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Across the Fence:  Can you be too too frugal??  |
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La Patite Ferme
True Blue Farmgirl
623 Posts
Jenn
CA
USA
623 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 25 2008 : 8:31:11 PM
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Don't faint girls, but yes we can or at least I can/did 
I was trying not to spend too much on the garden this spring with DD being so busy with her lambs so I went through all my seeds and organized them to use instead of buying new. Some of them were several years old. Yes - I planted them and yes, I got a really low germination. It's been more than three weeks and the veggie beds I planted are spotty and some seeds didn't come up at all. So now I've wasted good growing time and will have to go out and buy seeds anyway.
Did I learn my lesson? Maybe not. I decided to keep all the seeds from 2006 and 2007 and put the rest in the compost. Who knows, maybe my compost pile will be the better producer, but I just can't bring myself to throw them away.
So - what frugal thing have you done that turned out to bite you in the tushy? |
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Farmtopia
True Blue Farmgirl
1465 Posts
Zan
New York
New York
USA
1465 Posts |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Mar 26 2008 : 07:20:21 AM
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Jennifer - I learned this the hard way, too. I had old sugar snap pea seeds, and I put them in the ground last year. The seeds wewe only a year old. But they did not do well. This year I used new seeds only, and I have a bumper crop so far. I wonder why the seeds get old like that? Seems like they would always germinate unless they were ancient.
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
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mima
True Blue Farmgirl
1573 Posts
1573 Posts |
Posted - Mar 26 2008 : 07:32:08 AM
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I know... I thought seeds lasted forever! Duh!!! I've tried using old seeds too! that's probably why my garden didn't do well last year! This year I splurged and bought new seeds and plants from Seeds of Change!!!So excited! Were digging up more of the backyard to accomidate them! Now if I could get hubby on board with the chickens!!!!!!
"No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars,or sailed to an uncharted land or opened a new heaven to the human spirit." Helen Keller |
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La Patite Ferme
True Blue Farmgirl
623 Posts
Jenn
CA
USA
623 Posts |
Posted - Mar 26 2008 : 09:10:38 AM
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If seeds from King Tuts tomb grow why not mine? Oh ya - his were not hybirdized or genetically altered.
Maybe they're not produced to last long like some plants are produced to have starile seeds that can't be saved and reused the next year. |
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kissmekate
True Blue Farmgirl
890 Posts
Kate
Delano
Minnesota
890 Posts |
Posted - Mar 26 2008 : 10:10:22 AM
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My friend uses her old seeds, and has had great results. She keeps hers in the garage, so they in essence freeze over the winter. Perhaps that is why?
Don't miss out on a blessing, just because it isn't packaged the way you expected. ~MaryJo Copeland |
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lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - Mar 26 2008 : 11:20:24 AM
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Hybrid seeds lose their "potency" after a while. Heirlooms are the way to go if you want to keep seed for a long time or harvest your own seed for future use. Heirloom seeds keep for years and years.
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
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Across the Fence: Can you be too too frugal?? |
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Can you be too too frugal??
