'Native Seeds' catalog in Zones 9-10

[Lauren]

I'm a beginning gardener! I've had tons of success with large container gardening in my BARREN Vegas backyard. I bought all my edibles as seedlings at a local nursery... tomatoes, peppers, squash, green beans and eggplants. If I plant by Feb and harvest late May-June, everything's fine. BUT, I want to continue growing stuff throughout the summer and notice the nurseries never sell seedlings/seeds for edibles that are tolerant of southwest conditions. So, I came across a catalog provided by a non-profit group called Native Seed Search that sells seeds for a variety of edibles that are more heat/drought tolerant than your average plants. Anyone have luck growing in the southwest June-Sept?? With Native Seed company?

[Jim Carlock]

Hello...

I do know someone in Dallas that is growing a variety of peppers, tomatoes and other things. She has indicated that she's had great great success using seaweed and fish emulsion. I can probably dig a little deeper for you'd like... but it might take a couple days.

[Frogleg]

Looks like an interesting heirloom seed source. (

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I didn't see anything specifically about heat- or drought-tolerant plants, although I did see mention of "low desert" for a particular tomato. "Drought-tolerant" and "grows happily in a desert" are rather different designations.

Garden centers carry veg seeds and plants in early spring when most people's throughts turn to gardening, just as clothing stores introduce bathing suits in March that are all gone by July. If you are getting good results from the plants you buy, the best thing might be to ask your garden center what varieties they are, and buy seeds of the same. You could also try the UNLV extension office. (see:

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