I purchased a number of packets of seed and have found that some will germinate and grow easily, while others seem determined not to germinate at all. One variety germinated great for me in January. But I accidentally killed the seedlings. When I started some more they refused (to date) to germinate. I don't know just exactly why this is. I'm quite excited about the potential of growing from true potato seed (TPS) and saving my own seed. But this does have me feeling like quite the novice! I did get seeds from Huagalina and Chaposa to grow and they are doing very well, out in the garden. Here are a couple of pictures: Huagalina derived seedlings May 9, 2012 Huagalina derived potato plants June 21, 2012 I have learned that once they seedlings develop their first set of true leaves, no matter how small, I need to start with weekly fertilizing until I put them out into the garden. Otherwise, with the soil medium I'm using, they simply languish and die. Here's a link to Tom's site. George Tahlequah, OK Here is a link that might be useful: New World Seeds & Tubers

I don't even live on the beach, I live about 10-15 miles from it, and my back yard is nothing but sand. You have to dig down two feet to get dirt. Last year we were put on water restriction because of the drought, then it rained for about a month, so all of my drought tollerant plants died bc they got over watered, and all the rain caused a fungus or something that took out half my flower bed in my front yard. My husband thought a few of my shrubs were weeds bc the peat moss made the grass grow like crazy around them. But this is my second year in my home, and each year I have usually one plant that makes it, so I will get there one way or another. Last year we tried to do a compost ourselves, did not work out too well. Growing up, my dad had organic stuff dumped and used that so I had no expierence with starting a compost. My husband is from up north and insisted on a worm compost said that was the best way to go. I don't know if it got too hot here last summer or if the box he made had too big of air gaps and bugs came in and ate my worms, but it didn't work at all. We don't have a lot of land, probably about a little over a quarter acre, I would love to do an organic compost if there was a better way to do one that wouldn't attract anamials to my home. I know could do one with leaves, but we don't really have that here, we have pine needles though. I am not very good about working in the compost probably like I need to be. I do it in the spring and fall. How often should I be doing this? I only work it into the the to the top 6 inches, is that what I should be doing? Now, I am from Chapel Hill and I know we used to dig up worms to put in our flower beds to help with the drainage. The only worms I have seen since I have moved here were in pet stores. With the soil being so sandy here, is that something I even need to worry about? I did a home soil test last year, I don't know how to send off my soil, I don't know if it would really tell me too much more than what the home test told me. I also have one of those thingies that you stick in the ground that reads the ph levels. This is my first year planting bulbs and I quickly realized that my lab likes to eat bulbs. I have no clue why or how he knew they were there, so in the back yard I did lay down wiring. I will do it in the front yard as well, thank you.

Thanks maybe I'll store the brug seeds both ways. I haven't had a problem storing datura seeds in a paper bag in the basement. I normally soak them prior to planting too. The exception is really fresh brug seeds. If I plant them as soon as I harvest them I don't even bother removing the cork. Tina I didn't get your email. Did you send it through GW or directly to bhkalen@aol.com? For some reason I never get the emails sent through GW, not even in my spam folder. Karyn

Jack, my experience has been just the opposite. My yellow multipliers (which is really all that the various types of Dutch yellow shallots are) have wintered well for me, but the French Reds have not. I have to admit that there are all kinds of strains of multipliers (aggregatum group) with all kinds of hardinesses. My yellow multipliers came from Jungs in Wisconsin and they were sold to be fall planted in the north country, which I did with excellent success. Spring planting works just fine, too and they keep and keep and keep. IMO they are the best storage onions in existence, but are not very big. One of my father's ancestors brought a strain with him when his family immigrated from the Netherlands a few generations back. Unfortunately those have been lost. The Jungs strain is not identical but works just fine in remembrance. The ones I have are every bit as hardy here as my garlics.