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.

2. 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.

3. 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
www.seedsavers.org (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.

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

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.

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

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/index.asp

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.

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.

2. 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.

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

www.chilternseeds.co.uk
email

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.

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)

--
Isle of Arran Open Gardens weekend 21,22,23 July 2006
5 UKP three-day adult ticket (funds go to island charities) buys entry
to 26 private gardens

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...er_pruning.asp

"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.

"Process: Technique = 'modified Lorette system'."
Is that a pruning technique?

"Cut back new laterals growing directly from the main stems to three leaves above
the basal leaf cluster. Cut back sideshoots on more mature laterals to one leaf above the basal cluster (left). If secondary growth is produced cut it back to one bud in
September. Remove completely any over-vigorous, upright shoots."

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:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pruning_fruit_trees
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pruning

Something like that - nice pictures and just the basics.

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...

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

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...

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


--
************************************************** **********
* Can't see the Forest | Bryan B. *
* Through the Trees? | Reply if you want. E-mail *
* Take it out! | address changes frequently *
* (Damn Viruses!) | to foil spambots. *
************************************************** **********

"Vivek.M" wrote in
oups.com:

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

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=basal+definition

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...ody+definition

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...wth+definition .
It's vulnerable because it's not mature enough to withstand frost.


"Process: Technique = 'modified Lorette system'."
Is that a pruning technique?

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?

http://www.google.com/search?
hl=en&lr=&q=basal+leaf+cluster+definition&btnG=Sea rch

What's a upright shoot?

http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Shoot

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


snip



Always remember, Google is your friend.

--Bryan


--
************************************************** **********
* Can't see the Forest | Bryan B. *
* Through the Trees? | Reply if you want. E-mail *
* Take it out! | address changes frequently *
* (Damn Viruses!) | to foil spambots. *
************************************************** **********

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. http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Electronics
2. http://www.play-hookey.com/ [The link does not work at this point of
time]

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. http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Electronics
2. http://www.play-hookey.com/ [The link does not work at this point of
time]

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: "http://www.thompson-morgan.com/". 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.

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.
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: "http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Electronics" Now
substitute "Electricity" with "Cultivar" and "Capacitor" with
"Hybrid" and you'll see what i'm looking for !

I found another web site that offers international shipping and cheap
too! Check out: "http://www.thompson-morgan.com/". The nice thing about
them is this - They waive the most expensive pkt of seeds that you buy!

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

Darn! Foiled again!

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

Vivek.M wrote:
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


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

lol!


Carl


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