Spider Web Gardens
Annuals
Over winter we spend long hours poring over seed catalogs from as many as 6-8 different companies. We carry over 75 varieties of bedding plants and twice that number when one takes into account different colors and flower types within each variety. Not one single company carries all of our choices- so we pick and choose to give you the best selection.
Each year we try some new and unusual varieties and feedback is greatly appreciated- as every growing season is different and offers up some challenges, we try these new varieties for at least two seasons. If they don't grab any attention, we may drop them- so let us know!
Heirloom Seeds
Did you ever wonder where seeds come from or about the history of seeds or plants? When humans began to raise their own food, agriculture was born. They also began a process of selecting plants with specific, desirable traits thus developing new plant varieties. Farming practices evolved but generally much depended on nature. Our ancestors knew their soil and their climate intimately. Their life depended on their success in the gardens and fields. Every spring, they planted. Every summer, they cultivated. Every fall, they harvested. Every year they selected and saved their best seed for next year's planting. And every generation passed these treasures on to the next.
As America entered the 20th century industrialization prompted migrations to the cities. And with this shift in population the remaining farms began an upward spiral; increasing in size, mechanization, and efficiency. In the US most food crops are now grown in large, monoculture plots. In order to maximize consistency, few varieties of each type of crop are grown. These varieties are often selected for their productivity, their ability to withstand mechanical picking and cross-country shipping, and their tolerance to drought, frost, or pesticides. Large scale farmers shifted from standard seed varieties towards F1 hybrids (a cross between two inbred varieties). These hybrids were marketed for specific traits that are beneficial to commercial farming operations, i.e. disease resistance, consistent ripening, etc. However, if the farmer were to save and plant seeds from his harvest, the resulting plants generally did not have the same characteristics of the previous or parent generation. Do you remember reading about the Irish potato famine which led to the death or displacement of two and a half million people in the 1840s? This is an example of what can happen when farmers rely on only a few plant species as crop cornerstones. A blight wiped out the single potato type that came from deep in the Andes Mountains; it did not have the necessary resistance. If the Irish had planted different varieties of potatoes, one type would have most likely resisted the blight.
At Spider Web we grow many varieties of hybrids as well as over 50 varieties of heirloom plants. Heirlooms, by definition, must be open-pollinated. This means that if the seeds produced from the plant are properly saved, they will produce the same variety year after year. This is an important consideration for food security and self-sufficiency. Typically, heirlooms have adapted over time to whatever climate and soil they have grown in. Due to their genetics, they are often resistant to local pests, diseases, and extremes of weather. Also, heirloom seeds are never genetically engineered. Hybrids are a cross between two separate varieties, as the seed produced from those plants will either be sterile, or start to revert back to the parent plants. While the hybrids have many advantages (disease resistance, greater productivity, more uniform fruit, etc.) they just can't match the heirlooms for taste and unique traits; just two reasons why we grow both types of plants to produce our own fresh local vegetables.
It is good to know where your food supply comes from, how it is grown and to buy local and fresh foods. Soon the farm stands at Spider Web will be open; stop in and see the many varieties of vegetables and flowers that are gown on the farm. If you would like to see a list of some of the annual heirloom flowers grown on the farm click Here. If you would like to see a list of some of the heirloom vegetable plants grown at Spider Web click Here.
Transplanting and potting continues on through to the end of August with the fall seasonal crops. Sunflowers are grown from seed and planted in the field. We are now picking bouquets.
We also grow many herbs, if you would like to see a list of these please click Here.
Basil Seedlings
Annual Flowers
If you would like a list of annuals that we are planning to seed and grow this year, please click Here. This list may change and is dependent on seed availability.
One of the flowers in the garden with an interesting history is the lovely calendula officinalis, which has been used in cooking for centuries. The flowers were a common ingredient in German soups and stews, which explains the nickname "pot marigold." The lovely golden petals were also used to add color to butter and cheese. The flowers are traditional ingredients in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes. Calendula tea provides health benefits as well as being delicious. The beautiful flowers were once used as a source of dye for fabrics. Calendula is native to the Mediterranean region and has spread throughout the world because it tolerates many growing conditions. During the Civil War, American doctors relied on its antiseptic properties and packed open wounds with calendula leaves. Calendula has been historically significant in medicine in many cultures, and it is still important in alternative medicine today.
Cosmos is cut flower with an interesting history. Spanish priests grew cosmos asteraceae in their mission gardens in Mexico. The evenly placed petals led them to christen the flower "Cosmos," the Greek word for harmony or ordered universe. Cosmos originated in Mexico and South America. Freshly cut cosmos blooms make a bright airy bouquet and an arrangement can last for 7 - 10 days. Select flowers whose petals have just unfolded; they will open fully once cut. Cut the flowers in the morning when their water content is highest and immediately place them in a deep container of tepid water. Before arranging, strip foliage from the lower portion of the stems. If leaves are submerged under water, they will decay quickly, shortening the life of the bouquet. Cosmos flowers are also suitable for drying.
Photos courtesy of Nancy and Jonathan Downing; create your own windowboxes, fill with beautiful Spider Web annuals and send us your photo.
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