Growing Together: A Gardening Podcast · Forum Communications Co.

Seed catalogs, a time-honored tradition

·41 min·2 clips

Don names favorite catalogs like Gurney's, Twilley, Baker Creek Heirloom Seed, and Johnny's Selected Seeds.

1. Growing Together: A Gardening Podcast centers on seed catalogs as John Lamb and Don Kinsler prepare for spring planting. 2. John Lamb hosts with Don Kinsler, a Lake Flon gardener and North Dakota State University Extension horticulturist for Cass County, so the conversation stays grounded in practical gardening advice. 3. The episode asks what seed catalogs are for beyond shopping, and Don frames them as planning tools, price references, and sources of gardening education. 4. Don says he starts with last year's invoices, checks what he ordered, and decides which varieties worked well enough to repeat. 5. He also looks at the new sections of catalogs because new varieties often appear at the front and can sell out quickly. 6. The hosts compare printed catalogs with online ordering, and Don says he still likes to keep the paper version on the table. 7. Don gives the date 1784 for the first American seed catalog and names the Lancet seed company in Philadelphia. 8. He says mail-order seed and nursery companies do not replace local garden centers because local stores cannot stock 20,000 different seed types. 9. Don names several catalogs he uses, including Gurney's, Twilley Seed Company, Burpee, Jung, John Scheeper's Kitchen Garden Seeds, Baker Creek Heirloom Seed, Johnny's Selected Seeds, Seeds and Such, Totally Tomatoes, and Park Seed. 10. He says Johnny's Selected Seeds provides growing information, tomato comparisons, and regional guidance for items like onions. 11. Don says Seeds and Such offers three free seed packs with every order and lists some packets at $3.25 each. 12. He points out that a packet of wave-type petunia seed can cost $12.30 for 50 seeds, so germination rates matter. 13. Don explains that days to maturity help him group crops into early, main-season, and late categories instead of predicting an exact harvest date. 14. He says he checks whether flowers and vegetables are labeled for containers, because some varieties were developed specifically for pots and planters. 15. Don also looks for disease resistance, sun-or-shade notes, plant height, and spread before ordering. 16. The listener question from Bill concerns overwintered geranium cuttings that turn maroon outside, and Don says the color change comes from stronger sunlight after indoor LED growing. 17. Don recommends hardening geraniums off in shade first, then moving them to filtered light and finally to sunnier spots over four to seven days. 18. The tone is practical and conversational, with John asking follow-up questions and Don answering with examples from his own basement setup and catalog habits. 19. Gardeners who like seed catalogs, heirloom varieties, and seed-starting details would get the most from this episode. 20. Listeners wanting a seasonal chat without catalog shopping or plant-selection specifics may skip it.

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