be, nor the effect of being contaminated by the DNA of another human. We do have some cases that can be cited where when person A gets an organ from person B, person A takes on certain traits of Person B. People who were the epitome of geekdom becoming more outdoorsie, and sports oriented.... that sort of thing.

What then would be the effect of being exposed to the genetic material of a spider? Perhaps nothing, but perhaps our next generation of children will have 8 arms (joking, but only a little).

Needless to say GMO scares the crap out of me. They don't even have to mark it as GMO when they sell it.

All of this on top of Monsanto's predatory business practices (which can be searched for - there are several good articles about what they've done to latin america, india, and southeast asia.

I won't bore you with more details... But I do suggest you google Monsanto and develop your own opinion of the company, and their practices. They have a greater reach into your home than walmart, and most people have never even heard of them.

We do have some cases that can be cited where when person A gets an organ from person B, person A takes on certain traits of Person B. People who were the epitome of geekdom becoming more outdoorsie, and sports oriented.... that sort of thing.
That statement is fanciful. Such a stance is more akin to voodoo thinking than to scientific thinking.
I do not grow many hybrids but am not contrary to so doing. And on CCN I have never ordered from them, but I have received a rave review from a commercial grower about the quality of their seedlings... a guy who lives in CA and has had many instances of live plants shipped to him there by CCN.

Reggie

Jsschrstrcks, I'm with you regarding the danger Monsanto poses to our global food crops. Like I said, I've never dealt with Burpee. When I buy seed, I like to use smaller homegrown vendors. Like Reggie, you lost me with the transplant thing, I don't think you'll find "credible" scientific support for your example.

Reggie, you said "I do not grow many hybrids but am not contrary to so doing". I'm sure you're aware hybrid does not equal GMO and that Burpee is known for it's hybrids. Heck, if it wasn't for hybridization we wouldn't have orange carrots ;-))

Peace folks,

Bill

Oh sure, its definitely subjective and correlatory evidence (as opposed to direct and scientific) at best... But I have read maybe ten published cases... There was even a news item on 20/20 or one of those shows once upon a time (not that I put much/any stock in the main stream media).

IF graft hybridization works ( I have a thread about that here someplace) and I believe it will based on a significant number of journal articles, then it is a similar genetic process, and principles that would allow that sort of thing to happen.

As with Monsanto, google this, and make up your own mind :).

I'm sure you're aware hybrid does not equal GMO and that Burpee is known for it's hybrids.
I have no issue with Burpee Seed Co. I do not think that they engage in trans-species hybridization. But they are a developer of some good hybrids. Bulldozers like Monsanto are IMO driven by corporate motives... not by some nefarious conspiracy to pollute/corrupt agricultural activities. Anyhow, my underlying premise here is that it is not likely that fundamental traits of a particular phenotype can be changed within its own generation. If so, that would imply an alteration of genetic reproductive information so that subsequent generations may inherit such alterations. This will not occur with an organ transplant or a plant graft.
Reggie

Reggie - I think perhaps you are not up to date on the latest in genetics! Check my Graft Hybrid thread for some links and names of scholarly articles...

A number of people (15 or 20 in the past 30 years, more if you go back further) have successfully made graft hybrids.

yes changing the current generation, causing stable hybrid lines.

this is what got me into pepper grafting in the first place...

My plants shipped! Ordered Friday and will be here Wednesday! That's an impressive turn around.

Wooo Hooo, you anted up and you're full in the 2012 chile growing season game now.

Hoping we all have a great season!

Bill

Awesome! A little assimilation never hurt anyone did it?? ;-)

Wooo HOOOO! The plants arrived yesterday .. but not until 5:30 pm (grrrr...) so we planted them straight away and am now just sharing my CCN experience. I apologize for the uncompressed photos.. I couldn't figure out how to do it on photobucket. May have to go back to flickr.

One thing that annoyed me was as I have already mentioned.. they were on the truck ALL DAY in a box labeled LIVE PLANTS and it was over 80 degrees here yesterday.

Included were a catalog, care instructions and a flyer. Nice!

Here is how it looked inside.. everyone all snug and packed safely. Please note the far right plants. That is not the sunlight in the photo.. I think they were distressed which is why they went right in the ground with loving care.

Ok.. look again to the left at the Aconcaguas. See how yellow they are? The Diablo Sweets looked like that too.. which you can see in the back of the right side of the group. Is that just stress of the travel or should I be concerned?

Here you can see a pepper is already trying to make an early debut. Very impressed by that.

So I am overall very happy with what I have from CCN as far as selection, price, turn-around time, shipping time (UPS needs schooling on what live plants are however)and packaging.

I am not concerned about the wilt because I would be wilted too .. and they have already perked up from being planted, watered and a good night's sleep in their new beds.

I am however concerned about the pale yellow pallor to my sweet plants. Any thoughts on what this might be and how to correct it? I am one to wait a bit for a plant to establish itself in the ground before feeding. I feel like I'm giving a baby a Monster Energy drink and it's going to freak out.

If someone has an opinion I would LOVE to hear it!

Thank you all,

Erin

Erin, this is my first year ordering from cross country. Some of
my plants were a little pale yellow also, but that is to be expected
because of being in the box for 3 days. I also received mine on Wed.
You have to get them use to full sun slowly. I have not planted mine
yet. They are in the shade per instructions from cross country. They
also say to splash with a little water if soil is dried out. Today I placed
them in the sun, and I'm keeping an eye on them if they start to wilt.
So far so good. They are getting greener.
If you planted yours already, keep a close eye on them. If they start
wilting, I would dig them back up, repot them and leave in shade.
How are they doing now? By the way, my plants looked just like yours.
They are healthy plants, just need to adjust.

I did read the instructions about new environment and not to keep them not planted for more than a day, etc but I felt the need to start CPR on these guys. They are doing very well actually! They adjusted immediately and the only one who was lagging was looking pretty fine this morning. The ones that were yellow are almost fully recovered which is a relief.

The wilt actually didn't bother me.. I knew that would turn around quickly.

Normally I do peppers from seed, this is my first time ordering live plants. So that being said.. I did read the instuctions but felt they were more written for plants that were not showing distress. Mine were distressed.. and therefore I was stressed. It appears all are happy now and the immediate corrective action was the proper course to take. :)

I hope your plants take off nicely! I love the catalog they included. Very informative and I'm reading it like a book. I may add "Jigsaw" ornamental next year simply because I'm a "Saw" movie nut.

E

I've never heard of the saw movie's. I don't go to the theaters much.....
I ordered jigsaw seeds from the chili pepper institute, but never started
any. I will next year.
Glad your plants are doing well. I start most of mine from seed too, but
some of my seed did not germinate, and cross country nurseries has
quite a selection.......