Planting Time Confusion

I have been doing some research to try to figure out when I should actually plant my seeds and seedlings. According to the local Cooperative Extension, the last frost date is March 15. The manager at the local farmer's exchange says the last frost date has moved and is now around April 15. So, do I go with the first date, the second date or split the difference?

Seed shelf

Seed shelf
Originally uploaded by Carolina Victory Gardener

I asked my gardening companion to help me put together a plant shelf that would hold my seed trays, allow for the plant lights to move up and down and, most important, protect the same from our mischievous year old lab. His design is a little chunky, but the seedlings are safe!

Addendum to Planting List 2009

Seed Packets
Originally uploaded by Carolina Victory Gardener

The seeds I already listed were from the Victory Garden Collection. Here is the rest of my list of vegetables, flowers and herbs along with a few other possibilities.

Onion-Parade
Carrot-Yaya
Lettuce-Salad Bowl Mix
Radish-Cherry Belle
Spinach-Melody Hybrid
Swiss Chard-Bright Lights
Borage-Borago officinalis
Basil-Genovese
Basil-Purple
Basil-Sweet
Basil-Lemon/Lime Mix
Oregano-Mediterranean
Parsley-Krauser
Gomphrena-QIS Carmine
Nasturtium-Burpee's Border Mix
Calendula-Keblona Mix
Cosmos-Bright Lights Mix
Aster-Red Burst
Marigold-Boy O Boy mix
Marigold-Chameleon

I'd also like to add some potatoes, monarda, tansy and maybe a cantalope. I haven't decided on the particular varieties of these. Any suggestions?

Bootsy's Lady Banksia Rose Bush

In my mother-in-law's yard is a beautiful, huge Lady Banksia rose bush. It is about 20 years old and has been left to its own devices for much of that time. It is as big as a mid-sized SUV and produces tons of pretty yellow flowers. I would love to root a piece to this bush, or in some other way reproduce it, for my own yard, but I don't know how to go about it. Any suggestions?
Bootsy's Lady Banksia Rose Bush
Originally uploaded by Carolina Victory Gardener

2009 Planting List

I don't have to think quite as hard this year about what to plant. My gardening partner is very supportive. He gave me a "Victory Garden" seed collection for Christmas. This collection came with a good variety of vegetable seed, a couple of herbs and a packet of sunflower seeds all in a nice plastic pail. All of the seeds are heirloom and/or open pollinated so that I can save seeds from this year's harvest to plant for next year. I also have a bit of seed left from last year and I have purchased a few more packets. All in all, I am thinking that this will be a very ambitious year for gardening.

Here is the list of seeds from the seed collection:

Bean, Dry/Shelling Pole-Bingo
Bean, Green Bush-Venture
Brussels Sprout-Rubine
Beet-Early Wonder Tall Top
Broccoli-Thompson
Cabbage-Derby Day
Carrot-Danvers
Cauliflower-Goodman
Corn-Golden Bantam
Cucumber-Wautoma
Kale-Winter Red
Kohlrabi-Superschmelz
Leek-Giant Musselburg
Lettuce-Heirloom Blend
Onion-Borrettana Cipollini
Pea-Oregon Pioneer
Pepper, Sweet-Cal Wonder 300
Pepper, Hot-Early Jalapeno
Pumpkin-Small Sugar
Radish-Altaglobe
Turnip-Purple Top White Globe
Spinach-Bloomsdale Savoy
Swiss Chard-Rhubarb
Squash, Summer-Black Beauty
Squash, Winter-Bush Delecata
Tomato-Gill's All Purpose
Tomato-Saucey
Herb, Dill-Long Island Mammouth
Herb, Coriander-Santo
Flower, Sunflower-Mammoth Gray Stripe

The Best 40 Gardening Dollars I Ever Spent

I purchased a copy of the newest version of the South Carolina Master Gardener's Manual not long ago. While I may never take the course to actually BE a master gardener, the book itself may just be the best investment I could have made in my garden library. You see, while I am a native of the state, I have lived away most of my adult life.

This book is full of information specific to gardening in any region of South Carolina. Important information like when to plant, how to amend the soil, what varieties of vegetables, flowers, lawn and trees are best for the area you live in. It is pretty easy to read though you may need assistance lifting it.

I have found that most, if not all, states have a similar program and a similar publication. If you are new to your area and want to garden, you might want to check out the Master Gardening program in your area.

NOTE: I just tried to find the website where I ordered the book and I can't find it at the moment. I'll have to check again later and then create the link if possible.

Ample Food Supplies

I found an in interesting report in my mother's papers the other day. She worked with the Cooperative Extension at Clemson University back in the late 1950s. The report, which was from the Extension is titled Ample Food Supplies Available for Good Eating and is dated 1957. It goes into some detail saying that there will be adequate food for civilians, who would eat about as well as in the past year. It goes on to say that while vegetable eating is high for the times, they expected the trend to move toward processed vegetables. In 1957, people in South Carolina spent less for food than the average family in the Southeast, but didn't make up for that by growing more vegetables at home.

I wonder what the out look is for 2009? Our local newspaper speculated this week that we would pay more for vegetables this year due to the drought in California. Will South Carolinians grow more vegetables this year to make up for losses and to overcome the rising price of food in the grocery store? What do you think?