Petaluma Seed Bank

Lora, one of our customers, sent us this lovely poem, inspired by our heirloom seeds. Let's see your garden poetry! -------------- The Seed Vow ... February 1st, and I’m dreaming of seeds from Petaluma: Molokai purple sweet potatoes, beans (beurre de Rocquencourt), Batavian full heart escarole, dubbed like the hues of oil paints fresh in their tubes, yet to be discovered. This year, I’m resolved not to sow too early, not to freeze these seeds like spilling wine into the dirt, and leave myself forlorn. I’d be ashamed to err this way again, tossing possibilities into the cold. Seeds from Petaluma, I vow to sprout you inside first, to tend your seedlings, water them, tweeze each into a peat-filled French clay pot positioned in a sunbeam, find joy in their tender trajectories, then harden them off, and only plant them out once it is warm. em2 creative

Did you know that in fruits and veggies different colors represent different antioxidants? Black Nebula Carrots are super rich in anthocyanin, Kyoto Red Carrots contain Lycopene, Amarillo carrots are beaming with the antioxidant zeaxanthin and Cosmic Purple carrots with their orange core are a great source of beta carotene!

We sure do miss all of you!!

Plant the rainbow! WHITE vegetables and fruits are a little more difficult to find, but try beets, onions, corn, turnips, tomatoes, sweet & hot peppers, eggplant, parsnips, and strawberries. Containing beta-glutens, lignans, EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate), white is a great color to add to your diet and garden.

It's Tomato Starting Time! Well, also it's time to start eggplants, and hot & sweet peppers. With maturity dates ranging from 60-120 days and the fact that the Solanacea family is not at all frost hardy, (often prefering nights at least 50F or above), seeds from this family are most often started indoors. This enables earlier harvesting of fruit once they are planted out (or even at all for those with short growing seasons).... Look to start sowing seeds 6-12 weeks before your likely last frost date. As this is around the end of April in most of the Bay Area, this means early February to mid-March. Check with your local county Master Gardener's program for more frost details for your area. Eggplants, Peppers and larger Tomatoes can be the slowest to get going and latest to start to bear fruit, so you may wish to start with those first (check your seed packet for more details). You will need a consistently warm (around 75-85F); bright location to start the seedlings. If you don't have an ideal location, a heat pad and grow light are great additions to your growing area. Start your seeds in moist, but not too wet, sterile seed starting medium of your choice. If you are trying to live sustainably then make it peat free coir or look for a peat free planting mix. Plant the seeds 1/8-1/4 inch deep and keep them covered and moist until they germinate in about 7-14 days (eggplants are likely to be the slowest). Once the seeds have germinated, remove or lift the cover. This is because too high humidity can lead to 'damping off'; where fungal disease attacks the seedling. This often appears as if the seedling was cut off at the soil. If the area is still moist a small fan can help move the moist air away. If, however, you find your growing environment is very dry, you may need to either mist the seedlings with water through the day; or use a cover with the vents open. Turn the seedlings daily if they are going on a windowsill or light isn't directly overhead to ensure your seedlings grow straight. At the point they have grown true leaves (leaves like the actual plant) the seedlings will be ready to transplant on to a bigger pot, if started in plugs or need feed if in larger pots (liquid feed at half strength is best). If you've multiple plants growing in a single pot, thin out the weaker to ensure you get a strong plant. Don't have your tomato, eggplant, or pepper seeds yet? No worries - there's plenty of time to order at www.rareseeds.com

Plant the rainbow! PURPLE/BLUE fruits and vegetables are full of Lutein, Vitamin C, flavonoids, zeaxanthin, and fiber all wrapped up in eye-catching brilliant colors. Beans, eggplant, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, herbs, carrots, peas, sweet & hot peppers, huckleberries, mizuna, tomatoes, tomatillos, radish, mustards and other leafy vegetables, Brussels sprouts, corn, cabbage, radish, , and onions make wonderful additions to both your garden and culinary options.... Order at www.rareseeds.com