Tag Archives: seeds

Seed Saving, seed starting, Special Offers

Why Now is the Time to Get Your Seeds for Warm Season and Fall Plantings

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Here in Atlanta, Georgia, we are beginning to see warmer days in the mid-80ºs (F) which means hot summer days are just around the corner starting in early to mid-May. 

With that in mind, we are doing a last call on all spring seed sales so that our seeds do not get damaged in transit by the high heat of shipping containers. High heat can dramatically affect the life of a seed (and even kill good seed), so we recommend our customers purchase purchase seeds during cooler conditions across the United States before the southern shipping lanes get hot.

Now is the time to stock-up on seeds for warm season crops and fall planting!
And for a limited time you can
get 20% all seed orders*
with code
“BEATTHESHIPPINGHEAT“

store.growyourhealthgardening.com

*Limited to stock on hand. No Cash Value. 
Offer valid 4/23/22-4/30/22.

Example of how Grow Your Health Gardening Seed Co packaging and how they ship seed orders

Remember, our seeds are:

  • packaged in a water-resistant sealed envelope to protect your seeds from rain and moisture.
  • packaged in a non-descript envelope and shipped with tracking to limit stolen and lost packages. (Believe it or not, we have a handful of seed orders that mysteriously go missing when we don’t ship with tracking, so now we only ship using tracking!)
  • when local temps begin to go above 75ºF, our packages are always hand-delivered to the U.S.P.S. — your seed order never will sit out in a hot mail box or metal mail collection box that is exposed to the sun and heat. (And be sure that where ever you ship your seeds is climate-controlled so they will not be sitting out in the heat while waiting for you to receive your order.) 😉
  • Grown with love and care on our family small farm using organic methods — many are hydroponic adapted.
  • Heirloom or open source seed (OSSI) so you can have confidence in food security and encourage diversity in your own garden and sharing with friends (patent-free seeds!)
Save 20% on seeds

With daily heat temps rising in the southeast, we are going to be limiting our shipments in mid-May to protect seeds from heat damage during transit. Be sure and secure your heirloom and open source seed now before summer and fall!

SHOP SEEDS NOW

Garden Planning, seed starting

Be Sure to Check this Chart Before Starting from Seed

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Seed starting?

We have a FANTASTIC resource you will want to bookmark. It tells you what conditions the particular variety needs to help it germinate. Some seeds need it dark. Some seeds need bright light to germinate. Some need to be soaked beforehand. No matter the situation, this is where you want to start.

This is an active reference we update from time-to-time as we learn through researching and growing new varieties. Be sure to bookmark the page and check back for updates! https://growyourhealthgardening.com/seeds-that-require-special-treatment/

And remember, when you start from seed, even though you are taking a bit of a gamble on some seeds, the thing that is so awesome is you can grow varieties not commonly found at big-box retail garden centers. A whole new world awaits you!

Oh — and if you’re new to seed starting, be sure to check the “Seed Starting” tab on our Web site for other helpful tips to help you in your quest to start seeds at home.

Hope this helps!

Seeds that Require Special Treatment
seed starting

Grow Your Health Gardening Seed Company Star Seller Second Consecutive Month-in-a-Row

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Grow Your Health Gardening (GYHG) Seed Co. has been identified as February Star Seller on Etsy for the second consecutive month of 2022 and received a perfect score of 100 percent in every category for exemplary customer service. 

To achieve “Star Seller of the Month” status, orders had a perfect score offering on-time shipping guidelines 100% of the time (a one day turn-around with USPS tracking on every order), communication response within 24 hours was 100% of the time, and Grow Your Health Gardening Seed Co. received 100% 5-Star Ratings from customers who received their seed orders. We provide the same wonderful service on our online store! (Which is our primary store.)

Grow Your Health Gardening receives Etsy Star Seller of the Month Award for February 2022

Here’s some of what our customers are saying about Grow Your Health Gardener Seed Co.’s service and quality grow with organic methods seeds: 

★★★★★ 
“These small seeds arrived in great shape. I planted just a few of them right away. They are already coming up! I am so happy with these rare tomato seeds!” — Sully

★★★★★ 
“My seeds came perfectly marked with a lovely thank you note and a helpful chart of past repelling plants. I could not be happier with my purchase and cannot wait to plant my little seeds with my kids and watch them grow. Thank you!!!” — Crystal

★★★★★ 
“Got here really quickly! Would buy form again! Can’t wait to start growing ^_^!” — xstiney

★★★★★ 
“Wonderful seed company with lots of information that comes with your seed order. Also check out the website. They have tone of wonderful seeds and information on it.” — Royal W

To purchase hydroponic-adapted seeds and seeds grown in the soil in the Southeast Zone 7B, you can order on Etsy.com or better yet, for the latest updates and product releases visit Grow Your Health Gardening‘s online store.

Live screenshot of Etsy Star Seller Dashboard for Grow Your Health Gardening

The Star Seller badge is Etsy’s way of recognizing sellers with a proven record of providing a great customer experience. To become a Star Seller, your store must meet certain criteria for messages, shipping, ratings, orders, and sales. If these core fundamentals of delivering great customer service are achieved, a shop may receive a badge that shows buyers that a shop has consistently provided an excellent customer experience.

Plant Nutrient Deficiencies, Plant This Now, seed starting, Teaching Children to Grow Food

Which one will perform the best? 1) Worm castings, 2) Activated Charcoal, 3) Both 4) Neither?

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I’m scheduled to give a “Tomato Talk” to a local group of community members who are interested in growing their own tomatoes from seed in the next 10 days and in the process for preparing for this talk, I thought I’d do a little soil test for what makes for a strong seedling and share it with y’all as things grow so that you can grow your health through gardening and learn tips for what I learn along the way. 😉

I took four (4) 4-pack planting trays and used the same batch of sifted soil for all four packs. The control 4-pack is straight up soil only. The second 4-pack I amended the soil with worm castings only. The third 4-pack I amended the soil with activated charcoal from a company I heard about and am trialing their product before bringing it to sell in our store and online. The fourth 4-pack soil is amended with the same ratio of worm castings as the second 4-pack as well as the same ration of the third 4-pack of soil with activated charcoal (so this final 4-pack has both amendments in it.)

A glimpse of our current seedling test subjects.

I then repeated the same amendments in another batch of similar soil, but put it in a soil block and amended certain soil blocks with worm castings only and activated charcoal castings only and a mix of both worm castings and activated charcoal. I also included rock wool just to compare growth of seed in this substrate as well. The rock wool will need to have kelp diluted and added to it as the seedlings grow as the rock wool is pH neutral and is devoid of nutrients.

For plants, I chose seed that was from the same lot, same harvest, same parent plant. All seed is our homegrown line of seed that we’ve saved and developed season after season, so I am confident that we have good strong seed stock to run the test. I chose to plant microdwarf tomatoes, because we are in the middle of winter here in Atlanta, Georgia and I can grow micro-dwarf tomatoes indoors under lights and evaluate results before our busy season of the summer harvest begins. We selected different micro dwarf tomato cultivars including Florida Petite Microdwarf Cherry Tomato, Rosy Finch Microdwarf Cherry Tomato, Aztek Microdwarf Cherry Tomato and Venus Microdwarf Cherry Tomato.

Rosy Finch Micro Dwarf Tomato Seedlings pop out of the soil ready to reach for the light.
This is a Fiskars Soil Block that is a plunger style and easy to use. You can make soil blocks of four or one larger soil block.
Setting the first soil block with the other four 4-pack trays already finished and planted.
Small bits of Activated Charcoal in equal parts and mixed thoroughly in each 4-pack of soil as well as equal parts of worm castings mixed well in 4-packs of soil keeping things as consistent as possible. We are testing to see if the activated charcoal makes any significant difference before carrying a product in our store. Stay tuned!

To gauge results, we will weigh all produced fruit and count the number of blossoms and the number of final fruit set by each tomato plant. I will do my absolute best to give equal amounts of water by first measuring what each plant is given and offering the same amount to each plant.

My hypothesis is that the air pruning action of the soil blocked starts will produce stronger seedlings for transplanting in the long run because when that root hits the air, it will signal to the plant to produce roots on the interior of the soil elsewhere. More roots will mean the plant has more opportunities to take up moisture and nutrients in the long run. I also think the soil block with BOTH worm castings and activated charcoal will perform the best because the worm castings will further any biological activity that may be happening within the soil and “cling” to the activated charcoal which the plant can tap as it needs.

That’s my best guess, but I could be wrong! We shall see what plays out in our little science experiment. What do you think will perform the best and why? Tell us in the comments below!

Happy Growing!
Erin

Special Offers, Teaching Children to Grow Food

In Memory of Mom

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To be honest, this is a little difficult to write … I’ve debated on what to do as this day has been approaching. A year ago, today was one of the worst couple of days of my life. (The day before was an especially gut-wrenching sort of day. My mom told me she wanted to take off the mask that was pumping oxygen into her lungs and keeping her alive. ) Shortly after the midnight hour, on this day one year ago, my mother died in a hospital bed from Covid. 

It was not how I envisioned saying “goodbye” to my mother on this side of heaven. I couldn’t be by her side. I was only on a FaceTime phone call and it tore me up to know she was alone with people she didn’t know in her last minutes of life here on earth. But, I don’t have to focus on those horrible things on this one-year anniversary, I can pause and remember the good…

The reason I am probably drawn to even do Grow Your Health Gardening is because of something Mom instilled within me from a very young age. She was a government school teacher for 30+ years and she instilled in me the value of the “teachable moment”. I remember her saying that you never know when a child really learns so she would suggest offering multiple opportunities to teach the same concept until it seemed that they understood.

She would say that when you see the opportunity to teach something new, you should pause and do it right in that moment. She told me a story about her own mother (who was an amazing farm cook and wonderful grandmother) who fussed at her lightly one day, because she had taken more time to do a task because she wanted to teach it to me as a little girl something as she did it. Mom saw a “teachable moment” and made time for me to learn along side her. I see myself doing this in my own children as we do life together. I often pause and repeat the same lesson again and again with them asking them, “Now why am I doing this? Why is this important?” — just to make sure they understand the lesson that is there to learn.

She valued learning and I am so thankful that she instilled in me that you are never too old to learn. Learning is lifelong (and makes life so interesting.) Perhaps that’s why I continue to write when I can on GrowYourHealthGardening.com in-between teaching our other children (2 are already pursuing higher education), growing things, and taking care of my family.

Mom was really good at growing African Violets inside our front living room. I remember her tip was to put some liquid fertilizer in the water and she always put them in a 13×9 pan and told me to water them from the bottom (let them soak up through the roots what they wanted to take and then remove them from the pan of nutrient-rich water.)

She taught me to plant marigolds to keep away aphids and to put a bit of fish in a hole before planting a strawberry start. She loved her little garden of flowers and especially was good with roses. That was difficult for her to leave as she became more reliant on the care of others. She always enjoyed the flowers. In fact, as a little girl, I remember she and grandma take me out for a drive and we would pick wildflowers. Those are good memories.

It seems sort of silly to throw a sale in her honor, but I know it would have made her smile. So we are going to pause from the busyness of life today and spread some love (as she was often ready to give to help others in need if she felt led). In honor of Mom we are giving 15% off on all seeds (no order minimum) in the seed shop if you enter the code “INMEMORYOFMOM” at check out today (1/14) through Sunday, 1/16. 

My heart goes out to those that have lost loved one(s) from this horrible virus. My heart grieves with you in your loss. But it doesn’t have to be something that drives our decisions by fear. I was very fearful after her death of Covid. I’m so very thankful that the Lord allowed my son to get sick so we could see that every person responds differently to it and we now know because of world-wide spread and treatment options that certain drugs DO work better than others. I am thankful also for those in my life who have encouraged me to not let fear drive how I live my life. Life is meant to be lived to the fullest in giving glory to God. It has made me more appreciative of time I DO have with those I love and not take the time with them for granted for none of us know what tomorrow will bring.

So, be well and do what you can to be healthy and build your immune system (like growing your own food in your own garden.) Don’t let fear be the driver of your decisions. Don’t follow the masses. Remember, you are exactly who God created you to be and live life to the fullest every day. And pause to remember those loved ones you may have lost and share their story in the comments below.

Thanks for letting me share my heart and my Mama today with you…

Love, Erin

Owner and Lead Grower
Grow Your Health Gardening

seed starting

USPS Increasing Rates—Best to order seed before Jan 8

Just a friendly reminder that the United States Postal Service (USPS) will be raising their rates yet again and the new rates will go into effect on January 9th. 

All that to say, if you want to beat increased shipping charges on any order, be sure to order before January 8th! And as always, we cover the cost of shipping on all seed orders over $35 at Grow Your Health Gardening Seed Co.

• First Class Package Service will increase by $.06–$.07 USD in the 1–4oz weights.

• Domestic Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express rates will increase by an average of 3.1%.

• First Class Mail Flats and Letters will remain unchanged in 2022. 

You can learn more on the USPS website.

We mail our packages with tracking keeping mindful of protecting seeds and watching temperatures that the seed experiences during transit. The cold winter months are an ideal time to purchase your seed as heat from shipping containers can damage or in extreme heat situations actually kill viable good seed.

And remember, we are a small business that simply focuses on growing the best seed money can buy. We are not a shipping company. Know that we will make every effort to make sure your seed investment gets to you safely, but once we mail your seed order, USPS takes the “baton” so to speak, and is responsible for ensuring that the service you paid for will be carried out.

So, if you don’t plan on spending over $35, you will want to get that seed order in before Saturday, January 8. We will ship all current seed orders taken in over the New Year Holiday on Monday, January 3, 2022 when USPS receives mail again.

Looking forward along with you, {{ data.customer.first_name|default:’my friend’ }} , to the growing season ahead! Happy New Year!

Erin
Owner and Lead Grower
Grow Your Health Gardening

PS: Did you know that researchers have found that sending a handwritten note boosts positive emotions and well-being of both the letter-writing “expresser” and the recipient when they receive a hand written note or card in the mail? Consider pausing for 15 minutes today to send a quick note through the mail to someone you love to remind them you are thinking about them and care. It’s good for your health as well! 🙂

PSS: What new plant will you learn to grow this year?

seed starting

Poem: “A Package of Seeds” by Edgar A. Guest

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In his poem (below), “A Package of Seeds,” Edgar A. Guest captures how easily we take for granted the amazing life force within a simple seed. He highlights how seeds are “a miracle of life” — a power that no one person here on this earth can create.

We at Grow Your Health Gardening stress the importance of every step in preserving the life of the seed we grow whether we are harvesting or collecting seeds, or patiently drying, handling, storing, or transporting the seeds we grow. We think it is essential to keep in mind at all times that inside each seed is not only a dormant baby plant but contains encased in this tiny capsule called a seed, intricate code that carries on the next generation of nourishing food perfectly fit for our body. And it is continually amazing to me that this seed already has everything it needs to grow the moment it is given the opportunity.

The healthier the plant while it lives without succumbing to pest, disease or chemicals from the environment, the stronger the code of its DNA. The more the plant is adapted to it’s growing environment, the stronger the code of its DNA. The more care in watching how much a seed experiences moisture and temperature fluctuations while in storage, the healthier the seedling which leads to stronger code of its DNA. Russel H. Conwell understood the importance of starting with good seed when he said, “I ask not for a larger garden, but for finer seeds.“

I ask not for a larger garden, but for finer seeds. —Russell H. Conwell (1843-1925)

Finer seeds… What is the value of good health? I say it begins and ends with finer seeds. We should not take for granted good organically grown seed that will nourish our body. It should be treasured.

It’s amazing how much inflation has affected the price of seed lately, but still in the greater scheme of things, seed is still effectively quite inexpensive compared to ready-to-purchase produce. As I came across this poem today while doing some research I thought it was a good time to pause and just remind myself what an amazing gift these plants are to our body. And by the way… here in zone 7B, it’s time to plant poppies and pansies! 😉 What one thing will you do today to grow your health gardening?

Cheers! — Erin

“A Package of Seeds”

Edgar A. Guest, Poet who wrote poem “A Package of Seeds”.

I paid a dime for a package of seeds
And the clerk tossed them out with a flip.
“We’ve got ‘em assorted for every man’s needs,”
He said with a smile on his lip.“
Pansies and poppies and asters and peas!
Ten cents a package and pick as you please!” 

Now seeds are just dimes to the man in the store
And dimes are the things he needs;
And I’ve been to buy them in seasons before,
But have thought of them merely as seeds.
But it flashed through my mind as I took them this time“
You have purchased a miracle here for a dime!” 

“You’ve a dime’s worth of power no man can create,
You’ve a dime’s worth of life in your hand!
You’ve a dime’s worth of mystery, destiny, fate,
Which the wisest cannot understand.
In this bright little package, now isn’t it odd?
You’ve a dime’s worth of something known only to God. 

—Edgar Albert Guest
Poet (1881–1959)
British Born and American Immigrant who was often referred to in his time as the “The Poet of the People”. He published more than twenty volumes of poetry and was thought to have written over 11,000 poems.

Source:

  1. https://poets.org/poet/edgar-guest
Documentaries, seed starting

Special Film Screening: The Seeds of Vandana Shiva

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Film Screening: The Seeds of Vandana Shiva

We are delighted to share the screening of the newly released documentary, “The Seeds of Vandana Shiva” by Camila and Jim Becket. Watch the short trailer below to learn more about the importance of seeds and why it’s important of who owns rights to seeds.

“Food is a weapon. When you sell real weapons you control armies. When you control food you control society. But, when you control seed, you control life on earth.”

— Vandana Shiva, Activist and one of the pioneers of the Global Seed Movement

You can purchase a ticket to view this amazing documentary of Vandana Shiva right now through April 17. The video will be available by ticket only from Friday, April 16 4 PM PT – Sunday, April 18 4 PM PT.

Buy your ticket today!

Grow Your Health Gardening (GYHG) does not profit in any way from this screening. Screening is available by ticket only and only shown between dates noted.

seed starting, Tower Garden Tips

Hydroponic-Adapted Seed vs. Soil-Based Seed

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Same variety (Cherokee Purple), but the two on the left and right are soil-based seed. Our hydroponic seed is in the middle. We think there’s not only DNA Epigenetic differences that you can’t see, but also a noticeable visual difference.

Copyright 2021 Grow Your Health Gardening

Tomato World Guinness Record holder, Charles Wilber, talks about the importance of starting with good seed stock. Do you know who grows your seed?

Check out our exclusive line of hydroponic-adapted seeds — direct links in our Facebook shop and here… https://store.growyourhealthgardening.com/products/cherokee-purple-tomato-seeds-hydroponically-adapted

Special Offers

You can Grow (and save) Some Green This St. Patrick’s Day!

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It turns out that we have some Irish in our lineage (about 20% they say), so as one of my oldest sons played his bag pipe I thought to myself… hey! We should offer a 20% off sale on our seeds in honor of our Irish heritage and the work that St. Patrick did to influence his world for the better those many years ago!

From today, Wednesday March 10, 2021 through midnight on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2021, you can save 20% when you spend $17* on all heirloom seeds in the shop. (And if you spend $25, you still get free shipping for a limited time.) That includes our exclusive line of hydroponic-adapted seeds that are perfect for hydroponic / aeroponic / aquaponic growers (that’s just for you Tower Garden, Farm Stand, and Aerogarden, Bato Bucket, and DIY Hydroponic home growers!)

https://store.growyourhealthgardening.com/

Be sure to check out our growing line of micro-dwarf tomatoes as well! They’re very popular so buy now before they are sold out!

Hope you have a fantastic growing season ahead!

Erin