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Re: seed varieties



Sorry I usually do mention where I live. It's Portland, Oregon. I don't
like to talk in terms of usda zones since those are based on cold mins and
usually (except for that cold winter every so many years) that just isn't
the limiting factor for us. 

Since a grow a lot of things for which there isn't much advice, let me
just say that I base my decision on whether to try something on two
things: (a) how jazzed I am about it. I'll try anything in a small
quantity if I'm jazzed unless I am 100% certain of failure. (b) Knowledge
of where this var/cultivar's ancestors orginally came from then I do a
clime comparision. E.g. if the plant in question originally hailed from
the Mediterraean I'm going to try cause my clime is similar enough that I
have a pretty good chance of success. BTW, though people don't often think
about vegies this way, it's also useful. As is, considering where the seed
comes from...that is I know that some seed that was grown in say Ohio is
not going to be bothered by the coldness of my winters though it may
flounder in the wetness of my springs.... Seed from my nextdoor neighbor
has a very high chance of success in my garden, of course :-)

As far as common names goes. I know them with those common vegetables but
often don't know them for flowers. Additionally, many flowers go by
their botanical name. For example, 'zinnias' are in fact all of the
genus zinnia, though their species may vary. Or, Buplereum griffithi has 
no common name that I know of, though I am sure that some seeds folks
are busy making up an intriguing "common name" for it....I'd like that
job :-) If you had a particular kind of flower you were interested in ask
me and I'll see if I know of a common name or, barring that, I can give
you a source for the
seed.

:-)
eliza


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