Gardening

To get the most of seed-catalog season, look beyond the familiar offerings

In keeping with "January is seed catalog month," I am always searching for new and unusual plant and seed sources. By new, I mean ones that you and I have not heard of before. I have been doing these columns for 40 years so it isn't easy to find catalogs and websites that I have not seen, but I have a terrific time looking over a bunch of great catalogs trying to discover a few. 

Let's start with Archewild. This is an East Coast outfit and I include this site not because the plants offered are applicable to our area, but because it is an example of the end results of the discussion we need to have on natives versus non-natives. If you decide to go native, where do you get plants? You need resources for natives just as we have for exotics.

Well, the Archewild folks supply a range of native plants for their region, all of which come from specific eco-regions listed. For me, the meat was in the descriptions of various native garden types with which we should become familiar: grassland, wetland, sun, shade, hedgerow and sunny moist, etc. Pay some attention to their resource section, as well. It offers some great information on the use of natives.

You may have heard of John Scheepers bulb catalog, but John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds was new to me. It has some interesting collections. And do check out the new for 2017 purple snap pea. It is a beauty. Purple!

Strictly Medicinal Seeds is another I had not seen. It features "seeds of medicine and sustenance." If you wander around the site, you will pick up all sorts of useful information about growing herbs and using them in interesting ways.

Next, Hallson Gardens doesn't have its 2017 website up yet, so I am not sure it is still around. However, I looked at the 2016 and it has some great perennials to look at and study. Of course, I know there is that debate we need to have about bringing in non-native perennials, but still, it is fun to look.

Totally Tomatoes has some 300 varieties of heirlooms, I am told. I didn't count them. They also have quite a few peppers and other vegetables, so the site is worth a look.

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How about Heirloom Organics? It has an interesting layout that enables them to pack in a tremendous amount of useful cultural information. Click on a variety and the growing guide pops up. Click on one and run through the information provided and you will see what I mean. It is an interesting resource. Who needs a garden columnist? (Oh-oh.)

You have to relate to a nursery called Digging Dog. They have a lot of neat stuff. I am particularly interested in tall, ornamental grasses as I want to take my lawn down in size and was drawn to that section. Lo and behold, they even sell equisetum — albeit the giant kind (which is used in the Lower 48 and Asia as an outdoor ornamental). Again, questions of whether we ought to be bringing in such exotics ring in my ears, but I am tempted.

Next, Trees of Antiquity carries all manner of heirloom fruits from trees to vines to bushes. The offerings are probably not hardy here, but it sure makes you wonder and salivate what with figs, cherries, jujubes and more. You never know what you might find, however. Oh, if we had just a bit more global warming, this site would be a keeper.

I am a sucker for clematis; always have been. I love the flowers and the resulting seed pods. Check out Completely Clematis Specialty Nursery. Which ones are hardy here? You can inquire at info@clematisnursery.com.

Finally, they claim to be America's largest online plant nursery, but I am betting you've never heard of Nature Hills. Again, this is probably not stuff you will buy for your Alaska yard, but up here we look at catalogs for reasons other than purchasing. You can learn a lot from sites like this one as they simply have so many offerings.

Finally, the only thing I really need to point out when I write these columns is that Alaskans can look at most catalogs without ever thinking of buying from them. Our local nurseries carry what we need. These are mostly for education and not buying.

Jeff’s Alaska Garden Calendar

Alaska Botanical Garden: Now is the time to join or renew. Take advantage of nursery sales and discounts and other great benefits. www.alaskabg.org.

Forcing spring bulbs: If yours have been in storage for 12 weeks, it is time to bring them out and expose to light and water them.

Amaryllis: Speaking of bulbs, these are a Valentines Day fave, so you can find them for sale all over. Buy as many as you can. They produce the biggest indoor (and maybe outdoor) flower you will ever grow and with only the addition of water and natural light.

Celebration of Verna Pratt: You're invited to a celebration of the life of Verna Pratt, a master gardener who helped popularize native plants in Alaska, on Sunday, Jan. 15, from 2 to 6 p.m. at UAA's Cuddy Center. There will be snacks, and photos and other memorabilia. All who knew her or had the privilege of spending time with her are welcome, and guests will have time to speak about her if they wish. Please help spread the word.

Jeff Lowenfels

Jeff Lowenfels has written a weekly gardening column for the ADN for more than 45 years. His columns won the 2022 gold medal at the Garden Communicators International conference. He is the author of a series of books on organic gardening available at Amazon and elsewhere. He co-hosts the "Teaming With Microbes" podcast.

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