New member from Bangalore, India.

[Vivek.M]

Hello, My name is Vivek.M; I am a engineering student from India. I've just taken up gardening as a hobby; the only things i've ever grown till date are a pair of water-melons.

1. Could someone suggest a Internet based resources on gardening. I use the Wikipedia to decipher the funny words that i come across; things like perenial, gamete and pollen. I don't understand why plants must be planted at a particular time and why you can't shove them in the ground in reasonably bright sunlight and expect them to flower and fruit.

1. Is there any way to obtain seeds, not that i don't get seeds here; trouble is most of the seeds i get are for fruit and food stuff that is commonly available here. I wanted seeds for: leeks, broccoloi, chard, rutabaga, RASPBERRY's, STRAWBERRY's, PLUM's - stuff like that - which i don't get to eat locally.

2. I've tried the gardenweb.com seed exchange web site, unfortunately it's mostly for ppl that live in the USA. I've also tried to purchase my seeds from burpee.com (they don't ship Internationally) and (their minimum order is 100USD for international deliveries with 15% service charge and extra shipping!!) with no luck. So could you suggest a seed exchange site which meets my needs.

[Janet Baraclough]

The message from "Vivek.M" contains these words:

The Royal Horticultural Society in the UK (this is the society which hosts the Chelsea flower show)

use

Because in many parts of the world, like mine, there are four distinct seasons, two of which are not suited to seed germination and growing. Here (Scotland) there is only a 90 day growing season. The rest of the year is too cold , or light levels are too low, for seed germination and plant growth. So, it's essential to plant at the right time. Too soon and the seeds will freeze or rot. Too late and they won't have time to flower or fruit before winter.

Try Chiltern Seeds in the UK; they ship all kinds of seed, worldwide, and have a top reputation.

email [e-mail]

I wanted seeds for: leeks, broccoloi, chard,

Some food plants from temperate climates (like raspberries, apples and plums) need a cool winter dormancy. They just won't grow in all-year-heat.

Before you start, it would be worth reading up on how climate and season affects plants, to give yourself a better understanding of their needs.

Janet. (Scotland, UK)

[Vivek.M]

> "Time: Delay pruning until the basal third of new shoots have turned woody. This >>discourages frost-vulnerable secondary growth."

What's a basal third of new shoots and whats turning woody? What is secondary growth and why is it frost vulnerable.

Is that a pruning technique?

leaf above >> the basal cluster (left). If secondary growth is produced cut it back to one bud in

Umm..trim new side growing branches; leave only the section from the stem till the basal leaf cluster + 3 leaves..? What's a basal leaf cluster? What's secondary growth? What's a upright shoot? :(

How did you guys figure out the terminology? The RHS web site is fantastic! I found heaps of potentially useful stuff, however the terminology is daunting; they assume you know a wee bit of gardening and alas, i know zilch! Anyway still going through the site so i'll keep you updated.

Are there any resources for total and absolute newbies? I found a superb article on pruning in the Wiki; check it out:

like that - nice pictures and just the basics.

[Vivek.M]

What's a "SASE" the acronym for? Are there other buzz words that i need to know? I think i remember reading another such acronymn; SASBE or something...

[BB]

"Vivek.M" wrote in news:1150529046.409101.83130 @y41g2000cwy.googlegroups.com:

Although I smell a troll, SASE is "Self Addressed Stamped Envelope". It's used for returning information by mail. (The "B" would probably be for "Business".

--Bryan

[BB]

"Vivek.M" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

?hl=en&lr=&q=woody+definition . It's vulnerable because it's not mature enough to withstand frost.

What's a upright shoot? :(

an Upright one would be one that's, well, upright.

Always remember, Google is your friend.

--Bryan

[Vivek.M]

Hello Bryan, I did not mean to troll, and i am sorry that my posts came across as trollish. This is my first post to rec.gardens and probably my third or fourth post via deja.com, so it's not likely that i've had a stellar career as a troll.

I am not very knowledgeable about horticulture and biology, and though i did study bio in high-school, it's been 5 years since i looked at a bio textbook. Simple stuff that may be obvious to you requires research from my side.

I know about google and have been using it extensively, but it eats in to my time; Imagine trying to google every 5'th word in a article and then clicking and back-clicking to move back and forth over a reasonably slow Internet link trying to figure out which link contains the information you require!

So could someone on the group recommend a online resource for beginners to gardening (some one who is totally clueless about biology and gardening) ! Some site which has all the information required for a newbie in one place. Stuff like: how to prune, dicot, monocot, and what a flower is (i've forgotten - i mean, i know stigma, stamen, pollen and nectar and darn honey bees buzzing about..and i did study the darn thing in school..) and more importantly, how to relate all this stuff to the actual plant.

To give you a example of what i mean: If some Joe asked me how to learn Basic Electronics online, i'd probably say:

1. [The link does not work at this point of time]

[Vivek.M]

Hello Bryan, I did not mean to troll, and i am sorry that my posts came across as trollish. This is my first post to rec.gardens and probably my third or fourth post via deja.com, so it's not likely that i've had a stellar career as a troll.

I am not very knowledgeable about horticulture and biology, and though i did study bio in high-school, it's been 5 years since i looked at a bio textbook. Simple stuff that may be obvious to you requires research from my side.

I know about google and have been using it extensively, but it eats in to my time; Imagine trying to google every 5'th word in a article and then clicking and back-clicking to move back and forth over a reasonably slow Internet link trying to figure out which link contains the information you require!

So could someone on the group recommend a online resource for beginners to gardening (some one who is totally clueless about biology and gardening) ! Some site which has all the information required for a newbie in one place. Stuff like: how to prune, dicot, monocot, and what a flower is (i've forgotten - i mean, i know stigma, stamen, pollen and nectar and darn honey bees buzzing about..and i did study the darn thing in school..) and more importantly, how to relate all this stuff to the actual plant.

To give you a example of what i mean: If some Joe asked me how to learn Basic Electronics online, i'd probably say:

1. [The link does not work at this point of time]

[Vivek.M]

Hello Janet, Many thanks!! The RHS web site is pretty good - i found some interesting stuff on cultivating prunes! I'm dead keen on raspberry and plum cultivation for obvious reasons *grin*. I suppose it's well worth the risk - after all, i'm not keen on flowers, or having a pretty garden; I dislike vegetables and get my fair share of veggies anyways ( via the parent process - Ugh! ). If the plants don't turn out okay i'll just chop them down and plant something else!

Oh! And Cocoa..err..Coco? I'm learning cooking so it will be fun to experiment and make tasty stuff ! We have heaps of place in the backyard and i bet i could fit in lots of bushes..about 4000 Sq Feet..Anyway..

I found another web site that offers international shipping and cheap too! Check out: "

". The nice thing about them is this - They waive the most expensive pkt of seeds that you buy! Now the funny thing is this - If you order just one packet of seeds, well it gets waived *grin*; Isn't technology wonderful? Anyway i shall let them know once i've screwed them out of some Strawberry seeds :). Shipping is cheap as well; only pound 0.99 which is like 80 odd bucks.

Where? RHS? I found there "Advice" link more useful than their "Learning" link. Most of it is offline learning (Courses and paperback books and Research) Take a look at: "

" Now substitute "Electricity" with "Cultivar" and "Capacitor" with "Hybrid" and you'll see what i'm looking for !

[Janet Baraclough]

The message from "Vivek.M" contains these words:

Like Chiltern it's a UK seed company. Their seed does not have a good reputation among gardeners here in the UK.

That's basic school geography and biology. Even within your own suncontinent there is ample differentiation between what can be grown in different areas. Tea isn't grown in a rice paddy.

Janet

[Vivek.M]

Darn! Foiled again!

[Vivek.M]

Dad just walked across my plant beds :(! I think i just understood why red-faced men mouth the vilest of obscenities at people when their gardens get trampled! That stupid !@##$#% did it on purpose blast him!! He goes around planting and digging like some deranged loon and when i tell him anything he gets all huffy!! Blast him! He has absolutely no freaking business interfering in my patch! Man :( and yesterday i noticed that one hollihock stem had been trampled upon and i had to prop it up with clay!! That rotten skunk quickly denied stepping on it and we have a dog so i couldn't shred him! Today, i just saw him cut across stomping all over the freaking middle of the beds!! That rotten stinking freaking rotten bloody

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

in our culture the phrase would be something like; "Hey! You kids get off my lawn!"

lol!

Carl

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