Two New Gardening Finds

This is a wonderful time of the year when a wide range of new gardening finds make their way onto the store shelves.  I have been buying seeds since they first appeared on the shelves a couple of weeks ago.

As a Canadian home gardener I tend to support Canadian plant and seed growers.  While this helps to keep other Canadians employed, there is the practical side to it as well.  Bringing back seeds from the US is quite doable but Agriculture Canada has a problem with bringing in plants potted in soil and understandably so as that is one way plant diseases spread.  Now, Canada Customs will let the plant in but then you have to wait for the plant to be inspected which could take hours!  The second reason is seeds and plants grown in Canada are those that will thrive in our climate.


McKenzie Seeds located in Brandon, Manitoba is Canada's leading seed packet company.  This is the first time I've seen their collections line of pre-spaced seed on discs for a 4 - inch pot.  I bought the basil collection consisting of sweet basil, purple basil, lemon basil, thai basil and sweet basil.  Each disc is pre-seeded ready to use.  Simply fill the pot with seed starting mix then put the disc on top and water.  The disc is a fiber material that will help keep the seeds moist for germination.  The discs are available in pepper, tomato and herb collections as well.  I paid $2.99 which is a bit higher for seeds but potted 4 - inch plants usually go for that price each and I will end up with five potted plants from the package.

The dollar store can be a mecca for gardening supplies, some of them made in Canada but others manufactured elsewhere.  I spotted these individual mini greenhouse pots.  They were 3/$2 so I bought six.  The mini greenhouse pots consist of a 5 - inch pot with a vented, removable clear plastic dome lid.  The height when assembled is nine inches so will accommodate a seedling up to about 4 - inches tall.  What I really like is the venting system so the dome can be completely closed, partially open or fully open. 

I planted the basil collection in the mini greenhouse pots.  Lavender was planted in the last one.  The seed discs were very easy to use as were the mini greenhouse pots.  I will be transplanting the plants when big enough into larger, self-watering pots for the patio.  With proper care the mini greenhouse pots should give a few years of seed starting.  I actually like these enough to buy a few more.  As I type this, the seeds planted in the mini greenhouse pots have sprouted so I'll share their progress.  I am rather pleased with both the discs and pots!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
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